Pioneers Value Possibilities and Spark Energy and Imagination

If we could capture the essence of the Pioneer in one word, it would be POSSIBILITIES . Pioneers love imagining what could be and don't hesitate to reach beyond the status quo. Expressions like “What if…?”, “Picture this…”, “Yes, and…” and “Why not?” are music to a Pioneer's ears, and often are lead-ins to lively brainstorms. Pioneers are big fans of collaborative idea generation. They're very comfortable with ambiguity, and highly adaptable to change—whether they're the ones initiating it, as is often the case, or not.

Strong Pioneers tend to be easy to spot because they're typically high energy and outgoing. They're the ones you can hear all the way down the hallway before you even get to the conference room. Or more likely, you'll hear them coming down the hallway as you wait in the conference room, because they'll be running late. They have little regard for rigid structure, and an almost allergic aversion to details. That agenda the team put together so painstakingly? Don't expect the Pioneers to follow it. Their thinking can be non-linear and resists constraint. That detailed review of the pivot table analysis you had planned? Their eyes will blur and their minds will wander as you strain what paltry patience they possess. But give them a juicy, open-ended challenge and a whiteboard, and they'll be formidable idea generators.

Pioneers often think while speaking, formulating their opinions as they talk. It's one reason they like working in teams (after all, a Pioneer in a fishbowl office talking to him or herself can look a little strange). Those able to follow a Pioneer's vocal stream of consciousness will note the non-linear way they tend to jump from one thought to the next. And don't expect any long, awkward pauses in conversation—a Pioneer will be only too happy to fill them.

Don't expect Pioneers to stick to any one task or activity for long. They tune out and are easily distracted. In their eagerness to move onto the next thing (same old same old is sooooo boring), Pioneers usually make decisions quickly and spontaneously, based on gut feel versus any careful consideration of the data. Pioneers are very comfortable with risk, and are likely confident that their inherent adaptability will carry them through, regardless of where they land.

Overall the Pioneer working style is fast, fun, and free of inconvenient facts that might inhibit possibilities. Indeed, there are few things that Pioneers dislike more than someone raining on their parade. For a Pioneer, it's more important to expand upon what could be than to analyze why it can't be, because for Pioneers, there is rarely such a thing as a dead end. Isn't there always another option, another path that hasn't been considered? That's how Pioneers see it. They generally believe that where there's a will—and a great idea—there's a way. The problem is, finding the way usually entails a devil of details that the Pioneer has little tolerance for, and thus leaves (dumps) in the hands of others.

Pioneers have more fun. No really, it's true, and fun is a word they use frequently as if to reinforce the point. These free-wheeling, idea-sparking, optimistic individuals bring positive energy to everything they do, and because they value diverse opinions and love to collaborate, they happily bring others along on their wild ride. Better still, since they mostly hang out in the rarified air of lofty ideas and big-picture thinking, they don't tend to stress about the pesky details or complex processes lurking underneath. Indeed, Pioneers are the least stressed of all types. So is it any great surprise that our research shows that, given a choice, more people would wish to be a Pioneer than any other type? (And that includes those who actually are Pioneers.) But they're also the type others find most challenging to work with.

Which brings us to…

The Problems with Pioneers

Too Much of a Good Thing

Yes, all that energy and passion can be great, but it can come across as frenetic chaos. A Pioneer jumping from topic to topic, often without warning (“Ooh look, a squirrel!”), can be perceived as scattered, erratic, and unfocused. Their tendency to think as they talk instead of beforehand can be irritating for those who like to process silently to ensure they have something valuable to say before they speak. Idle Pioneer chatter doesn't leave much room for others to get a word in edgewise. And for someone looking for clear direction, a Pioneer's 30,000-foot vision filled with limitless options can be hard to translate into actual tasks and tangible outcomes on the ground.

It's All Fun and Games Until…

Pioneers tend to be really comfortable taking risks—not because they've calculated probable outcomes and impacts and are consciously accepting those as costs of action, but simply because it feels like a good idea . This confidence in their own intuition as the basis for risk-taking can make Pioneers appear reckless. Frequently they're faulted for being opportunistic, and for not considering the full impact on others in their quest for the next new thrill. And typically they don't have much empathy for those who are reluctant to embrace change.

You'll Take Care of That, Right?

Ultimately, even the best idea is only as good as its execution, and here's where Pioneers get the most criticism. Their strong dislike of rules, process, and pragmatic realities sometimes makes them come across as impractical and unable to get things done. Worse, they often expect others to carry out their unrealistic visions, putting the burden of implementation on them without worrying about whether what they're asking for is really possible. And since they don't tend to personally value meticulous planning and structured execution, the people doing that work are often underappreciated and under-celebrated.

But before you write them off as frivolous or clueless, consider…

The Promise of Pioneers

In spite of the fact that people report Pioneers are the most challenging type to work with, there is an almost universal appreciation for their value on a team.

Light My Fire

Pioneers often provide the spark that ignites others' creativity. Their out-of-the-box thinking and “insanely creative ideas,” as one executive aptly described it, catalyze innovation for teams and organizations. Have a great idea yourself? Pioneers will rarely be the naysayers, so they're great to have on your side if you're looking to garner enthusiasm about something. And of course they'll add in their own slew of suggestions to build on those ideas along the way.

We've Got This

Pioneers' idea generation is not only helpful for fueling an organization's aspirations, but it also bolsters them in times of challenge. When a team is backed against a wall, Pioneers are the ones who see a window, or suggest a ladder. Their peers recognize the importance of this can-do spirit and positivity, which inspires teams in times of opportunity and buoys them in times of trouble.

The Pioneer's tendency to leave the details to others isn't always a bad thing. Some of the other types love the problem solving needed to bring a fantastic idea to life. A Pioneer paired with such a teammate is the perfect yin yang of vision and implementation.

Turn on a Dime

Pioneers' adaptability and flexibility is seen as a real asset in times of rapid change. Their boldness and ability to pivot makes them effective on the front lines of disruption, rapidly formulating response options while the organization catches up in the trenches.

Leader of the Pack

Not only willing, but eager to step up into leadership roles, Pioneers are more common in the C-suite than any other type. They are often captivating individuals, social and networked. When you think of a natural leader, do you think of charisma, confidence, decisiveness, and outgoing engagement? If so, you are thinking not only of the common stereotype that exists in many business cultures, but also of many traits that characterize the Pioneer style.

Pioneers are…

Outgoing, spontaneous, and adaptable
Imaginative thinkers who believe big risks can bring great things
Intuitive decision makers, open to new ideas but prone to changing their minds

“It is in our nature to explore, to reach out into the unknown. The only true failure would be not to explore at all.”

Ernest Shackleton

Explorer

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton was soliciting funds and crewmates for a daring polar expedition—to sail a thousand miles through the Antarctic unknown. Promises of meager wages, months of bitter cold in dangerous conditions, and no guarantee of safe return, wouldn't make you think men would be lining up to jump aboard. And yet, more than 5,000 applications poured in for spots on the expedition, and so did today's equivalent of millions of dollars in funding.

Why? In large part because Ernest Shackleton was a courageous leader with a magnetic way about him. He inspired confidence, stirred a sense of adventure, and captivated people's imaginations with his big ideas and daring quests.

These traits are characteristic of the PIONEER.

Shackleton itched for discovery. He chased new ideas, tough challenges, and risky business opportunities that other investors balked at—the tobacco company, the troop transport company, the Hungarian mining concession.

He often made decisions spontaneously, relying on gut feel over logic. While interviewing applicants for his Antarctic journey, he was known for asking eccentric questions, believing a man's character to be just as important as his technical ability. For instance, physicist Reginald James was asked if he could sing. Other applicants were accepted after extremely brief interrogations or on sight—simply because Shackleton liked the look of them.

Shackleton believed in the power of entertainment, of fun. He was referred to as the “life and the soul” of the ships he sailed on, lifting the spirits of the crew through his antics and his spontaneous, optimistic, and unflagging spirit. His crew became trapped at sea with their vessel, The Endurance , wedged tightly between miles of solid ice in the dead of winter. While they lived on the polar ice pack for months and months Shackleton devised elaborate diversions to maintain morale. He organized activities like dog races, talent shows, and nightly sing-alongs.

When The Endurance was eventually crushed by the ice and sank—taking Shackleton's plans down with it—he pivoted, brainstormed, and pursued new tactics. For the next five months, his men rode ice floes northward until they found a desolate frozen island.

Shackleton had seemingly unsinkable energy. Leaving his exhausted crew to rest on the island, he completed one of history's most incredible journeys, sailing in an exposed dinghy an additional 800 miles across open ocean, enduring a hurricane and scaling miles of frozen mountains to find help.

He eventually found help at a whaling station on South Georgia Island, a British territory just beyond the Antarctic. But he was back on the water within three days, in a borrowed ship, starting what became a three-month mission to rescue his stranded companions.

Although many of Shackleton's endeavors were not successful (OK, in this case, spectacularly unsuccessful), his boundless energy and pioneering spirit always drove him on to the next adventure.