Craftsman

A strong interest in how and why things work

Creator GROUP

Craftsman 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

At their best, Craftsmen are excellent at reacting to problems or crises, needing very little preparation and able to cut to the chase with no preamble or discussion with others, spontaneously grasping the nettle often to the surprise of those who had viewed them as peripheral players. The Craftsman doesn’t follow the social mores, nor do they need to engage fully with others - this makes them slightly difficult to know initially.

Practical, resourceful, adaptable pragmatists, Craftsmen possess an excellent capacity for understanding how anything works, displaying logical, detached analysis. They have incredible (often understated) powers of observation and a great talent for logical dispassionate analysis, and getting things to work. Since people rarely conform to laws of physics, the Craftsman may struggle with more emotional issues preferring the rationality of scientific experiments to the irrationality of mere mortals with all their foibles, idiosyncrasies and emotions. They will also be quite private regarding their own personal lives and walk away from conflict, not from fear but as it is just so unproductive! However, this means that others may, therefore, see them as cool.

The Craftsman is self-sufficient and very independent, only really happy when undertaking some risky or interesting activity. Direct to the point of abruptness and tending at times to tread on toes, the Craftsman tends to speak literally, and will display coolness under pressure which helps get things fixed but which may not endear them to those around them, (even those for whom they’ve fixed something!)

The Craftsman is one of the most complex of character types moving seamlessly from quiet bystander to active participant and leader of the revolution in one fell swoop, then back again to less visible introvert. The self-indulgent nature of the Craftsman means that they will be full-on, or full off - they don’t do shades of grey! The Craftsman is at their best in times of crisis and challenge, rather than be the detailed person. Independent, inscrutable and self-contained, the Craftsman may be difficult to get to know at first as they are often slow to reveal themselves early in the relationship.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE

The Craftsman is fortunate because they have the ability to be good at many different kinds of tasks. They have the ability to concentrate and work through problems which leaves many doors open to them. However, to be happiest, the Craftsman needs an environment that offers a great deal of autonomy and little external enforcement or structure. Craftsmen will do best working for themselves, or in very flexible environments. Their natural interests lie towards applying their excellent reasoning skills against known facts to discover solutions to practical questions i.e. how can I make it work?

A strong interest in how and why things work
Will function less well in overly-structured environments - they will either feel stifled or bored
A love of variety and new experiences
Excellent ‘trouble-shooters,’ able to quickly find solutions to practical problems
Usually laid-back and easy-going with people
Risk-takers who thrive on action and solving practical problems
Independent and determined - usually dislike committing themselves
Appear laid back until it’s time for action, then bring out their vast store of knowledge

WHAT COMES EASY

Craftsmen are generally extremely capable individuals who are good at most things which interest them. They are usually bright, interesting, and exciting individuals with a lot to offer. They live almost entirely in the present moment, and usually do not make commitments beyond the immediate foreseeable future. If something interests them and satisfies their need for excitement, the Craftsman will work hard but if they lose interest their natural tendency will be to move on. They are capable of assessing a situation and finding practical solutions quickly.

• Practical and realistic, they handle all daily concerns
• Rarely threatened by conflict or criticism
• Likely to respect other's needs for space and privacy
• Highly in tune with their physical surroundings, and love practical, mechanical applications
• Exceptional trouble-shooters in emergency situations
• They're usually bright, and can work through difficult problems
• They can handle just about any task that they are presented with
• Love getting to grips with problems

WHAT NEEDS DEVELOPING

The Craftsman is a complex character - quiet, unassuming and apparently out of it then suddenly energised and in charge in full possession of all the facts - many facts that others wouldn’t know they were in possession of! This makes them difficult to know as the view is often that they are more observers than participants and then something happens, something takes their interest or an emergency occurs, and they leap into action and, from being bystanders, to active participants to leaders.

• Moving away from the here and now, considering longer term commitments
• Expressing their own feelings and emotions in group situations
• Taking time out to consider and understand other people’s feelings and their impact
• Being open to the involvement of others, welcoming others into the group
• Living with the status quo, seeing things through to the plan
• Living and working with others who have opposing values, opinions and beliefs
• Being open to less objective or logical criteria in decision making or planning.