I'm not sure if any of you
have heard of Strengths Finder 2.0, but it is an assessment tool that
determines your top 5 strengths (out of a list of 34) based on your responses
to a series of questions. When I was in my undergraduate program at Evangel University,
every student was required to take the assessment as an incoming freshman. I took the test and found that my top 5 strengths were Positivity,
Learner, WOO, Achiever, and Includer (see below for descriptions). For the most part, I felt like my results were pretty spot on with
who I am and the strengths I possess. Throughout my college degree I came to
embrace those things and continue to refine them and use them in my every day
activities. I have always wondered if my top 5 strengths would change if I
took the assessment tool again. A couple of weeks ago I took the test again and
found that my top 5 strengths changed. The new top 5 were: Achiever, Input,
Includer, Belief, Maximizer (see descriptions below).
Why am I sharing this? I'm
writing about this because the topic of strengths is so important - whether
it's knowing your own strengths, seeing and valuing the strengths in others, or
drawing those strengths out of others that they may not even recognize.
Recently, I was able to attend a luncheon where an expert in strengths-based
leadership was the guest speaker. She told all of us to sign our name with our
dominant hand 3 times. Then, she told us to sign our name with our non-dominant
hand three times. When we were finished, we discussed how it felt to write with
the hand that we were not dominant with. It felt awkward. It felt wrong. It
felt forced. It took more time. It did not come effortlessly. Yet when we used
our dominant hands to write, those things were not an issue. So it is with
strengths. When you operate within your strengths, it comes naturally. It's not
forced. You don't have to think deeply or concentrate too hard to see results.
You just do it, and it feels right.
Being on the leadership team
at our church has really taught me a lot about strengths. We each have such
different personalities, and we each bring something unique to the table. At
times, I've felt tempted to question my strengths and what I bring to the table
because I feel like I am surrounded by such amazing leaders with qualities that
I wish I had. HOWEVER, I have come to realize and value the fact that I AM
unique. I DO bring something special to the table. I AM skilled in different
areas than those around me. And that is beautiful. It's beautiful because it
means that I do not have to be great at everything. That’s right. I don’t. Neither
do you. We just have to learn to partner with others who are skilled in
different areas than we are. I love that! So cherish who you are, recognize
your strengths, embrace those strengths, and partner with others to use your strengths to compliment theirs. Be encouraged. You are YOU for a reason. Love yourself, and learn to love the people around you and all the strengths they have to offer!!!
If you want to know a little bit more about me and my strengths, you can read the descriptions below. Thanks for reading!
Achiever:
People who are especially talented
in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take
great satisfaction from being busy and productive. Driven by your talents, you
automatically set aside time to map out the coming months, years, or decades.
You realize the hard work of thinking must precede the implementation of any
long-range plans. You have discovered that your success depends on it. Chances
are good that you usually work earnestly for an authority figure who takes an
interest in you as a human being. You probably just do what is expected when
teachers, coaches, or supervisors treat you like an underling, consider you hired
help, or ignore you. By nature, you naturally resist being held back,
restrained, or controlled by people or events. You much prefer to be in charge
of situations, materials, schedules, budgets, human resources, processes, or
decisions. Waiting for someone else to issue orders or level judgments
certainly is not your forte — that is, strength. Instinctively, you do much
more than just try to live up to your commitments. You persist working until
you can deliver on your promises. This certainly enhances your reputation for
being trustworthy, reliable, and dependable. Because of your strengths, you
labor for hours, days, or weeks when the money you earn allows you to provide
for your family’s needs. Your work ethic permits you to give loved ones many of
the things you did or did not have as a child.
Belief:
People who are especially talented
in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these
values emerges a defined purpose for their life. Driven by your talents, you
are likely to inconvenience yourself to help someone. The person’s appreciation,
smile, or words of thanks usually make you feel very good about yourself and
life in general. You tend to have much more energy for your own job or studies
after you have done a good deed. Chances are good that you want your life to
really matter. You are determined to contribute to the well-being of
individuals and the human family. You sense you can be an influence for good in
the world. It’s very likely that you feel better about yourself when you are
honest and forthright with people. Telling untruths and omitting important
facts violates your personal code of ethics. Because of your strengths, you
conclude that your life is more meaningful and you are happier when you can dedicate
yourself to something of importance to humankind. It can be something simple
rather than something grand. You sense your acts of kindness influence
individuals to perform good deeds. You are likely to inspire generosity in many
people. Instinctively, you throw yourself into your work even when you are
personally inconvenienced. You usually place the well-being of others above
your own.
Includer:
People who are especially talented
in the Includer theme are accepting of others. They show awareness of those who
feel left out, and make an effort to include them. It’s very likely that you
are fond of most people. You tend to be nonjudgmental. You usually find something
good and likeable about every person you meet. Often you want to involve them
in your activities and introduce them to others. You are undoubtedly puzzled by
individuals who actively search for reasons to exclude people from their circle
of friends, family members, coworkers, classmates, or teammates. Driven by your
talents, you make no claims of being a “morning person.” You need time to
transition from sleeping to waking and from waking to working. You tend to gain
physical energy and mental sharpness later in the traditional workday.
Depending on your biological clock, your peak performance period can occur
during mid-to-late afternoon, in the early evening, during the hours before
midnight, or in the hours after midnight. Because of your strengths, you feel life is marvelous when you have a
wide array of friends and acquaintances. You usually find many qualities to
appreciate in most of the people you meet. Instinctively, you move in and out
of thought-provoking conversations with grace. You delve deeply into topics and
explore the frontiers of ideas.The animated give-and-take you most enjoy often
occurs in the company of thinkers. You tend to be happier when you meet people
who share your need to talk about theories and concepts. You tend to be less
engaged with those who are overly concerned with gossip or purely practical
matters. Chances are good that you seek the company of individuals who ponder,
reflect, consider, muse, or invent. You are especially intrigued by people who
carry on conversations about theories, concepts, or philosophies. Often the
thoughts you share with one another have yet to be proved, put into practice, transformed
into processes, or made into products.
Input:
People who are especially talented
in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and
archive all kinds of information. It’s very likely that you frequently collect
as much information as you can by reading about the topics to be discussed at
group gatherings. This is your forte — that is, strong point. Undoubtedly,
there are individuals who routinely rely on you to do all the homework — that
is, the preparatory reading and research — so they do not have to worry about
it. Because of your strengths, you thirst for new ideas and knowledge. Often
you lose yourself in a book. You pore over the ideas contained on its pages for
long stretches of time. Why? You want to absorb as much information as you can.
By nature, you usually are quiet during conversations, taking in everything
that is said. You are particularly attentive when intelligent people toss about
their ideas, theories, or concepts. Often you acquire more information and gain
more insights than the speakers do. When you choose to expound on a topic that
interests you or pose pertinent questions, many individuals listen carefully to
every word you utter. Driven by your talents, you are intrigued by newcomers
and outsiders. Unusual individuals capture your attention because they are
different. Immediately, your curiosity impels you to ask lots of questions and
attentively listen to their responses. You appear to study human beings the way
others study for final tests. Your approach is direct. Your gaze is intense.
Your interest is sincere. You probably are determined to introduce these people
to your acquaintances, family, or friends. Chances are good that you possess
the physical and mental endurance needed to spend hours studying, reading, or
researching. The more you know, the more questions you have to ask. Your
diligence reflects your need to work harder and longer than most people can.
You set lofty goals for yourself and relentlessly pursue them. Once you have
reached your objective, you direct much of your energy toward a second goal.
You are self-motivated. You prefer to push yourself rather than relax.
Learner:
You love to learn. The subject matter that
interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but
whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process,
more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are
energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence.
The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what
you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the
process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning
experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive
in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project
assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a
short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does
not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that
you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic
credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting
there.”
Maximizer:
People who are
especially 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. Driven by your talents, you may prefer to spend
time with people who respect and approve of your talents. Perhaps you can sense
when individuals belittle your abilities or discount your results. Because of
your strengths, you may surround yourself with people who notice what you do
right and applaud what you do well. Maybe you avoid critics who dwell on your
shortcomings. Chances are good that you frequently notice what makes each
person unique or special. Armed with these insights, you probably inspire many
individuals to move into action. You realize life is more fulfilling for people
who choose tasks and are given assignments that closely match their talents.
You often notice the different moods, need for information, or preferred forms
of recognition for the people in your life. Instinctively, you probably enjoy
life more when you can practice using your dominant talents every day. Not
surprisingly, you reach your goals, excel, and gain confidence when you are
permitted to do things you naturally do quite well. It’s very likely that you
forge ahead to build the life you envision. You reach your goals by finding as
many opportunities as possible to use your unique abilities and natural gifts.
Positivity:
You are generous with praise, quick to
smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted.
Others just wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either
way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because
your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find
their world drab with repetition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to
find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You
celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and
more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged
down. Your Positivity won’t allow it. Somehow you can’t quite escape your
conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no
matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one’s sense of humor.
WOO:
Woo stands for winning others over. You
enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you.
Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be
energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions,
and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation
and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because
they worry about running out of things to say. You don’t. Not only are you
rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers
because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection.
Once that connection is made, you are quite happy to wrap it up and move on.
There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in. In
your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet—lots of them.
