How Understanding Personality Archetypes Boosts Creative Projects
Sometimes, managing a team of creatives can feel like trying to herd cats. These people are amazing, and their creativity goes beyond what regular folks could ever imagine, but they live quite the chaotic lives. Plus, most of them have unique and strong personalities.
While this is amazing on an individual level, things can get complicated in an environment that requires collaboration. If you’re the person who has to manage a team of creatives, we’ve got your back.
In today’s piece, we’ll have a look at personality archetypes and how they can help you figure out a way to keep your project moving forward without stifling the creativity of the beautiful weirdos under your supervision.
What Are Personality Archetypes?
Personality archetypes are universal patterns of behavior, motivation, and thought that show up repeatedly across cultures and stories. Originally rooted in Jungian psychology, these archetypes describe typical character types — like the Hero, the Caregiver, the Explorer, or the Sage — that represent different ways people see and interact with the world.
If you like, these archetypes are CliffsNotes that help you understand how people tick, especially the wonderfully unpredictable creative kind. If you think about your team members, you might be able to make out a few archetypes without knowing too much about them.
Here are a few examples:
- The visionary who dreams big,
- The Rebel who questions everything (even the font choice),
- The caregiver who smooths over every rough edge,
- The Sage who always somehow has a quote or theory ready to go.
Although personality archetypes were first used in psychology to explore individual identity, emotional patterns, and cognitive behavior, they are now also found in other niches.
Let’s take astrology for example: Archetypes are the beating heart of every zodiac sign, planet, and even house. Each sign represents a distinct personality archetype with specific traits, motivations, and emotional styles.
Even though you may not be open to these ideas, there are many benefits of astrology, especially in a team setting that involves creatives. Astrological archetypes can offer a fun, non-threatening way to talk about personality differences.
You don’t have to believe Mercury is literally retrograde, but it may help to understand that someone who is a “Leo-type” (bold, expressive, thrives on praise) might clash with a “Capricorn-type” (strategic, disciplined, allergic to chaos).
How to Use Archetypes Without Making It Weird
Before you assume your entire team of creatives is hardcore into astrology, you have to remember that everyone is different. So, just like you carefully chose the software each of your team members will use, it’s best to choose your approach based on each individual.
For starters, ditch the labels. Sure, they’re fun and interesting, but not everyone likes to be called a Rebel.
Instead of saying,
“You’re totally a Rebel, that’s why you never follow the brief.”
Try:
“I’ve noticed you come alive when you can shake things up. Want more room for creative freedom on this one?”
You can also bring some fun toys into the mix. There are plenty of light personality quizzes out there, like Myers-Briggs or 16Personalities. Use them during team-building sessions to encourage self-discovery and exploration.
Lastly, remember that archetypes are nothing more than tools you can use for guidance. Real people are complex and don’t always fit in one box — a Dreamer might surprise you with their strategic mind, while a Warrior may actually love a quiet brainstorm.
So, instead of aligning everyone’s moon sign, ask your team members how they prefer to give and receive feedback. Even when you have a complete understanding of archetypes and what they mean, it’s still best to listen to what the real person in front of you is trying to say.
Bottom Line
Use archetypes as creative shortcuts, not hard rules. When used correctly, they can unlock better collaboration and maybe even a little team magic.
