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Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide SURVEY COMPLETION DATE: 10-30-2012

Meshal Alali

Your Top 5 Themes

Deliberative Belief Responsibility Significance Individualization

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 from others with the same theme in their top five

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

10 Ideas for Action for each of your top five themes

Questions for you to answer to help you apply your talents Section III: Achievement

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

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

Section I: Awareness

Deliberative Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate the obstacles.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

It’s very likely that you might refrain from sharing much about yourself with others. Perhaps you are reserved by nature. You might prefer to keep your thoughts to yourself. However, if the situation demands conversation, you may become talkative and sociable. By nature, you select your friends with great care. You are comfortable nurturing up-close and personal relationships with these chosen individuals. The quality of your relationships is much more important to you than the number of people who say you are their friend. Chances are good that you are willing to sacrifice affection and relationships to be true to yourself. In your opinion, life is not a popularity contest. Because of your strengths, you may be earnest, solemn, or businesslike when circumstances require socially correct behavior. Perhaps you thoroughly study certain things before making decisions, designing plans, or taking action. Driven by your talents, you might approach some days with a matter-of-fact or practical attitude. Sometimes you expect to do your work flawlessly. You may strive to reach the high standards you establish for yourself. Perhaps these are a bit more stringent or detailed than those set for you by others.

Questions

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

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

Belief Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

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. It’s very likely that you experience pure delight when others welcome you into their group and encourage you to join in their activities. Financial security means little when you have no one with whom to share it. Being accepted for who you are and as you are is one of life’s true treasures, in your opinion. Because it is priceless, you know it is very precious. Chances are good that you may devote yourself to helping others — sometimes even to your own detriment. Perhaps you expect little or nothing in return. Toiling with friends on worthy causes might enable you to overcome certain kinds of physical or mental exhaustion. Because of your strengths, you regard the opportunity to understand everything you can about someone as a gift beyond price. Each insight into a human being brings you great joy. You want to know people on an up-close and personal basis. You probably refuse to think of anyone in terms of stereotypes. You rail against these oversimplified categories or labels. You often argue they deprive all humanity of a person’s unique talents, knowledge, skills, and ideas. By nature, you can sometimes place the needs of others ahead of your own.

Questions

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

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

Responsibility Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Chances are good that you might do everything possible to fulfill obligations. Maybe you are thorough and devoted to doing what you promise. This partially explains why people describe you as reliable. To some extent, you have established a reputation for honoring your commitments. Perhaps this causes individuals to trust you more than they trust others. It’s very likely that you may want people to regard you as trustworthy, dependable, or reliable. Perhaps this yearning motivates you to do whatever you said you would do. Because of your strengths, you prefer to work with teammates who share your concern about doing everything correctly and ethically. Driven by your talents, you try to finish the tasks you agreed to do. Perhaps you even overcome some unexpected problems. Occasionally you work longer hours when it is necessary. Maybe you do whatever you can to avoid breaking the promises you made to people. By nature, you place a premium on doing everything correctly. Whatever you are involved in or associated with must typify — that is, symbolize — accuracy and precision. Your high standards demand exactness.

Questions

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

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

Significance Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of others. They are independent and want to be recognized.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Driven by your talents, you can prod people to accomplish more than they thought possible. You purposely make an effort to know each one as an individual. You probably discover and appreciate the qualities that make every human being unique. Instinctively, you join various teams to enhance your chances of attaining fame, fortune, power, prestige, promotions, or success. You probably do things to build up your resume. By nature, you might choose to surround yourself with productive people. Why? Maybe they are not afraid of hard work or long hours. It’s very likely that you often inspire people to accomplish things they never thought they were capable of doing. They probably credit you with coordinating the group’s schedules and/or providing individuals with the resources they need to excel. You are likely to have the clout — that is, the pull or influence — to set up meaningful experiences for them. Chances are good that you characteristically generate enthusiasm. You contend anything is possible. Your optimistic outlook helps people believe in their potential. You encourage individuals to forge ahead quickly. You challenge others to view major and minor assignments as opportunities to excel.

Questions

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

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

Individualization Shared Theme Description

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

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Chances are good that you might search for the factors that produced a certain outcome or started a particular chain of events. Sometimes you are frustrated until you figure out why things happened the way they did. It’s very likely that you usually stop what you are doing and thinking to hear what someone wants to tell you. Your patience and your willingness to be attentive help individuals deal with their problems, vent their frustrations, and test their ideas. Because of your strengths, you periodically investigate the “hows” and “whys” of a given situation. You might find relationships between the final result and the events preceding it. Perhaps these links enable you to understand how things came into being. You may draw logical conclusions that can broaden your knowledge base. Instinctively, you sense people appreciate the advice you give them. You believe that you help individuals deal with problems and take advantage of opportunities. Driven by your talents, you help individuals acquire knowledge and gain skills. You are a fine instructor, tutor, and/or trainer.

Questions

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

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

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?

Section II: Application

Deliberative Ideas for Action:

You have naturally good judgment, so consider work in which you can provide advice and counsel. You might be especially adept at legal work, crafting sound business deals, or ensuring compliance to regulations. Whatever your role, take responsibility for helping others think through their decisions. You can see factors that others may not see. You will soon be sought as a valuable sounding board. Explain your process of careful decision making — that you highlight risk in order to take control and reduce it. You don’t want others to misconstrue your Deliberative talents for tentativeness or fear of action. You inspire trust because you are cautious and considerate about sensitive topics. Use these talents by taking on opportunities to handle delicate issues and conflicts. Rather than take foolhardy risks, you are apt to approach a decision cautiously. Trust your instincts when you believe that something is too good to be true. During times of change, consider the advantages of being conservative in your decision making. Be ready to explain these advantages to others. Don’t let anyone push you into revealing too much about yourself too soon. Check people out carefully before sharing confidential information. You naturally build friendships slowly, so take pride in your small circle of good friends. Partner with someone with strong Command, Self-Assurance, or Activator talents. Together you will make many decisions, and these decisions will be sound. Temper the tendency of others to haphazardly move into action by declaring a “consideration” period before decisions are made. Your caution can serve to steer others away from folly and toward wise conclusions. Give yourself permission to withhold your opinion until you get all the facts and have an opportunity to ponder your stance. You are not someone who embraces change immediately; you are apt to reflect on possible outcomes so that all the angles are covered. As a deliberative person, you function as a “brake” for more impulsive types who wish to move quickly.

Questions

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

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

Belief Ideas for Action:

Clarify your values by thinking about one of your best days ever. How did your values play into the satisfaction that you received on that day? How can you organize your life to repeat that day as often as possible? Actively seek roles that fit your values. In particular, think about joining organizations that define their purpose by the contribution they make to society. The meaning and purpose of your work will often provide direction for others. Remind people why their work is important and how it makes a difference in their lives and in the lives of others. Your Belief talents allow you to talk to the hearts of people. Develop a “purpose statement” and communicate it to your family, friends, and coworkers. Your powerful emotional appeal can give them a motivating sense of contribution. Create a gallery of letters and/or pictures of the people whose lives you have substantially influenced. When you are feeling down or overwhelmed, remind yourself of your value by looking at this gallery. It will energize you and revive your commitment to helping others. Set aside time to ensure that you are balancing your work demands and your personal life. Your devotion to your career should not come at the expense of your strong commitment to your family. Don’t be afraid to give voice to your values. This will help others know who you are and how to relate to you. Actively cultivate friends who share your basic values. Consider your best friend. Does this person share your value system? Partner with someone who has strong Futuristic talents. This person can energize you by painting a vivid picture of the direction in which your values will lead. Accept that the values of other people might differ from your own. Express your beliefs without being judgmental.

Questions

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

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

Responsibility Ideas for Action:

Emphasize your sense of responsibility when job hunting. During interviews, describe your desire to be held fully accountable for the success or failure of projects, your intense dislike of unfinished work, and your need to “make it right” if a commitment is not met. Keep volunteering for more responsibility than your experience seems to warrant. You thrive on responsibility, and you can deal with it very effectively. Align yourself with others who share your sense of responsibility. You will flourish when working with people who share your determination to get things done. Tell your manager that you work best when given the freedom to follow through on your commitments — that you don’t need to check in during a project, just at the end. You can be trusted to get it done. Push yourself to say no. Because you are instinctively responsible, it might sometimes be difficult to refuse opportunities. For this reason, you must be selective. Ask for more responsibility in only the areas that matter most to you. You naturally take ownership of every project you are involved in. Make sure that your capacity to own does not keep you from sharing responsibility. Allow others the opportunity to experience the challenges of ownership. In doing so, you will contribute to their growth and development. Learn to manage your Responsibility talents by considering whether you really are the person who should be handling a particular issue. Defer to your existing responsibilities and goals before undertaking additional burdens, as you may end up skimping on quality if you have too many tasks or competing demands. Partner with someone especially talented in Discipline or Focus. This person can help you stay on track and prevent you from becoming overloaded. Working with a like-minded, responsible colleague is satisfying for you. Be sure to clarify expectations and boundaries so that each person can feel ownership for his or her particular tasks — without stepping on each other’s toes. Responsible individuals like to know they have “delivered” on their commitments, so create metrics and goals to gauge how effectively you meet your obligations. Also, make sure you have explicit and concrete expectations so that there is no question regarding quality outcomes and so that you can hit the mark as promised.

Questions

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

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

Significance Ideas for Action:

Choose jobs or positions in which you can determine your own tasks and actions. You will enjoy the exposure that comes with independence. Your reputation is important to you, so decide what it should be and tend to it in the smallest detail. For example, identify and earn a designation that will add to your credibility, write an article that will give you visibility, or volunteer to speak in front of a group who will admire your achievements. Share your dreams and goals with your family or closest friends and colleagues. Their expectations will keep you reaching. Stay focused on performance. Your Significance talents will drive you to claim outstanding goals. Your performance had better match those goals, or others might label you as a big talker. You will perform best when your performance is visible. Look for opportunities that put you on center stage. Stay away from roles that hide you behind the scenes. Leading crucial teams or significant projects brings out your best. Your greatest motivation may come when the stakes are at their highest. Let others know that when the game is on the line, you want the ball. Make a list of the goals, achievements, and qualifications you crave, and post them where you will see them every day. Use this list to inspire yourself. Identify your best moment of recognition or praise. What was it for? Who gave it to you? Who was the audience? What do you have to do to recreate that moment? Unless you also possess dominant Self-Assurance talents, accept that you might fear failure. Don’t let this fear prevent you from staking claims to excellence. Instead, use it to focus on ensuring that your performance matches your claims. You might have a natural awareness of what other people think of you. You may have a specific audience that you want to like you, and you will do whatever it takes to win their approval and applause. Be aware that while reliance on the approval of others could be problematic, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be liked or admired by the key people in your life.

Questions

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

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

Individualization Ideas for Action:

Select a vocation in which your Individualization talents can be both used and appreciated, 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, answer questions such as: What is the best praise you ever received? How often do you like to check in with your manager? What is your best method for building relationships? How do you learn best? Then ask your colleagues and friends these same questions. Help them plan their future by starting with their strengths, then designing a future based on what they do best. Help others understand that true diversity can be found in the subtle differences between each individual — regardless of race, sex, or nationality. Explain that it is appropriate, just, and effective to treat each person differently. Those without strong Individualization talents might not see the differences among individuals and might insist that individualization is unequal and therefore unfair. You will need to describe your perspective in detail to be persuasive. Figure out what every person on your team does best. Then help them capitalize on their talents, skills, and knowledge. You may need to explain your rationale and your philosophy 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 to personalize. This puts you in a unique position. Use your Individualization talents to help identify areas where one size does not fit all. Make your colleagues and friends aware of each person’s unique needs. Soon people will look to you to explain other people’s motivations and actions. Your presentations and speaking opportunities will be most engaging when you relate your topic to the experiences of individuals in the audience. Use your Individualization talents to gather and share real-life stories that will make your points much better than would generic information or theories. You move comfortably among a broad range of styles and cultures, and you intuitively personalize your interactions. Consciously and proactively make full use of these talents by leading diversity and community efforts. Your Individualization talents can help you take a different approach to interpreting data. While others are looking for similarities, make a point of identifying distinctiveness. Your interpretations will add a valuable perspective.

Questions

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

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

Section III: Achievement

Look for signs of achievement as you read these real quotes from people who share your top five themes. Deliberative sounds like this:

Dick H., film producer: “My whole thing is to reduce the number of variables out there — the fewer the variables, the lower the risk. When I am negotiating with directors, I always start by giving in on some of the smaller points right away. Then once I have taken the smaller issues out of play, I feel better. I can focus. I can control the conversation.”

Debbie M., project manager: “I am the practical one. When my colleagues are spouting all of these wonderful ideas, I am asking questions like, ‘How is this going to work? How is this going to be accepted by this group or that group of people?’ I won’t say that I play devil’s advocate, because that is too negative, but I do weigh the implications and assess risk. And I think we all make better decisions because of my questions.”

Jamie B., service worker: “I am not a very organized person, but the one thing I do without fail is double-check. I don’t do it because I am hyper-responsible or anything. I do it to feel secure. With relationships, with performance, with anything, I am out there on a limb, and I need to know that the particular branch I am standing on is solid.”

Brian B., school administrator: “I am putting together a safe-schools plan. I am going to conferences, and we have eight committees working. We have a district-wide review board, but I am still not comfortable with the basic model. My boss asks, ‘When can I see the plan?’ And I say, ‘Not yet. I am not comfortable.’ With a big smile on her face, she says, ‘Gee, Brian, I don’t want it to be perfect, I just want a plan.’ But she lets me be because she knows that the care I take now pays big dividends. Because of this pre-work, once the decision is made, it stays made. It doesn’t unravel.”

Belief sounds like this:

Michael K., salesperson: “The vast majority of my nonworking time goes to my family and to the things we do in the community. I was on the countywide Boy Scouts board of directors. And when I was a Boy Scout, I was pack leader. When I was an Explorer, I was junior assistant leader for the Boy Scouts. I just like being with kids. I believe that’s where the future is. And I think you can do a whole lot worse with your time than investing it in the future.”

Lara M., college president: “My values are why I work so hard every day at my job. I put hours and hours into this job, and I don’t even care what I get paid. I just found out that I am the lowest paid college president in my state, and I don’t even care. I mean, I don’t do this for the money.”

Tracy D., airline executive: “If you are not doing something important, why bother? Getting up every day and working on ways to make flying safer seems important to me, purposeful. If I didn’t find this purpose in my job, I don’t know if I could work through all the challenges and frustrations that get in my way. I think I would get demoralized.”

Responsibility sounds like this:

Nigel T., sales executive: “I used to think that there was a piece of metal in my hand and a magnet on the ceiling. I would just volunteer for everything. I have had to learn how to manage that because not only would I end up with too much on my plate, but I would also wind up thinking that everything was my fault. I realize now that I can’t be responsible for everything in the world — that’s God’s job.”

Kelly G., operations manager: “The country manager in Sweden called me in November and said, ‘Kelly, could you please not ship my inventory until January 1.’ I said, ‘Sure. Sounds like a good plan.’ I told my people about the plan and thought I had all the bases covered. On December 31, however, when I was checking my messages while on a ski slope, making sure everything was hunky-dory, I saw that his order had already been shipped and invoiced. I had to call immediately and tell him what happened. He’s a nice man, so he didn’t use any four-letter words, but he was very angry and very disappointed. I felt terrible. An apology wasn’t enough. I needed to fix it. I called our controller from the chalet, and that afternoon we figured out a way to put the value of his inventory back on our books and clean it off his. It took most of the weekend, but it was the right thing to do.”

Harry B., outplacement consultant: “I was just a young bank manager in one of the branches when the president of the company decided that he wanted to foreclose on a property. I said, ‘That’s fine, but we have a responsibility to give the people full value for their property.’ He didn’t see it that way. He wanted to sell the property to a friend of his for what was owed, and he said my problem was that I couldn’t separate my business ethics from my personal ethics. I told him that was correct. I couldn’t because I didn’t believe — and still don’t believe — that you can have two standards. So I quit the firm and went back to earning five dollars an hour working for the forestry service picking up trash. Since my wife and I were trying to support our two kids and make ends meet, it was a hard decision for me to make. But looking back, on one level, it really wasn’t hard at all. I simply couldn’t function in an organization with those kinds of ethics.”

Significance sounds like this:

Mary P., healthcare executive: “Women are told almost from day one, ‘Don’t be too proud. Don’t stand tall.’ That kind of thing. But I’ve learned that it’s okay to have power, it’s okay to have pride, and it’s okay to have a big ego — and also that I need to manage it and drive it in the right directions.”

Kathie J., partner in a law firm: “Ever since I can remember, I have had the feeling that I was special, that I could take charge and make things happen. Back in the ‘60s, I was the first woman partner in my firm, and I can still recall walking into boardroom after boardroom and being the only woman. It’s strange, thinking back. It was tough, but I actually think I enjoyed the pressure of standing out. I enjoyed being the ‘woman’ partner. Why? Because I knew that I would be very hard to forget. I knew everyone would notice me and pay attention to me.”

John L., physician: “All through my life, I felt that I was onstage. I am always aware of an audience. If I am sitting with a patient, I want the patient to see me as the best doctor he or she has ever had. If I am teaching medical students, I want to stand out as the best medical educator they have ever had. I want to win the Educator of the Year award. My boss is a big audience for me. Disappointing her would kill me. It’s scary to think that part of my self-esteem is in other people’s hands, but then again, it keeps me on my toes.”

Individualization sounds like this:

Les T., hospitality manager: “Carl is one of our best performers, but he still has to see me every week. He just wants a little encouragement and to check in, and he gets fired up a little bit after that meeting. Greg doesn’t like to meet very often, so there’s no need for me to bother 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 — you know how cartoon characters have those balloons over their head? I would see these little balloons 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 to describe, 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 to piece together the kind of people they are and what their style is.”

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?

Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide SURVEY COMPLETION DATE: 10-30-2012

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