Seeking to understand what you don’t know, and then responding proactively to the rejection that occurs when you realize you’ve been wrong is a life-long endeavor. By accepting the challenge to discover the unknown you become a Doer: someone who seeks to do the right thing the right way for the right reason.

Doers have something special working in their favor: the internal motivation to do a good job that triggers a willingness to acknowledge their own incompetence. They embrace rejection to discover what works, what doesn’t, and why.

Doers are the lifeblood of any collaborative undertaking. These morally guided, critical thinkers who provide the ingenuity for new ideas and the constancy of purpose that ensures sustainable outcomes. Doers mobilize and motivate others by building alliances and forming coalitions.

Doers are those self-motivated, result-oriented people who respond proactively to the ambiguity and inconsistency caused by rejection. They do their best work in a time of dramatic change by mobilizing others to work toward their collective wellbeing and that of the organization that employs them. Doers share five common traits:

#1. They understand the emerging economic realities and are compelled to act on an optimistic vision of how they can be successful in turbulent times.

#2. They are people of vision who see potential and work to make possibilities real. They know how to combine resources and talent in ways that make change happen.

#3. They exert a collaborative style of leadership. They believe that the benefits of change can be realized only with more connections within their sphere of influence.

#4. They get involved in their workplace out of enlightened interest. They believe that their personal objectives and those of the organization they serve are intertwined.

#5. They are not lone eagles or solitary charismatic leaders. They understand and accept that success is a complex undertaking that requires multiple talents and continuous learning.