strengths finder 2.0

StrengthsFinder 2.0 Report

© 2000, 2006-2008 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Keith Parker

Your Top 5 Themes

IndividualizationStrategicCommunicationAnalyticalSelf-Assurance

What's in This Guide?

Section I: Awareness

A brief Shared Theme Description for each of your top five themes

Your Personalized Strengths Insights, which describe what makes you stand out fromothers with the same theme in their top five

Questions for you to answer to increase your awareness of your talentsSection II: Application

10 Ideas for Action for each of your top five themes

Questions for you to answer to help you apply your talentsSection III: Achievement

Examples of what each of your top five themes "sounds like" -- real quotes frompeople who also have the theme in their top five

Steps for you to take to help you leverage your talents for achievement

Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide

109552716 (Keith Parker) © 2000, 2006-2008 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Section I: Awareness

Individualization

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with theunique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who aredifferent can work together productively.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Instinctively, you intentionally welcome people from diverse backgrounds, education levels,occupations, age groups, or nationalities. You typically comprehend why individuals think orfeel they way they do. As a result, you undoubtedly view the world from perspectives thatdiffer markedly from your own. Chances are good that you often marvel at your ability tosense the feelings and perspectives of other people. You feel very good about yourself andlife in general when you put aside your opinions, biases, or preferences. Your satisfactionprobably comes from figuring out why someone behaves, feels, or thinks differently than youdo. It’s very likely that you easily identify with what others are thinking and feeling. Youintuitively understand their hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows. This helps you consider thingsfrom each individual’s perspective. Driven by your talents, you occasionally credit yourselfwith having a gift for seeing the unique talents that make people different from one another.You may have little patience for placing people into broadly-defined categories. Perhaps youdescribe individuals in specific and vivid detail. By nature, you constantly investigate the“hows” and “whys” of a given situation. You find relationships between the final result andthe events preceding it. These links enable you to understand how things come into being.You draw logical conclusions. These often broaden your knowledge base.

Questions

1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines standout to you?

2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most inyou?



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Strategic


People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed.Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.



It’s very likely that you occasionally opt to work by yourself. Perhaps you trust your talents,knowledge, and skills in identifying problems. You might consider numerous solutions beforeyou pinpoint an appropriate course of action. Sometimes questions and answers materializewithout much effort on your part. By nature, you select the right combination of words toconvey your ideas or feelings. In the middle of discussions, your vocabulary provides youwith precise phrases and terminology. You probably express yourself with ease and grace.Because of your strengths, you may see solutions before other people know there is aproblem. You might start formulating answers before your teammates, coworkers, orclassmates understand the question. Sometimes you generate numerous ideas before sortingto the one that makes the most sense in a particular situation. Instinctively, you inventoriginal ideas of your own. Your imagination is typically stimulated when you collaborate —that is, team up — with future-oriented thinkers. Chances are good that you normally find justthe right words at the right moment to express whatever you are thinking and feeling. Manypeople are likely to appreciate your fine speaking abilities. You can present your ideas in areasonable, sequential, and methodical way. Moreover, you generate lots of options for othersto consider.

Questions





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Communication


People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to puttheir thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.



Driven by your talents, you have a facility — that is, an ease and readiness — for speaking.Under very few circumstances do you struggle to find just the right word to express a thoughtor feeling. Being able to put friends or strangers at ease quickly is one of your special gifts.It’s very likely that you feel a lot better about yourself and your life in general when you cantalk with old friends, new acquaintances, or even total strangers. Your finesse — that is,talent and diplomacy — with language allows you to enliven stories, fine-tune examples, ordescribe amusing incidents. Many people are fascinated by your command of the spokenword. This explains why they enjoy your company. Because of your strengths, youenthusiastically welcome opportunities to converse with people. The animated give-and-takeof dialogue is likely to help you appreciate what is right about your life and the world ingeneral. Instinctively, you may be described as a “what you see is what you get” person.Perhaps there is little mystery about who you are. Now and then, you make a point of talkingwith strangers. You sometimes tell them about yourself without being asked. Your forthrightapproach might encourage some individuals to be as open with you as you are with them. Bynature, you usually attract listeners with your stories, presentations, lectures, or speeches.You routinely seek opportunities to talk about what you think, feel, or have experienced.

Questions





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Analytical


People who are especially talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes.They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation.



Instinctively, you might consider yourself a no-nonsense, practical thinker. Some people havecalled your approach businesslike. Perhaps you have a reputation for pointing out thingsothers fail to notice. Driven by your talents, you truly enjoy instructing people. You prefer toinvest your time in trainees or students who genuinely appreciate your carefully reasonedapproach to a particular topic. It’s very likely that you spontaneously think through things toarrive at sensible conclusions. You generally refrain from letting your emotions rule how youact or react to events, problems, or people. By nature, you intentionally examine all aspects ofproblems, difficulties, or obstacles. You are quite comfortable when you have ample time tothoroughly study the facts. Afterward, you are sure to feel prepared to draw conclusions,answer questions, propose solutions, or design plans. Because of your strengths, youcustomarily use reason to govern what you do and how you do it. You probably take chargeof activities that directly affect the quality and/or direction of your life. You refuse to letanyone determine your destiny.

Questions





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Self-Assurance


People who are especially talented in the Self-Assurance theme feel confident in their abilityto manage their own lives. They possess an inner compass that gives them confidence thattheir decisions are right.



Driven by your talents, you may sense people depend on you to clarify abstract ideas. Perhapsyour ability is appreciated when someone or a group needs to understand an intricate system,problem, rule, procedure, contract, or design. Because of your strengths, you may have theconfidence needed to work on specific projects by yourself. Perhaps you are inclined to takechances as an individual performer when doing so improves the results. Maybe your daringideas are less appreciated when you are part of a group. Chances are good that you may liketo get together with certain colleagues, associates, coworkers, or fellow students. Perhaps yourelish talking about large-scale concepts, opinions, or theories. It’s very likely that you yearnto be inspired by your work. You want experience to be your teacher. You need to feelenthused by your work or studies. You constantly acquire knowledge and skills. Wheneveryou study facts, ponder concepts, test theories, or sharpen your skills, you feel most alive.You are inclined to avoid people and situations that prevent you from expanding your mind.Instinctively, you might be known for reducing elaborate or intertwined ideas, processes,legal documents, or action plans to their basic elements. As a result, some people might turnto you for plainspoken and easy-to-understand explanations.

Questions





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Questions

1. How does this information help you better understand your unique talents?2. How can you use this understanding to add value to your role?3. How can you apply this knowledge to add value to your team, workgroup,

department, or division?4. How will this understanding help you add value to your organization?5. What will you do differently tomorrow as a result of this report?



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Section II: Application

Individualization

Ideas for Action:

Select a vocation in which your Individualization talents can be both used andappreciated, such as counseling, supervising, teaching, writing human interest articles,or selling. Your ability to see people as unique individuals is a special talent.Become an expert in describing your own strengths and style. For example, answerquestions such as: What is the best praise you ever received? How often do you like tocheck in with your manager? What is your best method for building relationships? Howdo you learn best? Then ask your colleagues and friends these same questions. Helpthem plan their future by starting with their strengths, then designing a future based onwhat they do best.Help others understand that true diversity can be found in the subtle differences betweeneach individual — regardless of race, sex, or nationality.Explain that it is appropriate, just, and effective to treat each person differently. Thosewithout strong Individualization talents might not see the differences among individualsand might insist that individualization is unequal and therefore unfair. You will need todescribe your perspective in detail to be persuasive.Figure out what every person on your team does best. Then help them capitalize on theirtalents, skills, and knowledge. You may need to explain your rationale and yourphilosophy so people understand that you have their best interests in mind.You have an awareness and appreciation of others’ likes and dislikes and an ability topersonalize. This puts you in a unique position. Use your Individualization talents tohelp identify areas where one size does not fit all.Make your colleagues and friends aware of each person’s unique needs. Soon peoplewill look to you to explain other people’s motivations and actions.Your presentations and speaking opportunities will be most engaging when you relateyour topic to the experiences of individuals in the audience. Use your Individualizationtalents to gather and share real-life stories that will make your points much better thanwould generic information or theories.You move comfortably among a broad range of styles and cultures, and you intuitivelypersonalize your interactions. Consciously and proactively make full use of these talentsby leading diversity and community efforts.Your Individualization talents can help you take a different approach to interpretingdata. While others are looking for similarities, make a point of identifyingdistinctiveness. Your interpretations will add a valuable perspective.



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Questions

1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are mostlikely to take.

2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item thatyou will take in the next 30 days.



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Strategic

Ideas for Action:

Take the time to fully reflect or muse about a goal that you want to achieve until therelated patterns and issues emerge for you. Remember that this musing time is essentialto strategic thinking.You can see repercussions more clearly than others can. Take advantage of this abilityby planning your range of responses in detail. There is little point in knowing whereevents will lead if you are not ready when you get there.Find a group that you think does important work, and contribute your strategic thinking.You can be a leader with your ideas.Your strategic thinking will be necessary to keep a vivid vision from deteriorating intoan ordinary pipe dream. Fully consider all possible paths toward making the vision areality. Wise forethought can remove obstacles before they appear.Make yourself known as a resource for consultation with those who are stumped by aparticular problem or hindered by a particular obstacle or barrier. By naturally seeing away when others are convinced there is no way, you will lead them to success.You are likely to anticipate potential issues more easily than others. Though yourawareness of possible danger might be viewed as negativity by some, you must shareyour insights if you are going to avoid these pitfalls. To prevent misperception of yourintent, point out not only the future obstacle, but also a way to prevent or overcome it.Trust your insights, and use them to ensure the success of your efforts.Help others understand that your strategic thinking is not an attempt to belittle theirideas, but is instead a natural propensity to consider all the facets of a plan objectively.Rather than being a naysayer, you are actually trying to examine ways to ensure that thegoal is accomplished, come what may. Your talents will allow you to consider others’perspectives while keeping your end goal in sight.Trust your intuitive insights as often as possible. Even though you might not be able toexplain them rationally, your intuitions are created by a brain that instinctivelyanticipates and projects. Have confidence in these perceptions.Partner with someone with strong Activator talents. With this person’s need for actionand your need for anticipation, you can forge a powerful partnership.Make sure that you are involved in the front end of new initiatives or enterprises. Yourinnovative yet procedural approach will be critical to the genesis of a new venturebecause it will keep its creators from developing deadly tunnel vision.

Questions





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Communication

Ideas for Action:

You will always do well in roles that require you to capture people’s attention. Thinkabout a career in teaching, sales, marketing, ministry, or the media. YourCommunication talents are likely to flourish in these areas.Start a collection of stories or phrases that resonate with you. For example, cut outmagazine articles that move you, or write down powerful word combinations. Practicetelling these stories or saying these words out loud, by yourself. Listen to yourselfactually saying the words. Refine.When you are presenting, pay close attention to your audience. Watch their reactions toeach part of your presentation. You will notice that some parts are especially engaging.Afterwards, take time to identify the moments that particularly caught the audience’sattention. Draft your next presentation around these highlights.Practice. Improvisation has a certain appeal, but in general, an audience will respondbest to a presenter who knows where he or she is headed. Counterintuitively, the moreprepared you are, the more natural your improvisations will appear.Identify your most beneficial sounding boards and audiences — the listeners who seemto bring out your best communication. Examine these individuals or groups to learn whyyou are so good when you speak with them or to them, and look for the same qualities inpotential partners and audiences.Keep getting smarter about the words you use. They are a critical currency. Spend themwisely, and monitor their impact.Your Communication talents can be highly effective when your message has substance.Don’t rely on your talents alone; take your communication to the level of strength bydeveloping your knowledge and expertise in specific areas.You are gifted in fostering dialogue among peers and colleagues. Use yourCommunication talents to summarize the various points in a meeting and to buildconsensus by helping others see what they have in common.If you enjoy writing, consider publishing your work. If you enjoy public speaking, makea presentation at a professional meeting or convention. In either case, yourCommunication talents will serve to assist you in finding just the right way to frameyour ideas and state your purpose. You delight in sharing your thoughts with others, sofind the medium that best fits your voice and message.Volunteer for opportunities to present. You can become known as someone who helpspeople express their thoughts and ambitions in a captivating way.

Questions




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Analytical

Ideas for Action:

Choose work in which you are paid to analyze data, find patterns, or organize ideas. Forexample, you might excel in marketing, financial, or medical research or in databasemanagement, editing, or risk management.Whatever your role, identify credible sources on which you can rely. You are at yourbest when you have well-researched sources of information and numbers to support yourlogic. For example, determine the most helpful books, websites, or publications that canserve as references.Your mind is constantly working and producing insightful analysis. Are others aware ofthat? Find the best way of expressing your thoughts: writing, one-on-one conversations,group discussions, perhaps lectures or presentations. Put value to your thoughts bycommunicating them.Make sure that your accumulation and analysis of information always leads to itsapplication and implementation. If you don’t do this naturally, find a partner who pushesyou from theory to practice, from thinking to doing. This person will help ensure thatyour analysis doesn’t turn into paralysis.Take an academic course that will expand your Analytical talents. Specifically, studypeople whose logic you admire.Volunteer your Analytical talents. You can be particularly helpful to those who arestruggling to organize large quantities of data or having a hard time bringing structure totheir ideas.Partner with someone with strong Activator talents. This person’s impatience will moveyou more quickly through the analytical phase into the action phase.You may remain skeptical until you see solid proof. Your skepticism ensures validity,but others may take it personally. Help others realize that your skepticism is primarilyabout data, not people.Look for patterns in data. See if you can discern a motif, precedent, or relationship inscores or numbers. By connecting the dots in the data and inferring a causal link, youmay be able to help others see these patterns.Help others understand that your analytical approach will often require data and otherinformation to logically back up new ideas that they might suggest.

Questions





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Self-Assurance

Ideas for Action:

Look for start-up situations for which no rulebook exists. You will be at your best whenyou are asked to make many decisions.Seek roles in which you convince people to see your point of view. Your Self-Assurancetalents (especially when combined with Command or Activator talents) can beextremely persuasive. Leadership, sales, legal, or entrepreneurial roles might suit you.Let your self-confidence show. It can be contagious and will help the people around yougrow.Realize that sometimes you will find it hard to put your certainty or intuition into words,possibly leading others to see you as self-righteous. Explain that your confidence doesnot mean that they should withhold their opinions. It might not seem like it to them, butyou do want to hear their ideas. Your conviction doesn’t mean that you are unwilling tolisten to them.Your independent streak can leave you standing alone. If this happens, make sure youare out in front, or partner with someone who can help others see how they can benefitfrom following you.Partner with someone with strong Strategic, Deliberative, or Futuristic talents. Thisperson can help you assess the goals to which you commit. You need this help becauseonce you set your sights on a goal, you are likely to stay with it until you achieve it.Your exceptionally hard work and long hours are natural products of the passion andconfidence you feel about your work. Don’t assume that others are similarly wired.You can be decisive, even when things get dynamic and distracting. When there is chaosaround you, intentionally display and share the calm and certainty within you. This willgive others comfort and security.Set ambitious goals. Don’t hesitate to reach for what others see as impractical andimpossible, but what you see as merely bold and exciting — and most importantly —achievable with some heroics and a little luck. Your Self-Assurance talents can lead toachievements that you may not have otherwise even imagined.You don’t have a great need for direction and support from others. This could make youparticularly effective in situations that require independent thinking and action.Recognize and actively contribute the value of your Self-Assurance talents whenconfidence and self-control are crucial.

Questions





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Section III: Achievement

Look for signs of achievement as you read these real quotes from people who share your topfive themes.

Individualization sounds like this:

Les T., hospitality manager: “Carl is one of our best performers, but he still has to see meevery week. He just wants a little encouragement and to check in, and he gets fired up a littlebit after that meeting. Greg doesn’t like to meet very often, so there’s no need for me tobother him. And when we do meet, it’s really for me, not for him.”

Marsha D., publishing executive: “Sometimes I would walk out of my office and — youknow how cartoon characters have those balloons over their head? I would see these littleballoons over everyone’s head telling me what was in their minds. It sounds weird, doesn’t it?But it happens all the time.”

Andrea H., interior designer: “When you ask people what their style is, they find it hard todescribe, so I just ask them, ‘What is your favorite spot in the house?’ And when I ask that,their faces light up, and they know just where to take me. From that one spot, I can begin topiece together the kind of people they are and what their style is.”



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Strategic sounds like this:

Liam C., manufacturing plant manager: “It seems as if I can always see the consequencesbefore anyone else can. I have to say to people, ‘Lift up your eyes; look down the road aways. Let’s talk about where we are going to be next year so that when we get to this timenext year, we don’t have the same problems.’ It seems obvious to me, but some people arejust too focused on this month’s numbers, and everything is driven by that.”

Vivian T., television producer: “I used to love logic problems when I was a kid — you know,the ones where ‘if A implies B, and B equals C, does A equal C?’ Still today, I am alwaysplaying out repercussions, seeing where things lead. I think it makes me a great interviewer. Iknow that nothing is an accident; every sign, every word, every tone of voice hassignificance. So I watch for these clues and play them out in my head, see where they lead,and then plan my questions to take advantage of what I have seen in my head.”

Simon T., human resources executive: “We really needed to take the union on at some stage,and I saw an opportunity — a very good issue to take them on. I could see that they weregoing in a direction that would lead them into all kinds of trouble if they continued followingit. Lo and behold, they did continue following it, and when they arrived, there I was, readyand waiting. I suppose it just comes naturally to me to predict what someone else is going todo. And then when that person reacts, I can respond immediately because I have sat down andsaid, ‘Okay, if they do this, we’ll do this. If they do that, then we’ll do this other thing.’ It’slike when you tack in a sailboat. You head in one direction, but you jinx one way, thenanother, planning and reacting, planning and reacting.”



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Communication sounds like this:

Sheila K., general manager of a theme park: “Stories are the best way to make my point.Yesterday I wanted to show my executive committee the impact we can have on our guests,so I shared this story with them: One of our employees brought her father to the flag-raisingceremony we have for Veterans Day here at the theme park. He was disabled during WorldWar II, and he now has a rare form of cancer and has had a lot of surgery. He’s dying. At thestart of the ceremony, one of our employees said to the group, ‘This man is a World War IIveteran. Can we give him a hand?’ Everybody cheered, and his daughter started crying. Herdad took off his hat. He never takes off his hat because of the scars on his head from the warand the cancer surgery, but when the national anthem started, he took off his hat and bowedhis head. His daughter told me later that it was the best day he’s had in years.”

Tom P., banking executive: “My most recent client thought that the flow of capital towardInternet stocks was just a passing phase. I tried using a rational argument to change his mind,but he couldn’t or wouldn’t be convinced. In the end, as I often do when faced with a client indenial, I resorted to imagery. I told him that he was like a person sitting on a beach with hisback to the sea. The Internet was like a fast-rising tide. No matter how comfortable he feltright now, the tide was rising with each crashing wave, and very soon, one of those waveswould come crashing down over his head and engulf him. He got the point.”

Margret D., marketing director: “I once read a book about giving speeches that gave twosuggestions: Talk only about things you’re really passionate about, and always use personalexamples. I immediately started doing that, and I found lots of stories because I have kids andgrandkids and a husband. I build my stories around my personal experiences becauseeveryone can relate to them.”



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Analytical sounds like this:

Jose G., school system administrator: “I have an innate ability to see structures, formats, andpatterns before they exist. For instance, when people are talking about writing a grantproposal, while I’m listening to them, my brain instinctively processes the type of grants thatare available and how the discussion fits into the eligibility, right down to the format of howthe information can fit on the grant form in a clear and convincing way.”

Jack T., human resources executive: “If I make a claim, I need to know that I can back it upwith facts and logical thinking. For example, if someone says that our company is not payingas much as other companies, I always ask, ‘Why do you say that?’ If they say, ‘Well, I saw anad in the paper that offers graduates in mechanical engineering five grand more than we arepaying,’ I'll reply by asking, ‘But where are these graduates going to work? Is their salarybased on geography? What types of companies are they going for? Are they manufacturingcompanies like ours? And how many people are in their sample? Is it three people, and one ofthem got a really good deal, thus driving the overall average up?’ There are many questions Ineed to ask to ensure that their claim is indeed a fact and not based on one misleading datapoint.”

Leslie J., school principal: “Many times, there are inconsistencies in the performance of thesame group of students from one year to the next. It’s the same group of kids, but their scoresare different year to year. How can this be? Which building are the kids in? How many of thekids have been enrolled for a full academic year? Which teachers were they assigned to, andwhat teaching styles were used by those teachers? I just love asking questions like these tounderstand what is truly happening.”



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Self-Assurance sounds like this:

James K., salesman: “I never second-guess myself. Whether I am buying a birthday presentor a house, when I make my decision, it feels to me as if I had no choice. There was only onedecision to make, and I made it. It’s easy for me to sleep at night. My gut is final, loud, andvery persuasive.”

Pam D., public service executive: “I was raised on a remote farm in Idaho, and I attended asmall rural school. One day, I returned home from school and announced to my mother that Iwas changing schools. Earlier in the day, my teacher had explained that our school had toomany kids and that three kids would have to move to a different school. I thought about it fora moment, liked the idea of meeting new people, and decided I would be one of them — eventhough it meant getting up half an hour earlier and traveling farther on the bus. I was fiveyears old.”

Deborah C., ER nurse: “If we have a death in the ER, people call on me to deal with thefamily because of my confidence. Just yesterday, we had a problem with a young psychoticgirl who was screaming that the devil was inside her. The other nurses were afraid, but Iknew what to do. I went in and said, ‘Kate, come on, lie back. Let’s say the Baruch. It’s aJewish prayer. It goes like this: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Haolam.’ Sheresponded, ‘Say it slowly so that I can say it back to you.’ I did, and then she said it back tome slowly. She wasn’t Jewish, but this calm came over her. She dropped back against herpillow and said, ‘Thank you. That’s all I needed.’”



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Questions

1. Talk to friends or coworkers to hear how they have used their talents to achieve.

2. How will you use your talents to achieve?



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strengths finder 2.0

Documents

talents section

people different

welcome people

unique talents

actionplanning guide

strategic theme

individualization theme

themes questions