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Making the Most of Your Making the Most of Your StrengthsStrengths

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Why Do Self-Assessment?Why Do Self-Assessment?

• Powerful personal development tool Powerful personal development tool when used correctlywhen used correctly

• Reflection and self-knowledge are Reflection and self-knowledge are cornerstones of leadership developmentcornerstones of leadership development

• Others are assessing you anyway!!Others are assessing you anyway!!

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Why Use This Particular Why Use This Particular Assessment?Assessment?

• Assessment is scientifically soundAssessment is scientifically sound

• Good ideas to accompany the assessmentGood ideas to accompany the assessment

• Focuses on the positiveFocuses on the positive

• Is quick and inexpensiveIs quick and inexpensive

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Underlying AssumptionsUnderlying Assumptions

• Building from strengths is more efficient Building from strengths is more efficient and effective than working on weaknessesand effective than working on weaknesses

• Understanding your strengths can help Understanding your strengths can help you find “good fits” in your lifeyou find “good fits” in your life

• Your strengths shed light on who you areYour strengths shed light on who you are

• Understanding your strengths can help Understanding your strengths can help you become a better leaderyou become a better leader

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A Crucial DifferenceA Crucial Difference

• Skills: thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that you Skills: thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that you can learn and / or docan learn and / or do– Skills are fairly easily acquired Skills are fairly easily acquired – Skills quickly degrade without frequent reinforcementSkills quickly degrade without frequent reinforcement

• Talents: any recurring pattern of thought, feeling, Talents: any recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively appliedor behavior that can be productively applied– Talents are unique and enduringTalents are unique and enduring– Talents are your “T1 lines”; spontaneous, top-of-mind Talents are your “T1 lines”; spontaneous, top-of-mind

reactions to situationsreactions to situations

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A Quick NoteA Quick Note

• CONSISTENCY = FAIRNESS in bookCONSISTENCY = FAIRNESS in book

• INCLUDER = INCLUSIVENESS in INCLUDER = INCLUSIVENESS in bookbook

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Exercise: Making Sense of ThemesExercise: Making Sense of Themes

1.1. Write down your top five themes (or Write down your top five themes (or have your test output handy)have your test output handy)

2.2. ID one of the themes that resonated ID one of the themes that resonated with youwith you

3.3. Put the theme into your own words by Put the theme into your own words by thinking of an example of when you thinking of an example of when you used the themeused the theme

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Your Signature ThemesYour Signature Themes

• StrengthsFinder Signature Themes: these : these are your five most dominant themes of are your five most dominant themes of talenttalent– In these areas, you have the greatest In these areas, you have the greatest

potential for a strength.potential for a strength.– Focusing on these themes is an efficient way Focusing on these themes is an efficient way

and effective to build from your strengthsand effective to build from your strengths

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About Your Signature ThemesAbout Your Signature Themes

• Represent top five areas for potential Represent top five areas for potential strengthsstrengths

• Rank ordered from 1Rank ordered from 1stst to 5 to 5thth in dominance in dominance

• Signature themes show consistency in Signature themes show consistency in repeated tests and over timerepeated tests and over time

• Absence of theme does not necessairly Absence of theme does not necessairly constitute weaknessconstitute weakness

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Exploring a Relevant ThemeExploring a Relevant Theme

• Example of signature themesExample of signature themes1.1. StrategicStrategic

2.2. LearnerLearner

3.3. FuturisticFuturistic

4.4. AchieverAchiever

5.5. MaximizerMaximizer

• Need to clearly understand the themeNeed to clearly understand the theme

• Look for larger patternsLook for larger patterns

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Findings from Top AchieversFindings from Top Achievers

• Top achievers build their lives around Top achievers build their lives around talents & develop talents into strengthstalents & develop talents into strengths

• Top achievers are highly aware of “fit” in Top achievers are highly aware of “fit” in their life (they use strengths in roles that their life (they use strengths in roles that best suit them)best suit them)

• Top achievers figure out creative ways to Top achievers figure out creative ways to use strengths when doing “grunt work”use strengths when doing “grunt work”

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Using Your ThemesUsing Your Themes

• Read applicable book sections (p.83-116)Read applicable book sections (p.83-116)

• Highlight insightful and pertinent ideasHighlight insightful and pertinent ideas

• Look for talents underlying themesLook for talents underlying themes

• Discern broad patterns in themesDiscern broad patterns in themes

• Encourage others to take the Encourage others to take the StrengthsFinderStrengthsFinder

• Check for congruency and fitCheck for congruency and fit

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Using Themes to Assess FitUsing Themes to Assess Fit

• What do your themes tell you about your What do your themes tell you about your choice of academic major?choice of academic major?

• Choice of university?Choice of university?

• What about choice of profession?What about choice of profession?

• And your leadership style?And your leadership style?

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Leadership ImplicationsLeadership Implications

• Understand what Signature Themes say Understand what Signature Themes say about youabout you

• Self-knowledge is cornerstone of effective Self-knowledge is cornerstone of effective leadershipleadership

• Actively reflect on themes and talentsActively reflect on themes and talents

• Use talents and strengths to enhance your Use talents and strengths to enhance your leadership capacity leadership capacity

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Leadership ImplicationsLeadership Implications

• Understand what Signature Themes say Understand what Signature Themes say about othersabout others

• People are uniquePeople are unique

• Effective leadership requires Effective leadership requires individualizationindividualization

• Use book p. 117-210 for insights on Use book p. 117-210 for insights on leading others according to themesleading others according to themes

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Exercise: Your Greatest HitsExercise: Your Greatest Hits

• Think about your greatest successes and Think about your greatest successes and triumphs. Briefly write down the answers to triumphs. Briefly write down the answers to the following three questions:the following three questions:

1.1. What has been your most successful experience What has been your most successful experience in an employment, service, or volunteer work in an employment, service, or volunteer work setting?setting?

2.2. What has been your most successful experience What has been your most successful experience in an academic, learning, or athletic setting?in an academic, learning, or athletic setting?

3.3. What has been your greatest success in an What has been your greatest success in an interpersonal relationship, leadership role, interpersonal relationship, leadership role, club, team, or organization?club, team, or organization?

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Putting it all TogetherPutting it all Together

• What are the patterns between your What are the patterns between your greatest successes and your themes? greatest successes and your themes?

• Do your themes shed light on fit—or lack Do your themes shed light on fit—or lack of fit—in your life?of fit—in your life?

• How can your themes inform your How can your themes inform your development?development?

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StrengthsFinder LessonsStrengthsFinder Lessons

• Know your strengths and organize your Know your strengths and organize your life to best leverage themlife to best leverage them

• Remember that the list is only top 5Remember that the list is only top 5

• Continually assess fit in your lifeContinually assess fit in your life

• People bring different strengths to the People bring different strengths to the tabletable