What it is
Instincts, not skills.
They turn up whether the job calls for them or not. That is what makes this a dimension and not a skill.
Before anything else, you ask how this lands for the person on the other end. Not whether it works — whether it rings true, whether it feels right, whether it takes a snag out or puts one in. The job you happen to be in makes no difference. You're reading that signal all the time, and most people only notice it when it's gone. Everything you touch feels better made.
- Reads the human signal
- Spots the snag before anybody hits it
- Knows when something rings false
- Makes the work feel better made
Works well with
These cover its blind side.
Where it snags
Two instincts, different first moves.
Read as The Designer
What this looks like when it is the thing going wrong.
Stalled projectsYou can see exactly how the half-finished version will land on whoever sees it, so you hold on to it until it won't embarrass anybodyRead this oneFeedback and redirectionYou can feel how it's landing while you're still saying it, so you soften as you goRead this oneUnderperformanceYour work drops when you're carrying other peopleRead this one
Which one is yours
You are reading The Designer. Is that actually you?
Ten situations, about three minutes, no sign-up. It tells you which of the five you reach for first — and which version of this page is yours.