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Strengths Finder 2.0
Mar 27 2011

I recently completed the test in Strengths Finder 2.0 which can be bought on Amazon for around $12 (StrengthsFinder 2.0 – Link to Amazon).  It was recommended to me by a long time friend who works at Texas Instruments.  His team took the test at his work so I bought it for our Operations/Admin team at my work since I thought it would be a fun way for us to understand each others strengths.  I really enjoyed reading the assessment it gave of me and my co-workers.

Following are my Top 5 strengths and brief description of each.  I wonder if these are typical of entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, technology entrepreneurs, or other professions.  I know that I enjoy having roles that are not fully defined and where I can try new things.  I thought these described me fairly well and it was nice to have a way to put in words some of my strengths.  It was eye-opening for me as I didn’t fully realize there were others who thought like me or articulated themselves like me, but when I read some of the quotes from people who had the same Top 5 strengths, I recognized myself in some of the things they said.

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.  “Chances are good that you periodically identify problems others fail to notice.  You might create solutions and find the right answers.  Perhaps you yearn to improve certain things about yourself, other people, or situations.”

Connectedness

People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason. “Driven by your talents, you occasionally sense you are part of something bigger or more important than yourself.  Maybe this conviction influences choices you make in life.  By nature, you may be guided by the notion that no one can live life without some help from others.”

Woo

People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person. “By nature, you may share a lot of information about yourself with certain people.  You might make individuals comfortable enough to candidly talk about themselves.”

Communication

People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters. “Instinctively, you occasionally feel comfortable telling certain individuals stories about your personal habits, qualities, experiences, or background.  Your forthcoming nature might enable some people to share their thoughts and feelings with you.  Chances are good that you may help others understand you as a person.”

Developer

People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements. “Instinctively, you repeatedly go out of your way to support, inspire, motivate, or embolden various individuals.  You likely regard this task as worthy of your effort and time.  Driven by your talents, you inspire your teammates with words that bolster their confidence.  You repeatedly remind them they have the abilities needed to attain their goals.”

Author: | Filed under: book review, books, entrepreneur | Tags: , , , , , , | 13 Comments »

13 Comments on “Strengths Finder 2.0”

  1. 1 Steph said at 9:17 PM on March 27th, 2011:

    That’s kind of neat. I wonder if I would have the strengths I suspect. I’m a kind of quiet person, so I’d expect to score maybe a bit low on the social side of things

  2. 2 Hausboot said at 8:09 AM on March 28th, 2011:

    hm…. looks interesting… 4 stars from 464 reviews… I’ll search to see if I can find it online, and if not, i’ll order it… 12 bucks is not that much.. it seems to be worth

  3. 3 Hannah said at 11:05 AM on March 28th, 2011:

    I’ve taken the Strengths Test before, and it described me PERFECTLY. It’s really helpful around the workplace to see how people can work together and work within their strengths to accomplish even more.

  4. 4 Aruni said at 8:18 PM on March 29th, 2011:

    @Steph – I don’t think the strengths indicate whether a “quiet person” is on the low on social. They just socialize differently. I hope you take the test and find out.

    @Hausboot – I’m not sure what you mean about searching to find it online. I put links to the book site and to Amazon if you want to purchase it. If you purchase it through Amazon, I will get a small % of the sale. 🙂

    @Hannah – I found it a fun thing to do with my co-workers!

  5. 5 Anna said at 4:44 AM on March 31st, 2011:

    I took once a similar test with the Belbin method and I found out that I am the Creative person in a team. Is this test something similar to that and underlines one’s personal strenghts? Or the way he/she acts in a team or a group?
    Regards,
    Anna

  6. 6 Alex said at 5:16 AM on April 1st, 2011:

    this was The #1 Wall Street Journal and #1 BusinessWeek bestseller? it means it has to be good. those 450 reviews say something about it… by the way, what do you think about robin sharma? have you read any of his books?

  7. 7 Laura said at 3:08 PM on April 5th, 2011:

    I haven’t taken that one, but I have taken something similar for free; although, I like this test more than the personality type test. I wonder if an almost identical test can be found free online or at the library.

  8. 8 Brian said at 9:51 AM on April 7th, 2011:

    I feel like I already know my personal strengths and weaknesses, but this test could help me find something about myself I didn’t know. If the test only returned common sense results, there would not be so many (now 472!) positive reviews.

  9. 9 Delena Silverfox said at 3:08 AM on April 8th, 2011:

    Wow, this definitely does seem to describe someone with an entrepreneurial spirit!

    And for $12, who wouldn’t want to get their hands on that for a better understanding of themselves? Sometimes you just need an outsider’s opinion.

    Delena

  10. 10 Sharon Sedano said at 5:37 PM on April 8th, 2011:

    Communication is probably my biggest weakness. My strength would hopefully be my knowledge!!!

  11. 11 Anna said at 9:46 AM on April 14th, 2011:

    It is good to know your strengths, but as important is to acknowledge your weakness. If you do so, you might turn them into your strong points..don’t you think so? I read once in a similar motivational book, that most of our flaws, come from exacerbated qualities..

  12. 12 Aruni said at 6:54 AM on April 16th, 2011:

    Thanks everyone for the great comments! Life got really busy the last couple of weeks so I haven’t had time to respond or even write a new post! Thanks for adding to the conversation. 🙂

  13. 13 entrepreMusings » Something wonderful is about to happy said at 10:55 AM on April 17th, 2011:

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