Managing your Talents [2] - Futuristic

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.


According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Futuristic is the following:

“Wouldn’t it be great if . . .” You are the kind of person who loves to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you. As if it were projected on the wall, you see in detail what the future might hold, and this detailed picture keeps pulling you forward, into tomorrow. While the exact content of the picture will depend on your other strengths and interests — a better product, a better team, a better life, or a better world — it will always be inspirational to you. You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions. When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future and they energize you. They can energize others, too. In fact, very often people look to you to describe your visions of the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. You can paint it for them. Practice. Choose your words carefully. Make the picture as vivid as possible. People will want to latch on to the hope you bring.

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Futuristic?

The essence of Futuristic is the way this talent theme "draws you into the future".  You live in the future, so to speak.  To your Futuristic, today only has meaning because it leads to tomorrow.  And yesterday is but a vague memory.

This leads to the first important aspect of managing your Futuristic talent: understand that this talent determines your worldview.  It colours the way you perceive the world, and everything in it. You find meaning within the fact that you look forward with expectation and hope. Your vision is what energises you. But you must understand that it is not "normal" to everyone. Most people do not look at everything with possibility and hope as you do.  Most people are living in the "now", and some even in the past.  Your future-thinking ability therefor might impact the way you think, the way you feel and the way you behave in a very strong way.  And this must be managed...exactly because not everyone operates in this forward-looking manner, like your Futuristic does.

How?
This might sound simple, but one of the best ways to manage your worldview is to acknowledge and understand how it functions.  To accept that you are a future-thinker is crucial.  You will be temped to project your worldview on others, but you must understand that you are in many ways visionary.  You "see" tomorrow.  Do not expect others to see it also.  You are drawn towards things that is not "real' yet.  Accept that others need reality to understand things. You want to plan far ahead. Accept that others might be intimidated by this.  You experience the future as if it is real.  People might think it's crazy!  Accept it. Don't project or push it onto others. The future might be yours...but they need to wait for it.

A second aspect of Futuristic, is how real you might perceive things that has NOT happened yet.  And that is exactly what you need to manage:  reality is the future is not here yet.    A dream, a plan or a vision might be so clear and so real to you, that you might sometimes lose reality about it.  You might be unrealistic.  You might even act as if it has materialized already....if it is a done deal.  This might cause frustration to others, but it might just as well land you in the hot water.  You might communicate things to others as if it is a fact or a reality - because to your Futuristic planning it is - when in real life a lot still has to happen, and it might just as well turn out differently.  Then you sit with the red face.  Others might even experience you as deceitful in this regard, when it is not in the least your intention!  Be careful.  Manage your talent well.

How?
Communicate "outside' of your futuristic perspective.  Use clear terms to indicate that what you see, feel or experience is NOT real yet.  That it is to come. And - be sure to acknowledge that it might well change and you accept it that way.  The word "might" will make a huge difference, instead of the word "is". The words "I foresee" or "I plan" might be a very clear way of expressing your true meaning to those who do not have your future-thinking ability. And, also, be big enough to acknowledge when things turn out differently - as it sometimes will - because nobody but God can foresee the future.

Third: something that many visionaries struggle with... The fact that you might lose energy and speed the moment that the future becomes the present.  The moment you wake up and realize that the dream or vision you had is now here, you lose focus.  And you jump ahead towards the next dream or vision!  This happens in many different contexts.  Some future-thinkers are, for instance, much more excited by the strategic planning phase than they are by the actual implementation phase.  You might even find that you enjoy planning and dreaming about an upcoming vacation more than you actually enjoy being on vacation....because then you are actually back at work (in the future) again.  This fact might not only frustrate those around you, but it may also cause you to be not as productive as you can be in the moment - and every job or part of life requires us to also be engaged in the here-and-now.  You need to manage this future-tendency well.  Not kill it.  Manage it!

How?
First understand that the above tendency is absolutely normal. For you.  But also realize that you need to take the present demands into account.
Apart from drawing on some of your other talent themes that is more engaged with the present reality, also seek out people you can partner up with that is very good and focused on the moment. Use your Futuristic to envision them about where you are going, but then trust them, and delegate to them, so that the present demands can be met. Some talent themes that is very good in the moment is Activator, Adaptability, Discipline and Responsibility - to name a few.  Seek out people strong in these talents. Work with them, as they might well appreciate your future-thinking also to give them direction and goal.

If you have Futuristic as a talent, you might want to share some of your specific challenges, or elaborate one the ones mentioned above.  Maybe you work or live with someone who has this talent, and you are on the receiving end of miss-managed Futuristic, or want to share the joy of a well-managed Futuristic!  Please share it with us.



- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic.

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www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net