The 27 Jane® talents

The analysis talent (which Dirk also calls the 'knowledge production' talent) seeks out the core of a problem instead of merely fighting the symptoms. Just as you cut an apple in half to see its core, this talent reveals what is really going on. It turns raw data into meaningful information and analysis, and so meets the need for a solution that truly cuts to the heart of the matter. Whoever lacks it stays on the surface and solves problems through costly trial and error.

The formulation talent (also the 'knowledge formulation' talent) conveys analysed knowledge in the other person's language, so they can make it their own. It tailors the message to the recipient — finance people, the shop floor or major clients each get their own translation. This is how the first trust arises: the other person feels 'yes, that is exactly what I meant'. Those who have it strongly can adapt so smoothly that it sometimes comes across as slick.

The investment talent (also the 'knowledge investment' talent) recognises patterns in the market and extends them into the future, so it can as it were predict developments. This lets someone sense when a product needs replacing or which research is already needed now. The same feel for patterns also works in people's lives, when gauging someone's destiny. It inspires others to invest in the right things and is geared towards responsible growth.

The discernment talent immediately sees, in the here and now, which means are relevant to solve a problem, without endlessly laying out all available knowledge. It makes people decisive and to the point: they see at once what is needed and act on it. In a meeting they keep agenda items neatly apart. Whoever lacks it mixes points up or tackles things less purposefully.

The empathy talent fully puts itself in the other person's world of experience to understand how they feel about something, and tunes the environment to that. Only once you know how someone experiences things can you convey your knowledge and experience well; this also builds trust. People feel heard and can share everything. Those with strong empathy can, however, carry the other's burden home with them and must sometimes consciously shake it off.

The combination talent has an enormous reservoir of ideas and links them to someone's identity and destiny, not just to the situation or the person. It produces an almost automatic stream of possibilities to let that unique plan come into its own. This sometimes brings up ideas that lie far from conventional thinking. It makes someone inventive and creative in devising what fits a given purpose.

The routine talent gives the natural aptitude and motivation to keep going on a chosen path until the result becomes visible. It provides perseverance and discipline in carrying out a chosen strategy. Those who have it strongly can, however, also cling too long to an old approach and find it hard to switch. Others who lack this talent are quickly seen as undisciplined or impatient.

The argumentation talent motivates and persuades people with arguments about why a certain method or routine is needed. It makes clear why something must happen in a particular way, whether towards employees or clients. It is aimed mainly at persuasion in the short term. The danger is that someone uses their persuasive power to manipulate others or rope them into their own agenda.

The explanation talent (which Dirk calls the 'teacher' talent) is about conveying knowledge or a method flawlessly, so that people know exactly what to do. Just as lesson material passes through the teacher into the class: one mistake at the front is passed on wrongly thirty times, which is why this talent cares deeply about integrity and long-term quality. Those who have it identify with their task and are therefore extra sensitive to criticism. A new question is left to 'circle around' from all sides before a well-considered response comes.

The helping talent (formerly the 'service' talent) gladly and capably provides assistance across a wide variety of questions. It waits until someone asks for help and then steps in personally — not passing it on, but rolling up its own sleeves. It is an important pillar of an organisation's service orientation: the client calls, we answer. Those who have little of it help only within their own field and leave the rest to someone else.

The signalling talent (which Dirk calls the 'caring' or 'compassion' talent) picks up signals of need early and anticipates them, often before the other person has even asked. It has a feel for timing in the medium term: you call someone just when they were thinking of you too. Instead of carrying out the task itself, this talent brings in the right person to make it happen. It makes people feel helped in an alert and attentive way.

The displaying talent focuses on how attractively an organisation or offering presents itself in the market. It creates an inviting image through means such as flyers, brochures and websites, so that people are naturally drawn in. Together with helping and signalling it forms a pillar of a company's value system. A good balance means the attractive presentation is in proportion to actually helping and picking up on needs.

The trust talent (which Dirk calls the 'source' talent) dares to deploy people and involve them in the work, because it trusts that they are capable — even before everything has been proven. Like a shepherd leading his sheep into an unfamiliar pasture, it dares to undertake things with confidence. This gives people room to develop and to use their talents. Those who have it strongly can come across as naive; those who lack it are more distrustful and hold back to see how things unfold.

The contact talent constantly seeks contact with people and therefore knows well what is going on among them. By talking and consulting a lot it discovers what is in people, so the right person can be placed on the right task. Dirk compares it to a battery: with little contact talent it is drained after a few hours and someone needs to withdraw. Those who have a lot of it can, in others' eyes, sometimes talk too much.

The correction talent is strongly focused on facts and reminds others of them, so they can be steered or trained. A correction based on facts ('you are half an hour late to every meeting') lands, whereas one based on feeling does not. It is needed to keep deploying people well and to deepen relationships. Dirk describes it as antennae tuned more to facts than to mood and emotion.

The breakthrough talent (which Dirk calls the 'absorb', 'fight' or 'combat' talent) focuses on breaking through barriers and blockages, so the workflow can continue and work does not pile up. It refuses to be held up: if someone is briefly away, they are called at once so others do not grind to a halt. It can take a lot of knocks and keeps pushing until the job is done. This also makes a team stronger, even if it sometimes earns a few 'yellow cards'.

The control talent intervenes in the medium term as soon as the agreed quality standard threatens not to be met. It sets out in advance which standards the result must meet and keeps an eye on whether everyone is on schedule. Dirk describes a kind of automatic clock or alarm in the head that goes off when something threatens to drift off course. The intervention can sometimes come across as dominant, but it prevents the joint outcome from falling short.

The translation talent explains things with examples and instruction, so that another person understands exactly how something should be carried out. It turns knowledge or a method into clear, accessible directions — in a learning situation it makes the material concrete and manageable. It comes strongly to the fore when people have to master a new method or new machines and need a lot of explanation and repetition. In this way it ensures that something is actually done as intended.

The route talent gives an automatic feel for the right direction and course in the here and now. People with this talent like to pioneer, prefer to discover things for themselves, and struggle with rules and manuals. They come across as independent and authentic and care strongly about what is real and original. As a result they can be hard to manage and may already be living in the future in their minds while physically present.

The structure talent holds on to an agreed structure and has a strong feel for efficiency in the medium term. It points out that constantly deviating from agreements undermines all efficiency, and it likes a transparent, accessible approach. Clients appreciate that things run efficiently and predictably. The downside is that others sometimes find it inflexible or rigid, because it struggles to compromise on this point.

The harmony talent stays in consultation and contact with others and therefore senses, in the long term, which direction is coming. By tuning in it knows what is changing — growth, divestment or new assignments — and it can handle many different people and clients. At its core is the willingness to undergo and take in what another has to offer. Those who have little of it find that someone with a lot of harmony talent wants to consult too much.

The rotation talent sets its surroundings in motion and likes to keep up pace and tempo. It works and thinks quickly and can play a decisive role where speed matters. People with this talent find it hard to sit still and become impatient when things go too slowly or when they have to wait. Those who work more slowly are soon seen by them as sluggish.

The exploitation talent sees possibilities and wants to actually make use of them. Where someone else quickly pours a single cup of coffee, this talent notices that there are also glasses standing ready to be filled at once. It is geared towards making optimal use of available means and opportunities. It belongs to the 'drive talents' that in themselves already give a strong drive to someone's life.

The export talent goes one step further in seeking and using possibilities than exploitation, always looking for the next opportunity to put something to use. It is strongly driven and, together with the other drive talents, gives great energy and momentum to someone's actions. That drive can be so strong that someone gives everything in waves and then has to rest considerably afterwards. It keeps looking out for new applications and destinations for what is available.

The giving talent is able to give and invest a great deal without immediately demanding a direct return or result. It sees the outlines of something new and likes to take part in developments that only pay off later — useful for new products and markets that take time. Dirk links it to the manna principle: hoarding spoils it, while there is always something new to receive. Those who have little of it are more of a saver or collector who finds it hard to let things go.

The governance talent sets realistic goals and makes them concrete, achievable, measurable and traceable for others. It helps to coach and steer yourself and others step by step towards something, with milestones along the way. Goals that are too high discourage and goals that are too low are not exciting enough; this talent finds the right measure. In this way it helps to actually realise a destiny or plan instead of letting it fizzle out.

The scope talent determines how broadly someone can perceive their surroundings simultaneously. With a broad scope you take in many signals at once and quickly see the connection between them; with a narrow, focused scope you look as if through a tunnel and work with great concentration. A focused scope makes it easier to shut out the environment, but harder to integrate all the separate signals and see how they hang together. In this way this talent determines whether someone mainly has overview or rather deep focus.