We tend to define ourselves by the subjects we studied, and I am no different. I originally did physics before going on to complete a PhD in aeronautical engineering, which has led to a lifelong career in aerospace.
However, it took me quite a few years before I realized that there is more than one route to an enjoyable and successful career. I used to think that a career began at the “coal face” – doing things you were trained for or had a specialist knowledge of – before managing projects then products or people as you progressed to loftier heights.
Many of us naturally fall into one of three fundamental roles: artisan, architect or artist. So which are you?
At some point, I began to realize that while companies often adopt this linear approach to career paths, not everyone is comfortable with it. In fact, I now think that many of us naturally fall into one of three fundamental roles: artisan, architect or artist. So which are you?
Artisans are people who focus on creating functional, practical and often decorative items using hands-on methods or skills. Their work emphasizes craftmanship, attention to detail and the quality of the finished product. For scientists and engineers, artisans are highly skilled people who apply their technical knowledge and know-how. Let’s be honest: they are the ones who get the “real work” done. From programmers to machinists and assemblers, these are the people who create detailed designs and make or maintain a high-quality product.
Architects, on the other hand, combine vision with technical knowledge to create functional and effective solutions. Their work involves designing, planning and overseeing. They have a broader view of what’s happening and may be responsible for delivering projects. They need to ensure tasks are appropriately prioritized and keep things on track and within budget.
Architects also help with guiding on best practice and resolving or unblocking issues. They are the people responsible for ensuring that the end result meets the needs of users and, where applicable, comply with regulations. Typically, this role involves running a project or team – think principal investigator, project manager, software architect or systems engineer.
As for artists, they are the people who have a big picture view of the world – they will not have eyes for the finer details. They are less constrained by a framework and are comfortable working with minimal formal guidance and definition. They have a vision of what will be needed for the future – whether that’s new products and strategic goals or future skills and technology requirements.
Artists set the targets for how an organization, department or business needs to grow and they define strategies for how a business will develop its competitive edge. Artists are often leaders and chiefs.
Which type are you?
To see how these personas work in practice, imagine working for a power utility provider. If there’s a power outage, the artisans will be the people who get the power back on by locating and fixing damaged power lines, repairing substations and so on. They are practical people who know how to make things work.
The architect will be organizing the repair teams, working out who goes to which location, and what to prioritize, ensuring that customers are kept happy and senior leaders are kept informed of progress. The artist, meanwhile, will be thinking about the future. How, for example, can utilities protect themselves better from storm damage and what new technologies or designs can be introduced to make the supply more resilient and minimize disruption?
Predominantly artisans are practical, architects are tactical and artists are strategic but there is an overlap between these qualities. Artisans, architects and artists differ in their goals and methods, but the boundaries between them are blurred. Based on my gut experience as a physicist in industry, I’d say the breakdown between different skills is roughly as shown in the figure below.
Now this breakdown is not hard and fast. To succeed in your career, you need to be creative, inventive and skilful – whatever your role. While working with your colleagues, you need to engage in common processes such as adhering to relevant standards, regulations and quality requirements to deliver quality solutions and products. But thinking of ourselves as artisans, architects or artists may explain why each of us is suited to a certain role.
Know your strengths
Even though we all have something of the other personas in us, what’s important is to know what your own core strength is. I used to believe that the only route for a successful career was to work through each of these personas by starting out as artisan, turning into an architect, and then ultimately becoming an artist. And to be fair, this is how many career paths are structured, which his why we’re often encouraged to think this way.
However, I have worked with people who liked “hands on” work so much, that didn’t want to move to a different role, even though it meant turning down a significant promotion. I also know others who have indeed moved between different personas, only to discover the new type of work did not suit them.
Trouble is, although it’s usually possible to retrace steps, it’s not always straightforward to do so. Quite why that should be the case is not entirely clear. It’s certainly not because people are unwilling to accept a pay cut, but more because changing tack is seen as a retrograde step for both employees and their employers.
To be successful, any team, department or business needs to not only understand the importance of this skills mix but also recognize it’s not a simple pipeline – all three personas are critical to success. So if you don’t know already, I encourage you to think about what you enjoy doing most, using your insights to proactively drive career conversations and decisions. Don’t be afraid to emphasize where your “value add” lies.
If you’re not sure whether a change in persona is right for you, seek advice from mentors and peers or look for a secondment to try it out. The best jobs are the ones where you can spend most of your time doing what you love doing. Whether you’re an artisan, architect or artist – the most impactful employees are the ones who really enjoy what they do.
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