So Evil Pixie attended this event last month where participants focused on their strengths instead of their weaknesses. The gist is most people (and employers) spend far too much time on weaknesses which typically result in nothing; however, by recognizing an individual’s strengths can turn productivity around.
The movement involves buying this book, which costs roughly $23. In the book, it breaks out individual strengths into specific categories. The reader most go online and take a 20-minute assessment to determine what their top 5 strengths are and how to plan based on those strengths.
Evil Pixie’s top 5 strengths, in order are Strategic, Deliberative, Relator, Competition, and Command. Now some of these “strengths” can easily be considered weaknesses, but what I found really interesting is to read how the author managed to turn what is considered a weakness into a strength. Here are my strengths in brief summary. Below the summary is a more expanded explanation behind each strength. You decide:
Strategic: People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Deliberative: People who are especially talented in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate the obstacles.
Relator: People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
Competition: People who are especially talented in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.
Command: People who are especially talented in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.
Here is where they turn a weakness into a strength:
Strategic: Driven by your talents, you may have little difficulty finding the right words at the right time to express what you are thinking or feeling. Maybe you can present your concepts in a reasonable, orderly, or methodical way. Perhaps you generate a few options for others to consider. As a result, certain individuals might say you know how to get your ideas across to people. It’s very likely that you occasionally demonstrate an ease with language. Sometimes you effortlessly verbalize your thoughts. You might delight in the opportunity to share your insights. Maybe you derive exceptional pleasure from actively participating in conversations as long as group members propose ideas, seek solutions, or debate issues. Chances are good that you may generate numerous ways to enhance, upgrade, revise, correct, or revamp certain processes, action plans, or itineraries. Sometimes your suggestions influence how a project will unfold in the coming months, years, or decades. You might find fault with your own or another person’s talents, skills, or knowledge. To some extent, fixing people or things ranks in the top half of your list of favorite activities. Because of your strengths, you customarily pinpoint the core problems and identify the best solutions. You artfully and skillfully eliminate distractions. This helps people gain a clear understanding of what is happening and why it is happening. You frequently identify ways to transform an obstacle into an opportunity. Instinctively, you occasionally marvel at your ability to vividly express your thoughts and feelings.
Deliberative: Chances are good that you might have limited patience for idle or purposeless activity. When you have certain tasks to perform, you mean business — that is, you are determined. Offering few apologies, perhaps you can state your needs, set your boundaries, make demands, and present your theories. Periodically you use sophisticated, complicated, technical, or academic terminology to emphasize key points. Because of your strengths, you may have a reputation for thinking through things before you speak. Perhaps this is one reason why some people feel better about themselves when you say, “I truly value your opinion” or “I know you can do this job.” Instinctively, you may be described by people as earnest or businesslike. Individuals might appreciate your methodical and unhurried way of processing facts or numerical data. Driven by your talents, you may be described as an industrious and no-nonsense person. When you have a goal, you try to reach it. When you have a problem to solve, you first try to break it into parts. When you have a major decision to make, you try to study the facts from a variety of angles. It’s very likely that you may be a no-nonsense thinker. You might take your time to weigh the pros and cons of an issue, idea, or opportunity. Sometimes you delay rendering a decision or making a change. You might need to review more evidence, data, or information than others do. To some degree, you are puzzled by those who rush into action without gathering facts and evaluating them. Because you carefully process your thoughts, perhaps you save time, minimize errors, or conserve resources.
Relator: Driven by your talents, you might notice that people regularly ask you the question “What do you think? This might be because they value your views about particular people, situations, rules, news events, or decisions. Instinctively, you might do your best training after you become well-acquainted with someone. Perhaps you want to discover each individual’s unique talents, work style, goals, motivations, or interests. Maybe these insights tell you what suggestions to make or what tips to offer during coaching sessions. By nature, you might be a better trainer when you can coach individuals who have a strong desire for victory. Perhaps you invest a lot of energy and time helping teammates excel or work well with the group. To some extent, you are eager to be on teams that outperform every opponent. It’s very likely that you sometimes consider ways you might enhance your ability to reduce difficult-to-understand ideas, processes, or plans to their most basic elements. Perhaps you seek opportunities to make things simpler and easier to comprehend. Because of your strengths, you may be regarded by some individuals as a fine trainer, tutor, or instructor. Occasionally you describe yourself in these terms.
Competition: Instinctively, you may draw all the inspiration you need from yourself when you challenge others for first-place honors. Perhaps you are less influenced by a caring, concerned, or friendly authority figure than some individuals are. You might prefer to keep your eye on the prize. Chances are good that you might have an intense desire to deliver the best performance in specific areas. Sometimes you use every bit of the knowledge, skill, talent, and/or energy you possess to snag the top prize. Perhaps little, if anything, distracts you from your goal. By nature, you may accomplish more when you take time to think about what you need to perfect, upgrade, or do better. Perhaps this is your way of being declared the best when your results are compared to those of others. Maybe your hours of hard work increase your chances of producing the right outcomes. It’s very likely that you sometimes discover that contending for a real or even imaginary first-place victory makes your job or your scholarly pursuits a bit more exhilarating. Driven by your talents, you periodically rely on your sophisticated vocabulary to outthink certain people. Whether speaking or writing, you might interject technical or subject-specific terms to confront resistance or force specific issues into the open. This authoritarian stance may put a few people on notice that you are clever. Sometimes their confidence begins to crumble. Perhaps your ease with language and artful tactics signal that you are the one in charge.
Command: Driven by your talents, you are sometimes willing to take chances. You might insist on calculating beforehand whether the odds of success are in your favor. When they are, you may forge ahead. It’s very likely that you probably have exhibited the traits of boldness, assertiveness, and/or self-reliance since childhood. Chances are good that you may approach certain win-lose situations in a practical and realistic manner. When you are intent on being victorious, perhaps you extinguish any sentimental feelings you might have toward your rivals. Because of your strengths, you occasionally appear to be a pragmatist — that is, someone who spends time on factual matters or practical affairs. You might demand that certain individuals working with you become fluent in the language of their chosen profession, area of study, or field of interest. Once in a while, you may express displeasure when you must stop to explain a subject-specific or technical term that the person should already know. By nature, you notice that people heed your demands. What you say and how you say it can even frighten and threaten people. You probably have used this effect to influence individuals to do what you want.
Interesting, eh? Consider the above as a snapshot of the business side of Evil Pixie.
Original Post : http://evilpixieblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/strengths-finder.html
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