Compass vs Map – Navigating Approaches

Dean uncovers another useful distinction in the workplace: the contrasting styles of “Compass People” and “Map People.” Akin to the difference between concept-driven and detail-oriented individuals, this dichotomy can lead to clashes in how we pursue shared goals. In this post, Dean delves into the distinct approaches of Compass People and Map People in plotting their course and offers insights on how to navigate these differences for optimal collaboration and success.

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[Music] do you follow the map or do you follow the compass big question that no one’s really asked you before you know we go to business and there’s this thing called the north star of our business what we’re following there’s another thing called the plan our strategic plan for how we’re going to go about doing things I’ve noticed in life there are two things you can find one is the map and the other is the compass starting with the end here I do believe that what we really want to be able to do is work with both but the point of this Vlog is there are Compass people and map people it’s another version of intuition versus uh process we sometimes miscommunicate because one of us is following the compass and the other is following the map or somebody’s finding the compass hole that ping where’s North someone else is trying to find the course and map out the plan have you ever stopped to think about which one you are I’m a compass person I I live my life following the compass it’s like I can feel it I know where North is I know where to go I know what I’m doing I know where I need to be I have a sense of how to get there I feel that course correcting at real time oops I’m going a little bit to the west or the East oop I’m suddenly South I’m not moving forward by North that’s how I operate improvisational intuition gut feel all of these things are Compass followers the signs of compass following now you get into situations where you’ve got a compass person and a mat person there trying to talk about the same thing and it’s a really different conversation where the map one the map part of the conversation is this needs to happen before that happens we have to go here before we go there and there’s an area we need to avoid and the terrain’s different here and I’m like that’s our Direction This is where we’re going let’s start moving and it’s helpful to spot which one you are and see if you can offer a piece of the other so my advice is if you’re a compass person be a compass person but try to learn to talk map and actually allow people who see the map the steps on the way more clearly than they see the destination which is that Compass pole and those who see the compass pole actually aren’t necessarily as clear as the hazards and steps along the way way both of those things together make a complete forward movement so you want to find a place where compass and map work together

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