Artist

Faithful and loyal to people and ideas which are important to them

Creator GROUP

Artist is one of a group of Character Types that we call Creator. The Creator, in turn, form a group within our overall Character Family as shown right:

CHARACTER SUMMARY

The Artist is the astute observer of life, quiet, introspective and kindly. Harmony and respectfulness of values are so important to them. And although trust takes quite some time to establish, once it has been, the Artist will be a solid and dependable friend. Yes it will take some time to really get to know the inner values of an Artist but the reward will be a friend for life, a friend who will proactively anticipate problems and support others.

Quiet supporters, rarely will the Artist be the leader, preferring to remain behind the scenes, observing, understanding, but saying very little. There is a stubborn side to the Artist, but this is more of a passive stubbornness, meaning the person may say 'yes,' but mean 'no.' Their gentleness and thoughtfulness means that the Artist can be an excellent mediator in the team, seeking good things and building harmony.

The downside of this is that the Artist can be overly laid back and, unless it is important to their values, they may not completely buy-in. The Artist wants and needs a cooperative environment, where harmony is a first principle, and confrontation is kept to a minimum. An Artist will need space, time to reflect and to be treated gently and seriously. They will rarely be at the frontline but are often the catalyst for making things happen through infusing others with confidence and through their loyalty to particular individuals.

An Artist needs freedom, and is not motivated by goals, or targets - and indeed may shy away, (in a quiet, non-confrontational way), from schedules, plans and set priorities. However, getting close to an Artist will provide individuals, or the team, with a very different, astute perspective on issues or people, and in that sense can be very rewarding. Artists are motivated by doing a job or performing tasks which they can wholeheartedly believe in, and which push their internal buttons.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE

The Artist needs to have a role that goes far beyond a simple job - the middle of the road is not likely to be a place where they will be fulfilled and happy. They need to have a role which is consistent with their strong core of inner values. Since they prefer to live in the current moment, and take the time to savour it, they tend to do prefer even-paced roles with space and time to think. They need that space and freedom if they are going to function in their natural realm and give free reign to their natural creative, nurturing and artistic abilities.

• They enjoy a slower pace - taking time to savour the present moment
• A dislike of dealing with theory or abstract thought, unless they see a practical application
• Faithful and loyal to people and ideas which are important to them
• Quiet and reserved, except with people they know extremely well
• Trusting, sensitive, and kind - take things seriously, although they frequently appear not to
• Likely to be original and unconventional - individualistic, having no desire to lead or follow
• Dislike the mundane - hate being confined to strict schedules and regimented working
• They need space and freedom to do things their own way

WHAT COMES EASY

The Artist wants, and needs, a cooperative environment, where harmony is a first principle, and confrontation is kept to a minimum. Being gentle, quiet and understated Artists may be ignored, neglected or overlooked in organisations. Yet their caring side means that they can be the most loyal and supportive staff member to those who do understand and value them. However such support, as with all Artist attributes, will be behind the scenes, indemonstrable and essentially practical, manifesting itself much more in deeds than in words.

• Warmth, optimism, friendliness and a great listener
• Being flexible and laid-back, usually willing to defer to others, not the leader
• Taking their commitments seriously (if they are committed)
• Will value and respect others’ personal space
• Tend to show their affection through acts and deeds rather than emotion
• Artists have passionate and intense feelings - but these are internalised
• Accepting and valuing people as individuals and so they have a great deal of tolerance
• Being laid back, Artists live for the current day, without stressing about the future or the past

WHAT NEEDS DEVELOPING

Although the Artist is a complex and difficult to read character, once in tune they are capable of great innovation and producing some truly original thoughts and works. They can slip into the groove of not doing too much or churning out amazing work - the key being that the Artist ‘slips into the groove’ and if they are unmotivated will ‘check out,’ but if motivated - either by interest or concern - they will immerse themselves and produce work that is totally original.

• Requiring longer term planning and thinking in certain situations
• Confronting difficult situations/conflict head on rather than avoiding it
• Being open to the involvement of others, welcoming others into the group
• Expressing their own feelings and emotions in group situations
• Seeking out constructive criticism
• Being objective and open minded about suggestions and ideas from others