Gravity Medium

Several years ago I came across the remarkable management book First, Break All the Rules. I won’t go into it here, but for me it blew apart a lot of the management notions I’d lived under and believed were standard practice. Plus, it introduced me to the notion of “strengths.”

The follow-up book — Now Discover Your Strengths (since re-christened StrengthsFinder 2.0) — wasn’t as good as the first. But it provided what the first book lacked in two fundamental areas. First, it described the 30-some strengths in detail, including how to use those strengths and how to manage them. Second, it included a code printed on the inside of the dust jacket that would allow you to go to a web site and take a test. This test would ask a series of simple questions (something like Myers-Briggs) and out would pop the top 5 strengths out of the 30-some strengths identified.

What follows is my current “Top 5″ strengths, according to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 test. It’s sort of interesting to see these things and consider how they apply to your thinking, your work product and more.

IDEATION
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.

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

RELATOR
People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

For the record, I’m not really a “people person.” I think my Relator strength only applies when I’m engaged with a small circle of friends or coworkers with whom I share a common goal.

MAXIMIZER
People who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

LEARNER
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

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For a more detailed explanation of these five, you can download the summary report (PDF) that gives example behaviors associated with each strength. And I’d encorage everyone with an interest in knowing their own strengths to get the book, take the test and then read up on your strengths.