Courtesy of Flickr  

The Transformers are getting mad luv nowadays (Megan Fox, I am assuming, has a lot to do with this, but I digress).  They were by far the most superior mechanized crew of the '80's, way more gangsta than the Gobots, who I thought were inferior rip-offs.  However, in terms of applicability for myself and others like me looking to launch their own creative projects, nothing beats taking a page from the playbook of the Voltron crew.

For those of you who may not remember, Voltron was a mega-robot made up of different vehicles that when combined formed a devastating hulk of metal capable of inflicting massive amounts of damage on foes, and being able to protect the Alliance from the Empire (I know, most of these plot lines seem to cannibalize from one another, the creative concepts during this time were sparse, ironic given the infinite amount of real estate in outer space).  The individual vehicles by themselves were special, no doubt about it, but when they combined, they were almost unstoppable.

We are all uniquely designed and engineered vehicles, each with our own innate abilities and strengths.  The challenge and opportunity that is present for us is to recognize what type of vehicle we are, and what other types of vehicles compliment us and vice versa.   

Here are the four main types of people, that combined, can make the creative amalgamated robot really kick ass:

Like my man Edward G. Robinson liked to say in those 1930's gangster movies, "you gotta use your brains, see..."  The brain is the conceptual nerve center of the operation.  This is the person that is a strong analytical thinker, that can visualize systems and workflow, and has a good knack for seeing what's around the corner, like Robert De Niro in the movie Heat.  Typically this person is well organized, and enjoys playing the role. May not be the most vocal or extroverted of the group, but is one of its strongest members in terms of being a sounding board and adding a sobering dash of reality to any hare-brained idea.

You need this element more than any of the other ones.  This is the individual that comes up with the brilliant crack-head ideas, and can, at a bat of an eye, give you a visual, text, or a movement that captures the essence of the artistique.  Conceptual thinker, a kinetic ball of energy whose volatility is like the dilithium crystals that power Jean-Luc Picard's SS Enterprise - handle with care, but with proper interface and engagement, they can power you to the outer reaches of the universe at warp speed.  

This is typically a person that luvs to get under the hood and play with every socket and wrench in the toolbox.  You know the type, kinda like Neo in the original Matrix (I am sorry, but parts II and III blew) when they download all of the fighting instruction manuals directly into his brain and he keeps asking for more.  The engineer is a tech-savvy and tech-hungry soul, who LUVS getting his/her hands on any conceivable piece of software ad equipment and figuring out what they can do with it.   An amazing collaborator, the engineer comes alive when you have a shared vision and they can design a blueprint for execution.

Ah...the mouth.  The perpetual dream machine.  This is the non-stop promoter.  This is typically the person that is constantly in motion and brings about ideas and is permanently pushing and trying to inspire.  You need the mouth because it breathes out into the world and is genetically engineered to connect and hype a concept (it's a validation thing), elements crucial to the success to any venture.  Be careful though, this type needs constant parental supervision, as they tend to sometimes get stuck in the traffic of their own dreams and imagination.  Just like The Funk (see above), handle with care and guidance, and the mouth can take you places.

Which of the four best describes you?  Are there other types that you think are important in forming a formidable Voltron crew for your artistic endeavors?  What are your thoughts?