Embracing Our Natural Roles in Business
- Apr 23, 2025
- 6 min read
Written by Tatjana Gaspar, Coach, Consultant & Author
Tatjana Gaspar is a certified Systemic Coach and Online Trainer who uses methods that focus on the clients’ individual goals, thus aiming at improving their business or life situation. She is also the CEO of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland, where she organizes events, hosts webinars and is responsible for operational and financial issues.
Leadership is often heralded as the pinnacle of professional success in the business world. The assumption that everyone should strive to become a leader is deeply ingrained in corporate culture. But let’s be honest: not everyone is naturally inclined toward leading others, nor is that kind of leadership the only path to fulfillment and success. Being an authentic leader has little to do with managing processes and everything to do with how you communicate and build a powerful connection with the people around you.
Successful businesses, and society at large, thrive on diversity in skills, temperaments, and roles. Just as ecosystems require a balance among various elements, organizations prosper when individuals align with their innate strengths, whether as passionate leaders, reliable implementers, gifted creators, meticulous analysts, or something else.
It is nonetheless within the power and interest of everyone who wants to be a role model and appear trustworthy and competent to follow some basic principles of self-leadership. Let’s look at what they are.
Transparency and integrity
Authentic self-leadership is about deeply understanding our strengths and weaknesses, based on honest introspection and regular, constructive feedback from people we trust. This allows us to align our inner values with our attitude, decisions, and behavior.
Accountability
Taking full responsibility for our actions, including mistakes, is essential for our reputation and trustworthiness. When we are upfront and show our accountability, it means we are committed to continuous improvement.
Emotional intelligence and vulnerability
Recognizing and managing our own emotions, as well as empathizing with others, is fundamental for meaningful connections. When we embrace and are open about uncertainties and imperfections, others can relate to that.
Effective self-leadership means we adopt the growth mindset and positive attitude that are appropriate for the role we are destined to fulfill.
The value of different roles in business
While quality leadership is essential for setting visions and guiding teams, equally vital are those people who implement decisions, create or market new ideas, question and refine processes, engage in research, troubleshoot, weigh and evaluate the risks, ensure the appropriate use of financial resources, or maintain stability, to name only a few roles. Just as a well-functioning clock relies on the harmony of its gears, an organization thrives on the complementary interplay of many different personalities and abilities. None of them can bring the business to the next level without the others. None of them should feel less valued or needed. One of the paramount qualities of a gifted leader is recognizing that and selecting the right mix of people to grow the business.
Do you know exactly what type of person you are, what kind of work corresponds best to your abilities, and how to present these assets in the most favorable light? When you look at your professional situation, are you exactly where you are meant to be, or is there an inner voice telling you that you would be happier doing something else?
The main personality types
1. Gifted and innovative creators and planners
Visionaries and strategists play a critical role in shaping the future of organizations. Their ability to generate new ideas, think outside the box, and develop long-term plans helps businesses stay competitive and relevant. However, their success depends on others who can execute and refine their ideas.
2. Reliable and loyal implementers
They are the backbone of any organization. They bring discipline and consistency to operations. Their strength lies in their dependability, work ethic, and ability to transform ideas into actionable plans. In a world where innovation is celebrated, implementers ensure that creativity does not remain a mere concept but materializes into real-world results.
3. Attentive and precise analysts and controllers
These detail-oriented individuals ensure that processes run smoothly, risks are mitigated, and quality remains high. They provide necessary oversight, analyze data, and optimize efficiency. Without their keen eye for detail, businesses would struggle with inconsistencies and unforeseen challenges.
Drawing parallels to the four elements
Nature divides the power of balance through the four classical elements: earth, fire, water, and air, which have been picked up by astrologists and attributed to the twelve signs of the zodiac. These elements mirror the different roles people play in business:
Earth (the implementer): Grounded, reliable, and methodical, these individuals provide stability and consistency. Their pragmatic approach ensures long-term success and sustainable growth.
Fire (the leader): Passionate, energetic, and ambitious, leaders ignite action and inspire others. They are the driving force behind transformation and motivation.
Water (the observer and controller): Adaptable, fluid, and insightful, they ensure balance and regulate systems. Their analytical mindset enables them to navigate complexities with grace.
Air (the innovator and planner): Visionary, dynamic, and intellectually agile, they bring fresh ideas and strategic foresight to organizations, ensuring continuous evolution and adaptation.
Human archetypes and business roles
Tobias Beck’s four human types, shark, dolphin, whale, and owl, offer another insightful lens through which individuals can recognize their strengths and align them with the most consistent career paths. In group dynamics, they could be described as follows:
Sharks: Competitive and ambitious (Fire)
Goal-driven, assertive, and strategic, they thrive in high-stakes environments where quick decisions are required. Their thinking is fast, and their days are always too short for everything they want to accomplish. They become impatient when processes take too long.
Dolphins: Creative and social (Air)
Enthusiastic, imaginative, and spontaneous, they flourish in creative industries, networking, and ideation. As organizers, they bring an element of playfulness and good spirits to the table. They sometimes have difficulty staying focused.
Whales: Compassionate and reliable (Earth)
Supportive, nurturing, and team-oriented, they excel in roles that require loyalty, service, and cohesion. They want everyone in the company to feel included and acknowledged. They tend to struggle with change.
Owls: Analytical and detail-oriented (Water)
Thoughtful, meticulous, and wise, owls are best suited for precision-driven roles such as finance, research, and quality control. They are great at observing and summarizing. They often find public appearances challenging.
We are mainly one and partly another of the four. Some, like dolphins and owls, are on opposite sides of the temperamental scale and are rather incompatible within the same person.
On a personal note, I wonder what reasoning prompted Tobias Beck to choose precisely those four representatives of the animal kingdom that appear to be completely random:
Three that live in the water and travel long distances; one that sits in trees and flies short distances.
Two mammals, one fish, one bird.
Two (sometimes three) that live and hunt in groups; one that lives and hunts alone.
If you can make sense of this selection of predators, I’d love to know.
Finding empowerment in one’s natural strengths
Determining one’s ideal career path goes beyond conforming to societal or family expectations. Even if it can be difficult, instead of succumbing to pressure or temptation, we should ask ourselves:
What was my dream profession when I was young?
What activities make me feel energized rather than drained?
What type of work allows me to express my natural strengths and talents?
What kind of environment brings out the best in me?
Do I thrive in collaboration, competition, innovation, or structure?
What is my preferred communication style, and how do others react to it?
By embracing our natural affinities, whether in leadership, execution, observation, or innovation, we contribute uniquely and meaningfully to our workplace. A business that values all roles equally is a business that thrives!
If, after reading this article, you suddenly feel that your current workplace doesn’t do you justice, that you will never be able to thrive in your line of work, or that you made your professional choice for the wrong reasons, it’s never too late to make the change and start doing what brings you fulfillment!
Tatjana Gaspar, Coach, Consultant & Author
Tatjana Gaspar is a certified systemic coach and online trainer who uses methods that focus on the clients’ individual goals, thus aiming at improving their business or life situation. She is also the CEO of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland, where she organizes events, hosts webinars and is responsible for operational and financial issues. Before coaching, she spent 20 years in international wealth management and leadership positions with different banks in Zurich. Initially, Tatjana obtained a degree in hispanic and russian literature and history from the University of Geneva. She is a firm believer in life-long learning and fluent in seven languages.
