The sixteen types
Four families, sixteen types, two variants each.
The Specialists
One kind of work, in similar places
- The PerennialA perennial is a plant that comes back in the same spot every year. This career does the same, with one kind of work in one environment, done reliably well, year after year.
- The ShepherdA shepherd looks after a whole flock at once, each animal much like the others, and keeps every one of them fed and safe. This career tends several similar commitments at the same time, in one environment, and keeps all of them in good order.
- The DiverA diver goes down in one spot, and from there the only way on is deeper. This career stays with one craft in one environment and keeps raising its standard for decades.
- The BanyanThe banyan is a fig tree that grows new trunks down from its branches, so that one tree becomes a small grove without moving. This career runs one deep craft through several commitments at once, all in one environment.
The Locals
Different kinds of work, in similar places
- The AllrounderIn cricket, an allrounder can both bat and bowl, and do each well enough to earn a place. This career takes on very different roles in one environment, one after another, and is solidly good at each.
- The KeystoneA keystone is the wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch that locks the other stones in place. This career holds several very different roles at once in one environment, and the place comes to rely on it to hold them together.
- The StewardA steward looks after a place on behalf of others and comes to know every part of it. This career stays in one environment, takes on very different roles in it one at a time, and takes at least one of them to mastery.
- The OctopusAn octopus has one body and eight arms, and each arm can do something different at the same moment. This career holds several very different roles at once, in one environment, and takes at least one of them deep.
The Voyagers
One kind of work, in different places
- The NomadA nomad moves from place to place instead of settling, and lives much the same way in each. This career carries one kind of work through very different environments, one at a time.
- The AmphibianAn amphibian lives both on land and in water. This career does one kind of work in two or more very different environments at the same time.
- The PilgrimA pilgrim travels a long way, through many different places, for one purpose. This career takes one craft through very different environments, one at a time, and deepens it wherever it goes.
- The PollinatorA bee carries pollen from one flower to the next, so that each of them can bear fruit. This career carries one deep craft into several very different environments at once.
The Generalists
Different kinds of work, in different places
- The AdapterAn adapter makes a device work wherever it is plugged in. This career takes on very different roles in very different environments, one at a time, and gets good enough at each to do the job.
- The MenderA mender repairs whatever is brought to them, a net one day and a roof the next, well enough to put it back to use. This career holds very different roles in very different environments at the same time, and keeps each of them working.
- The ReinventorTo reinvent yourself is to become something genuinely new, rather than a variation on what you were. This career moves through very different roles in very different environments, one at a time, and takes at least one of them to mastery.
- The PolymathA polymath knows several unrelated fields in depth. This career holds very different roles in very different environments at the same time, and takes at least one of them to mastery.
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