Directors see the big picture. They instantly see the vision and tend to know exactly what direction someone should go in. They are creative with lots of fabulous ideas for themselves and for others. Ideas make money for you, for the companies you work for, and your clients.

On the flip side, Directors get bored easily. They are idea people and not planners. Many projects get started that often aren’t finished. When details fall through the cracks or projects don’t get started Directors leave money on the table.

Are You A Director?

• You have lots of ideas and see a huge vision for yourself. You believe everything is possible. If someone is ever looking for an idea, you’ve got one (actually lots of them!).

• You have trouble with the details. You are easily overwhelmed and tend to get bored with a project or an idea very quickly.

• You don’t trust yourself to finish things and often underestimate the amount of time a project will take to be completed.

• You worry about being “exposed”. Everyone thinks you look great on the outside but underneath you’re running like crazy and are having trouble managing it.

• When you’re working with others, you are often miles ahead of them. You see the vision, it’s so obvious and you can’t imagine why they don’t get it too.

• When you’re sharing an idea with someone, you get very excited about the vision you see, you don’t need details to understand that vision but they do, and you tend to overlook those details.

• You tend to devalue yourself as an employee and accept a lower salary, or if you are an entrepreneur, undercharge for your service because you don’t trust yourself to produce the work that you agreed to do within the time frame that you set. 

Best Practices If You’re A Director

For Yourself

As a Director it’s easy to get distracted and inflicted with “Shiny Object Syndrome”. Before you start anything new take a moment to consider what you’re currently working on, and how this new project or idea will add to it or distract from it. Give yourself permission to say “No” to the new idea.

Ideas are your strength, not plans. Get someone to help you map out the steps you need to take to fulfill your idea, and ideally someone to help you complete those steps. Set very specific deadlines, and assume that every step you need to do will take you twice the amount of time you expect it will.

Keeping projects running on schedule is not your strength, that goes for your own projects, for projects at work or, if you’re in your own business, for your clients’ projects. Create a series of checks and balances which might include, working with someone who is good at the details to help you help stay on track. When you stay on track your deliverables will be timely and more will get completed leading to higher success and impact.

In Your Interactions With Others

Remember that even though you are a big picture thinker, other people need to understand the plan behind the idea. This is especially true for colleagues, co-workers, bosses or prospective clients. I’m not suggesting that you drown them in the details, but they do need something.

Other people are unlikely to catch onto your vision immediately. Give them time to catch up to you, and be willing to repeat what you’ve already told them. When you give your them time to catch up with you their satisfaction will increase dramatically, and so will your effectiveness.

Best Practices If You’re Interacting With A Director

You Director clients are incredibly excited about the vision, but are not good at execution.

Give Directors a very specific plan that includes deadlines. They need dates and need to know exactly what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and if possible, how to get it done in time to meet the deadline.

Directors will get bored mid-way through a project. Continually remind them of their big vision.

Finally,

Always remember that as a Director your greatest strengths are your creativity, your vision and your ideas. When you focus on that piece of it and have other people help you with the rest you will maximize your effectiveness and impact.

Your IMPACT Profile is impacting every aspect of your career, business and life. Would you like to speak with me about your IMPACT profile and how to make it work for you? Click the button below to fill out a short questionnaire and secure your spot on my calendar.Click Here For A Complimentary Conversation Directly with Carrie!