Finding my strengths, Part 5
Finding my strengths, Part 5
As much as I'd like to, I can't trick myself into believing there's a magic pill.Sure, "StrengthsFinder 2.0" accurately described what I'm good at doing and how to build those top strengths of mine.While it uncovered few surprises — probably a good thing considering that may have signaled that I'm in the wrong line of work — it did provide affirmation and a blueprint to work with for the future.It also gave me ways in which I can enjoy life at work more, hence improving my output and efficiency — obvious pluses for me, as well as my employer. But just as a healthy lifestyle requires a balance of exercise, eating right and sleeping enough, truly using what I learned from "StrengthsFinder" requires the roundest picture of myself I can develop.It's true that every person I've talked to who has used the book and online assessment seemed to be impressed with it's accuracy as well as it's follow-through. "StrengthsFinder" doesn't just tell you what you're good at based on your assessment, it outlines steps — small and large — you should take to capitalize on those strengths.That's a great start, but stopping there defeats the purpose of what should be a lifelong exercise in self-improvement. When it comes to such progressive endeavors, each and every angle should be examined, every rock turned, if you want the best results.So it seems I have my work cut out for me, and that became apparent shortly after last week's installment that appeared in the April 27 edition of TriadCareers and online. A representative of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center sent me an e-mail suggesting I take one of their free online assessments called "VIA Signature Strengths."After a 240-question survey, it outlined its own version of my top strengths, which seem to be mostly in harmony with my "StrengthsFinder" top five.For example, my top "StrengthsFinder" theme, "Input," describes me as someone who constantly craves information and typically examines ideas, suggestions and facts from a variety of angles. Similarly, my third top strength from "VIA" is "Judgment, critical thinking and open-mindedness ... Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind."Just as with "StrengthsFinder," the VIA test uncovered no real surprises for me, although I disagree with some elements of its final assessment of my personality, as well as the order of my top 5 and the other 19 strengths that follow. Part of it, I believe, is due to the wording of the questions, which are actually statements that you decide describe you or not. Many of the statements are qualified by the word "always" — and who always does, or is, anything?Still, VIA is a different and useful twist on "StrengthsFinder" that may help me along the way. Another device to further develop my own picture is one I finally rediscovered after speaking with Pam Brumbaugh of the career center at Elon University. Before I participated in Elon's first-ever "StrengthsFinder" webinar , she dug up the results of my Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test that I took several years ago. Hopefully, the combination of these tools, and most likely others I haven't yet tried, will help me attain a fuller picture of myself and facilitate the strength-building process.I won't bore you with the particulars, but I will occasionally report back in this space if I experience any breakthroughs, small or large.There's plenty of work to come for me, and it won't be anything I can accomplish in one sitting. Quite the opposite. It will be an ongoing venture, and I'm betting that the more people I talk to, the more action steps I take from "StrengthsFinder," the more tools I use, such as VIA Signature Strengths and Myers Briggs, the more colorful picture of myself I will begin to see, the richer my professional and personal lives will be. And, hopefully, the stronger I'll become.Contact Patrick Collins at 412-5934 or by e-mail at patrick.collins@news-record.com.
