How do you like to work with people?

I’d never considered it before starting iTipArtists. To be honest, I’ve thought as work as something I do on my own, report to a boss and get paid. I like to get along with my co-workers but, until this year, never considered what energizes me about working with other people.

After working at iTipArtists, I learned that it is quite impossible to do anything on a large scale alone, so it is paramount for each person to know how they work best with other people if they want to be successful!

We all grew up in some sort of family so we all know in some ways how to (or how not to) work together to accomplish a goal. But there is more to it, I have a feeling. I am just now starting to really think about it critically.

Considering how I read people and their relation to work has been a surprising task. Sometimes it is really easy for me and sometimes I have a big block. I have worked in two spheres, with engineers and with musicians.

With engineers, I know who I will work well with: people who keep learning, optimistic, and have a good attention to detail but ALSO have an open mind and an open heart. People who will consider every idea in a conversation carefully and enthusiastically agree or tactfully disagree, pointing out exactly why. And the assertive creative engineer – someone who really thinks outside of the box and shares their ideas openly – on top of those other qualities are just amazing to work with. These folks are the energy behind any project. I’ve had the pleasure of working with just a few folks like this and I’ll never forget them.

But with musicians, creative types, I am often at a loss. I’ve worked quite a few musicians who have exactly the same qualities as mentioned above and have been challenging to work with. When faced with a project, Nothing gets done, ideas fizzle and the energy just isn’t harnessed.  Is it because a difference in background and perspective? The experience of all of those nights working with classmates in college to finish the seemingly impossible take home group exam time and time again? Compared to the bulk of music being practiced hours and hours alone?

The few times its worked well with me and another creative type is when I am working with someone who is a perfectionist who needs to keep on learning and creating. Usually someone a little calmer than I am, someone who is a bit at peace (but not all the way). Perhaps “sort of Zen” might do. Also, someone who occasionally says, “What do you think?” and actually wants to hear it. An open mind and an open heart. Hmmm…

Reading this over, none of this sounds like ground breaking information. But to me, since this is the first time I am thinking about it critically, it will be a useful starting point for finding people for future projects. You just can’t accomplish a typical big project alone so knowing how you like to work with people is key.