We talk a lot about how people approach work differently: how they plan, think, connect, or jump in. We look at how work gets done and the differences in process, but what does it mean to be done? Good enough or basically done just don’t fly for some people. On the surface it seems pretty simple; you complete the task, you move on. Except that moment of done is actually a judgement call, and that call is a reflection of how you’re wired just as much as how you work. Here’s what done means to the four personality dimensions.
For Authentic Blues, done isn’t just about completion; it’s about how something lands. The impact it has on people now and in the future matters. You can technically finish something, but if it feels rushed, disconnected, or slightly off, it doesn’t quite register as done yet. They need to stop and reflect so they can check: Does this feel right? If the answer is no, they’re likely to keep adjusting, changing up the language or images, adding context, or making sure the human side of things hasn’t been lost along the way.
For Inquiring Greens done means it holds up. The logic is sound, the questions have been explored, and there aren’t any obvious gaps left sitting there that need to be filled in later. It’s less about how it looks or feels and more about whether the whole thing makes sense. The tricky part is that there’s always one more angle to consider. So done becomes less about running out of things to think about and more about deciding when further analysis stops adding real value. Somewhere along the way, there’s a moment of: this is as solid as it gets.
For Organized Golds, done means it meets the standard. The expectations have been followed, the details are in place, and the directives have been carried through properly. There’s a sense of closure that comes from knowing it’s been done the right way. Their internal check often sounds like: Have I done what was asked, the way it was supposed to be done? If something feels incomplete, unclear, or slightly off-track from expectations, it’s hard to call it finished.
For Resourceful Oranges, done means it works. The outcome is there, the goal has been met, and it’s ready to move forward. There’s less attachment to perfecting every detail and more focus on momentum, especially if there’s something new waiting in the wings to move onto. As one final check, they’ll ask themselves: Is this good enough to go? If the answer is yes, they’re already onto what’s next.
If you think about it, done is really hard to define. If you’re a parent, you know the struggle; are you done your homework? Are you done cleaning your room? I’ll go to bed when I’m done this level! There’s a lot of tension around what we think is done. It has less to do with effort or commitment and more to do with people running toward different finish lines.
The next time something doesn’t feel done to you but is to someone else, it might be worth asking, what does done mean to them?
Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is a lifelong Introvert, and the Associate Director at CLSR Inc. He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back! Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners and HR Professionals get the right tools to do their best work. Brad is also on the board of directors for the Career Professionals of Canada, and an advisory committee member with the Career Development Professionals of Ontario.
