StrengthsFinder 2.0
Attendance: Chris, Harry, Nathan, Jon.
Overview
The basic premise of StrengthsFinder 2.0, is that successful people spend more time working on their strengths, than on their weaknesses. This theory conflicts with cultural beliefs which often have us spending more time working on our weaknesses. A good example of this belief is demonstrated in the author’s research, where they found 77% of parents believe that their children should be focusing on the classes where grades are poor, versus classes where their grades are already high.
If people were to spend more time investing in their natural talents, then they would find better results. Strengths are made up of two components, Talent and Investment. The authors think that talent is a natural component. It is something that is very inflexible and it is unlikely to change. Investment is something that is controllable. You can choose to invest in something for which you have talent, or invest in something for which you do not. The idea is that you are going to receive a much higher return for your investment if you are focusing on your core talents.
This book is a different kind of book in that it is very interactive. Once you read the first section, you have covered the theory. You then take an online assessment, and at the end of the assessment it tells you your own five main themes. After that, you switch to the second half of the book where you will find detailed explanations and action items for each of your themes.
Commentary
As a whole, the group seemed to agree with the premise of the book. We definitely think it is important to be working heavily on our core strengths. However, some of us also felt that it is very important to have a basic level of competency in certain areas whether they are strengths or not.
Almost the entire group found the results of the assessment to be accurate. Everyone but one person thought that it described their personalities very well. This person was a little unsure about his results, because he felt that the test failed to identify a few of his core talents. Other than that, it was deemed useful in that it can provide a pretty fair assessment of a person in a short amount of time.
The nice thing about this book is that it is not just a theory and a test. It actually gives a person a lot to think about in terms of actionable behavior. It helps toanswer the questions, “What can I actually do to work on my own strengths? What can I do with this knowledge?”
In the section containing the detailed explanations, the book offers 10 suggestions of how you, as a person containing this as a major theme, should position yourself. An example of one of these action items is found in my assessment. The test results showed that ‘Achiever’ was my number one theme. This means that I do not feel satisfied unless I have achieved something during the day. This is regardless of whether it is a work day, or a weekend, or even if I am on vacation. I must be doing something tangible. One great suggestion I picked up is to make sure I factor my personal life into my goals. Achievers are prone to focus on work, and they sometimes neglect other important areas of their lives. This is because it is difficult to see a clear connection between your personal life and your achievements. Setting goals in your personal life will make it seem more tangible. That is just an example of many of the actions a reader can expect receive on completion of the assesment.
In addition to offering advice just on oneself, another group member is considering implementing this test in his organization. This would put him in a position to really understand what drives his employees. Understanding a person’s core strengths will tell you a lot about how to communicate with a person, what motivates them, and how you can expect them to behave in different situations.
It is apparent that this book can be a very valuable tool, both for personal growth, and in understanding the people around you. By better understanding what really makes yourself tick, you can really position yourself for success. The actionable items are useful, as is the overall profile. StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a great way to start the journey of positioning yourself for success.
