People develop, they seldom change. This is especially so when pursuing their preferred working style. Everybody has strengths - which is ‘What’ they do best. Everybody also has a successful style - which is ‘How’ they work best. Combining these together provides a powerful combination. If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme called My successful style. This invites you to take the following steps.

1) You can explore your previous satisfying ‘projects’ to find your successful style.

Looking back on your life, describe what for you have been 3 stimulating and satisfying projects. Use the term ‘project’ in the broadest sense. You may have got great satisfaction, for example, from designing a web site, launching a product, organising a charity ‘fun run’, leading a team, helping somebody to master a skill or whatever. Exploring each project in turn, describe the specific things that made each one fulfilling.

The first satisfying project was:

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The specific things that made it satisfying were:

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The second satisfying project was:

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The specific things that made it satisfying were:

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The third satisfying project was:

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The specific things that made it satisfying were:

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2) You can clarify your successful style.

Looking at each of the projects, can you see any patterns? One person said, for example:

“My pattern is clear – I love building prototypes, but several characteristics stand out. First, I must believe the project will improve people’s lives. Second, I want to have in-put into clarifying the ‘What’ – the goal we want to achieve. Third, I like to have lots of autonomy. Fourth, I prefer to be aiming for a specific deadline. Finally, I love to see the prototype having a positive impact on people’s lives.”

Looking back on your life, can you see any recurring themes in your satisfying projects? Bearing these in mind, describe what you believe to be your successful style. (You may, of course, have two styles. One where you are working with other people, one when you are working alone.) Try completing the following sentence.

My successful style is that I work best when:

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3) You can follow your successful style in the future.

Peak performers follow their preferred working style, which seems to get more pronounced as they get older. The person mentioned above said:

“I want to keep building prototypes, but such jobs are seldom advertised. They are filled ahead of time by people who know what is happening. So that means I must aim to do three things: a) To reach out to potential sponsors in my network: b) To identify their challenges: c) To show how the prototype will help them to succeed. I need to stay ahead of the game, find a potential niche and get backing to build a prototype.”

Everybody has a preferred way of working, so it is important to find and follow yours. Try completing the final part of the exercise. This can be the key to shaping a fulfilling future.

The steps I can take to follow my successful style in the future are:

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