For years I have had the opportunity to take people through assessments dealing with personality (MBTI), strengths (Gallup’s Strengths Finder), and even an in-depth career assessment (the Birkman Method), the key has always been applying what is discovered. There is real power in discovering your identity.
One of the little known facts about the StrengthsFinder is that the strengths used to be organized into 4 categories. Gallup has since removed these categories in part because invariably we start wanting what we don’t have – the exact opposite of the goal which is to maximize what you do have.
I find these categories to be helpful:
Relating Themes (working with people) – Communication, Empathy, Harmony, Includer, Individualization, Relator, and Responsibility
Impacting Themes (influencing people) – Command, Competition, Developer, Maximizer, Positivity, and Woo
Striving Themes (working harder) – Achiever, Activator, Adaptability, Belief, Discipline, Focus, Restorative, Self-Assurance, and Significance
Thinking Themes (working smarter) – Analytical, Arranger, Connectedness, Context, Deliberative, Consistency, Futuristic, Ideation, Input, Intellection, Learner, and Strategic
For other articles along these lines, check out the following:
“What Do You Do When You Discover Your Identity”
“Too Busy To Serve” (thoughts for leaders on recruiting volunteers)
“Yelo: Discovering the Uniquness Within” (includes a list on how different personalities work through conflict)
“Managing the Creative Beast” (how to serve and lead creatives, includes a video mockumentary)
“Raising Up Leaders (and Avoiding Burnout)” (audio message)
“Moving People from Brokenness to Wholeness” (audio message on the Character Matrix)
How have these assessments helped you?
