Reflection on three core quadrants

Looking at the mix of competencies and qualities below, I am rather satisfied with the person who I am at the moment. There are of course points for improvement, but I think that counts for everybody, regardless the age, level of education or nationality. The most important thing for me to work on this year is accepting that people are different and don’t always share the same qualities. We just need to work together and make use of everyone’s unique qualities and talents.

Below there are three core quadrants displayed with each a core quality, pitfall, challenge, and allergy. In this paragraph I will elaborate the different core qualities with relevant examples.

In general, I am well-disciplined while working on a certain project. When I start a project or assignment I also want to finish it the best way possible. I believe that this is one of the crucial skills when it comes to leading a project group. In a project group, you need someone who feels responsible for the assignment, someone who knows what the deliverables are, and someone with general knowledge about the field of the assignment.

Therefore, I might lose into details of the project, and is it a challenge for me to try to work detailed in a structured way in order to make sure that every aspect of the project is covered and carried out. For example, in Year 1 on the test day of project management, we did not take the time aspect into account and lost track of time. On the other hand, at Year 2 Imagineering, we took into account every detail and therefore we won the IMA Awards.

Having said that, I can really be irritated by the fact that, when I have a full picture in my head as a leader, and I am trying to explain everything via meetings, and still the quality of work is not what I had expected. When that happens, I try to be as polite as possible and explain it again. If that does not work than I would take the workload on myself and correct it.

One of the most important qualities of me is my great enthusiasm and motivation to take on tasks. I keep on receiving complements that I maintain the motivation within a project group and that I also manage to motivate my team members - and also for creating the right atmosphere during project meetings.

Therefore, a huge pitfall would be that I am working too fast because of my enthusiasm. I will think of various perspectives and I sometimes jump from topic to topic and back, because I am slightly chaotic while having enthusiasm for an assignment.

Having said that, my main challenge is to be a perfectionist. I really admire people who have that kind of skill, because they think of every aspect and every detail needs to be excellent. I, on the other hand, tend to lose track of the details when I am enthusiastic and creative. Therefore, I really have a hard time coping with people who are unmotivated. I realized that it brings the whole mood and atmosphere down, so that I don't really feel comfortable anymore.

Regarding this final core quadrant, I see myself as a very creative person. I can connect seemingly unrelated topics, words or products with the intention of creating new innovative products & concepts. E.g. with the Imagineering project in year 2; Harvesting Communities. even with the Leisure Direction project of year three, with the brainstorm sessions to convert the analysis into strategic options for development in Rotterdam. In a project group I would say that I am the one who is mostly triggered and inspired by others when it comes to creative thinking.

But therefore, for some to the outside world, I can look extremely chaotic. I could be all over the place when I am in my creative mood. Thus, it is sometimes necessary to have someone in the project group to try to keep me with both feet on the ground. To have a realistic person who is raising critical questions.

Also related to the first quadrant, it is constantly a challenge for me to work structured. e.g. Before a brainstorm session, I should read through the requirements, even sometimes make bullet points of the crucial things that I should not forget in order to have an effective and efficient meeting.

Having said that, at a certain point of a creative meeting I get annoyed by the fact that there is often someone who is constantly criticizing every idea what pops into my mind. This often happens when people are not open-minded or have a pessimistic way of life. In general, this is not a real problem as long as you can say it nicely and positively otherwise at a certain point I will get irritated and I will be less creative.

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