Hello All,
I recently took the StrengthsFinder and have read (most of)
Now, Discover Your Strengths. I was a little confused at first as many of the 'strengths' didn't seem to be strengths but inclinations and personal preferences without obvious use. The book clarified this by defining a Strength (I should say talent - the beginning of a strength) as
any pattern of thought, behavior, or belief which can be productively applied. Still, it seems the book went a long way to convince me to focus on and build my strengths without actually telling me how to. Especially lacking was advice on specific strengths - each of the 34 themes only got a page.
One of the most importaint things the book emphasized was figuring out how your strengths work together, as they're highly dependent on each other.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Now, Discover Your Strengths The theme Ideation describes a love of ideas and connections. The theme Context describes an instinctive need to investigate how things came to be the way they are. Together they produce a creative theorist who takes the time to look to the past for clues to explain the present. In the extreme, picture Charles Darwin wondering why the beaks of Galapagos finches varied in shape and size, and starting to see the outline of this theory of natural selection.
Now make one change. Keep Ideation but substitute Futuristic - a fascination with the potential of the future - for context. Ideation and Futuristic together create a visionary dreamer who can distill from the present key trends and then project how these trends will come together ten years hence. Think of Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, and his vivid goal of a computer in every household. |
We could make this a group activity:
1. Post your strengths.
2. Make suggestions to the previous posters for how to develop specific strengths.
3. Make suggestions for possible meta-strengths - strengths resulting from the combination of strengths.
For those who haven't taken the StrengthsFinder, there's a similar (free) test you can take:
VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire (Scroll down)
My Strengths Futuristic
People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.
Strategic
People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Learner
People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
Deliberative
People strong in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate the obstacles.
Significance
People strong in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of others. They are independent and want to be recognized.