How Dreamers Drive Doers to Distraction and Beyond
Organizations need more doers than dreamers.
A team of dreamers will start a thousand things and finish none. (Yes, that’s an exaggeration. Everything in this post is a bit exaggerated.)
Dreamers start things. Doers finish things.
Doers think dreamers:
- Start too many things.
- Get distracted by shiny objects.
- Don’t finish what they start.
- Don’t understand how much work it takes to finish.
Dreamers think doers:
- Begin with, “No.”
- Drag their feet.
- Spend too much time planning.
It’s easy to dream if you haven’t finished anything.
Dreamers cp. Doers
- Dreamers thrive on progress.
- Doers thrive on plans.
- Dreamers think people will figure things out.
- Doers think no one knows what’s going on.
- Dreamers figure things out as they go.
- Doers figure things out before they go.
- Dreamers enjoy freedom and flexibility.
- Doers enjoy processes and systems.
- Dreamers start with ‘yes.’ “Let’s get going.”
- Doers start with ‘no.’ They don’t begin things they can’t finish.
- Dreamers get in over their heads.
- Doers save the day when lack of planning creates a crisis.
- Dreamers think about what could go right.
- Doers think about what could go wrong.
Doers fix the train wreck dreamers create.
7 tips for leaders:
- Convince a doer they can succeed and they’ll go through hell to finish.
- Listen to a doers ‘no.’ Answering their reluctance is creating a workable plan.
- Dreamers are flashier than doers.
- Honor hard work more than big talk.
- Ask doers, “What do we need to do?”
- Ask dreamers, “Where do we need to go?”
- Beware of resentment between dreamers and doers. They rub each other the wrong way.
Everyone is both a dreamer and a doer. But all of us are more one than the other. The more of one you are, the more frustrating the other becomes.
Skillful leaders notice and navigate collisions between doers and dreamers.
What’s the difference between doers and dreamers?
How might leaders maximize the strengths of doers and dreamers?
Peter Ustinov;
If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can’t be done.
Thanks Ian. One thing I’ve learned about doers is I thought they were negative, but really, they just need to see a clear path forward.
So true.
Brilliant perspective. As a dreamer who has learned to speak doer in a company full of doers, I can tell you honestly that both have an important place. I have a fairly low position in my company as a middle manager, but I am able to influence leaders and change the direction of large swaths of the organization by sharing a vision of what can be and helping resistant doers to see what’s actually possible.
When I started in this company the concept of ideas coming from below was fairly alien. Only ‘leaders’ set the direction, but now it is becoming more and more acceptable for mid levels like me to suggest a vision and sometimes it is gathered and acted upon. Now leaders can come from many levels.
Thanks Stephen. It’s great that you shared your experience. I’m a dreamer more than a doer. Congratulations for learning to speak doer. It took me years to even see what was happening.
Those doers were so frustrating to me. As you can tell from this post, I feel just the opposite now.
Everyone goes further when dreamers learn to speak doer.
In an organization where there is resistance to change and forward motion, dreamers who stick with it and encourage but who also partner with doers who hold them accountable make all the difference.
Thanks Lori. Interesting that you bring accountability to the conversation. I can see where dreamers could benefit from this. The other thing that comes to mind is that doers can ask the tough questions that dreamers need to hear and answer. (Questions they might not enjoy hearing.)
One other thought, Dan. I joined my current organization and was encouraged to bring this “dreamer” mindset, but knew that they were struggling with willingness to really embrace change. In a recent PD day the presenter referred to me as having been brought on to “innovate.” I turned to the upper level management and asked, “Is that why I’m here?”— Her eyes opened a bit wider and said, “Yes. Yes, it is.” I received an email from her later that day saying that that is how she will be thinking of what I do from here on.— I think changing the perception from Dreamer to Innovator allows us to connect better with the Doers and be more successful in completing tasks, projects and inspiring change.
Lori…the idea of changing the perception from Dreamer to Innovator is intriguing…but how about this: Innovators are the Dreamers who learn to speak Doer, and Doers who dare to Dream. Thanks for the thought.
Thanks Lori. In order to effectively fulfill our role there must be agreement on the purose and goal of the role. In addition, there must be respect for that role. Thanks for your insights.
Dan,
I know I would be classified a doer. The biggest thing I have noticed over time, as this post mentions, is to be open to more possibilities and to take more chances on the unknown. I think that sometimes doers plan to much and can stagnate a process because of the unknown. One of your recent posts talked about how 80% is good enough to get moving and I have used that as a motivator to dream bigger, commit to a plan (even though I am not 100% prepared) and adjust as I go. This has helped be see more of what a dreamer would see and pulls me a little outside of that comfortable doer vision where I would normally be more in control.
Christopher
Thanks Christopher. You remind me that it’s helpful to adopt some of the attitudes and behaviors of those ‘irritating others’. I’m better when I look at situaitons through the lens of a doer. On the other hand, doers, as you indicate, go further with a dash of dreamer in their approach.
Best for the journey.
I think that most organizations have a middle layer that often goes undeveloped and that’s the interpreter. Dreamers needs interpreters who nod as they express their ideas. Doers need interpreters to act as the go-between against what’s possible. A good interpreter makes everyone feel heard, and at the same time, facilitates the change that the dreamer sees in the world. But they are often the most overlooked and under-appreciated of all the team members. So the middle layer often dissipates over time.
Thanks Stephanie. Your comment is brilliant. How do you get dreamers and doers to a point of understanding each other. You need an interpreter. Your word brings translator to mind.
Questions that enable people to explore their assumptions and goals will help the process.
What are you concerned about?
What are you trying to achieve?
What concerns you?
What does it look like if you get what you want?
Stephanie, I agree with you. We often hear about dreamers and doers, but I had never heard of an interpreter before. Yet I feel that is my strength – I comprehend the vision, and when it ignites my passion, I reach out to the stakeholders, proselytize to those whose buy in is needed, explain the necessary work needed to the visionaries, translate it to the doers, telling them how their work makes big positive impact and giving them credit where credit is due. Fortunately I am appreciated by my fantastic leader.
Thanks Jackie. I can’t tell you how helpful your comment is to me. I’m thinking about writing a book that includes navigating the relationship between doers and dreamers. Since Stephanie’s comment I’ve been thinking about the role of interpreter. Thanks again for your insights.
Dreamers need doers to help them sharpen their focus, keep them grounded and to create the processes that ensure repeatable successes. Doers need dreamers to keep them out of warm, fuzzy ruts, to avoid the stagnation & rigidity of being over-processed, and to give them the nudge of freedom and agility now and then. Your perspective on the reverse of this post would complete the picture for both.
Thanks Brad. Yes! You are so right. I took the doer perspective in this post because as a dreamer, I’ve seen how I drive my friends crazy. The opposite is also true. There is much value in bringing these two perspectives together. I think the best way to bring the two together is to respect the irritating other. It’s not effective to expect dreamers to fully embrace the doer mindset or vice versa.
Thanks Dan, agreed; as a dreamer I am keenly aware that I can (and do) drive people crazy now and then. Knowing that I work hard to stay ware and maintain a balance between chaos and order.
This is excellent! Thank you for sharing.
Kelly
Thanks Kelly!
We have more finishers then starters and I think I know who they are this would be a fun topic to discuss.
melissa >
I love the balance of perspective, Dan. Great post!