About //
Dane O'Leary
Contributing industry-leading designs, branding, and marketing strategy, I help brands reach the right audiences through powerful, authentic storytelling.
If you're so inclined, take a moment to learn about me, my strengths, my point of view, and my leadership style.
Background
My Origin Story
I'm a gemini and my favorite color is teal. The end. (Just kidding... although both of those things are, in fact, true.)
Hailing from the DC-Baltimore 'burbs, my formative years were spent looking for opportunities where I could fuse an analytical mindset with my boundless passion for creation.
I took a rather eclectic academic path, at turns studying biology and journalism before eventually, and somewhat fittingly, settling into a degree in psychology (a science-based or "right-brained" field) and graphic design (a creative or "left-brained" field).
For grad school I switched gears again, this time choosing to study archaeology with a focus on evolutionary biology. The intent was to find eventual employment processing and cataloguing artifacts for display. Although that ultimately wasn't in the cards, my graduate study deepened my understanding of, and appreciation for, the human narrative, elevating my ability to incorporate authentic storytelling into digital experiences.
Throughout this journey, my compass has remained pointed toward the intersection of logic and creativity. Whether I'm developing user-centric websites to orchestrating marketing campaigns, I maintain high aesthetic standards without sacrificing ROI.
Identifying Key Talents
Developed by Gallup, the CliftonStrengths assessment identifies a person's unique strengths from 34 talent themes divided between four categories, or "domains": Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking.
Once you've identified your five CliftonStrengths, you can more easily and efficiently hone your natural talents for personal and professional growth, increase your productivity, promote team engagement, and foster collaboration.
1 | Individualization
Relationship building
People exceptionally talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively.
2 | Learner
Strategic Thinking
People exceptionally talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. The process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
3 | Analytical
Strategic Thinking
People exceptionally talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all of the factors that might affect a situation.
4 | Intellection
Strategic Thinking
People exceptionally talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
5 | Maximizer
Influencing
People exceptionally talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.
identifying Personality type
Enneagram Personality Test
Within the Enneagram framework, nine distinct personality types each offer a unique lens through which individuals perceive the world and act upon their motivations.
Among these types, one resonates most with you, representing your core personality.
These nine types are not arbitrarily assigned numbers. Instead, they align with a fundamental concept: the human experience is shaped by three essential facets, organizing the types into three distinct categories known as Head Types, Heart Types, and Body Types.
These categories, often referred to as triads, are propelled by their respective centers of intelligence and anchored in specific core emotions. While you possess elements of all three aspects, your dominant group exerts a stronger influence over your life trajectory and actions.
Type One
"The Reformer"
Idealistic and conscientious, and rooted in a strong sense of right and wrong, the Reformer prioritizes doing things "right" with discipline and determination, forfeiting instant gratification in favor of greater gains down the road. Ones excel at optimization and streamlining, but they struggle with relaxation and accepting imperfections.
Strengths:
Organized, efficient, hardworking, encourages the growth of others, values justice and fairness, morally driven, independent
How I see the World
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), each individual can be classified according to four dichotomies:
- Extraversion versus introversion
- Sensing versus intuition
- Thinking versus feeling
- Judging versus perceiving
The purpose of the MBTI assessment is to gain insight into how individuals perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with others. In addition to providing valuable insight into communication style, problem-solving approach, and work preferences, the MBTI is particularly useful for team dynamics, conflict resolution, and career planning.
According to data, Architects (INTJs) are "one of the rarest – and one of the most capable – personality types" due to their rationality and wit. They pride themselves on intellectual individuality and have a knack for knowing when someone is being disingenuous. Architects have also been known to get impatient.
Dynamic Duality
Gemini in the Workplace
I said was kidding about the Gemini thing, but hear me out because there are actually some creative benefits to being a Gemini.
Geminis are versatile and adaptable, inherently curious with a thirst for learning. Likely to pick up on connections that others miss, Geminis in the workplace bring innovative, outside-the-box solutions.
Somewhat sociable in nature, Geminis build rapport easily, making them great collaborators and effective at industry events. Geminis inject creativity into every project, staying flexible without losing focus. Known for a dual nature, Gemini excel in roles that require multi-tasking, negotiation, and managing simultaneous projects.
I don't put stock into horoscopes – they're just fun.
Ready to Connect?
Just Drop Me a Line
If you're convinced I have the expertise to bring your vision to life, then let's create something exceptional together.
