Compass People and Map People
Do you follow the map or the compass? It’s a question most people never think to ask, yet it explains so much about how we operate in leadership communication, business development, and AEC team dynamics. We talk about a “North Star” for our organizations, and we build strategic plans to chart our path. But underneath all of that, people tend to navigate in two very different ways: some follow the map, and others follow the compass.
Both approaches shape how we communicate on project teams, in business development conversations, and in high-stakes moments like shortlist interview preparation. And many leadership presence challenges arise when compass people and map people are trying to discuss the same goal from entirely different perspectives.
Knowing Which One You Are
I’m a compass person. I live my life by feeling where true north is. I know where I need to go, and I sense the direction intuitively. I adjust in real time: “Oops, I’m drifting west. Now I’m too far east. Time to course-correct.” Improvisation, intuition, confident presence, gut feel—those are the instincts of a compass follower.
Map people, on the other hand, see the steps. They see the terrain. They know what must happen before something else can happen. They notice hazards, constraints, and the order of operations. In AEC project interview preparation, these are often the people who naturally gravitate toward structure, process, and detail-driven planning.
When Compass and Map Collide
This is where communication can get messy. A compass person says, “That’s our direction—let’s start moving.” A map person says, “Hold on. We need to go here first, then take this path, and avoid that part of the terrain.” They’re talking about the same journey, but speaking different dialects of leadership presence.
Recognizing which one you are helps you understand what you bring—and what you might be missing. Compass people see direction with clarity, but not always the steps. Map people see the steps clearly, but not always the destination. This is why project teams benefit from both styles in presentation support, group presentation coaching, and business development training.
Bringing Both Together
The real power comes when compass and map work together. If you’re a compass person, stay true to that instinct—but learn to speak in steps when needed. If you’re a map person, honor your structure—but allow space for intuition and directional pull.
Because when you combine direction with steps—vision with structure, intuition with process—you get a complete, forward-moving path. That’s how organizations communicate with confident leadership presence, how AEC teams deliver stronger shortlist interviews, and how business development conversations gain momentum. It’s the partnership of compass and map that moves teams forward.
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