Strengths finder

Have you ever heard of the Gallup’s Strengths Finder test? No? Me neither… until this morning.

I was browsing the internet looking for something, going from site to site and I got across it. I was intrigued, so started to look into it. The real Gallup’s Test is paid for, but I found a good free alternative to take online. High5 test helps you understand your strengths, and although there are 100 questions to answer, all you have to do is use the slider to say if you strongly agree or strongly disagree with the statement describing a certain behavior.

It took me around 10 minutes to complete the test. The results? Well..they didn’t surprise me at all! It was 100% me. To show you how cool it is to discover your “powers”, I will share my results:

Curious to explore them one by one in a bit more depth? Ok…

1. 1. Time keeper-
      “Your objective is to set timelines and deadlines. Because of your dislike of surprises, you love to plan. You don’t necessarily need to control everything and everyone, but there must be order and predictability in the world around you. You unconsciously impose the structure onto everything by setting up routines, timelines, and deadlines. If you set up plans, you make sure you follow them through thoroughly. Your need for structure becomes very useful in a team or a project since you can bring order and discipline to maintain progress and productivity “

       

      My mild OCD made me a little control-freak (nothing serious, I just LOVE to make lists and plan stuff out. 🤪) Thanks to my great timekeeping abilities I always submit assignments well ahead of time and I never arrive late. I like to plan out so I’m prepared for everything.

    

   1. Deliverer-
      “Your objective is to take responsibility. If there is a person who is emotionally bound to follow through on all promises – then it’s you. Your strong ethical principles do not let you to simply write missteps off on excuses and rationalizations. It holds true no matter how small or large is the issue you are dealing with. Your name and reputation depend on you being responsible for your commitments. That’s why people love to have you in their team. When assigning new responsibilities, they look at you first. They are 100% sure that what’ll get on your desk – will get done no matter what.”

    

   1. Commander-
      “Your objective is to take charge and direct people. In any situation, you enjoy bringing yourself forward to lead the team. Moreover, you don’t come empty handed – by that time your opinion and views are formed and you can’t wait to align others with you. Contrary to others, in this process, you are not afraid of confrontation when presenting your views. At the contrary, you feel that the confrontation and the open discussion is the first step towards an agreement. People who have a clear vision and can take a stand for it always draw followers, so will you. If you also master listening to others, this strength will help you to be a good leader without fear of confrontation.”

       

      Ok, so leading skills must’ve developed recently because most of my youth I would think of myself as one of the group- never a leader. But that just shows how much we can change over time and nothing is set for good.

    

   1. Strategist-
      “Your objective is to see the big picture. Have you heard about ‘taking the helicopter view’? In your case, you are constantly on this helicopter! That’s not even a skill, it’s a special way of seeing things – a special perspective on the world at large, where everything is interconnected. While others could be confused by your short-terms steps, in your mind you have a clear multi-step strategy on how to arrive at the desired outcome and to avoid paths leading nowhere. Such a strategist is an essential asset for any team determined to find a clear direction in a complex situation.”
      
      
      I was in awe when I read this description. In the last semester, we had “Introduction to Databases” unit, and in the beginning, I had a problem understanding it fully, as we were taught little bits at a time without seeing the whole thing together. I WAS MISSING A BIGGER PICTURE!

    

   1. Catalyst-
      “Your objective is to act and to initiate action. You cannot wait until the discussions are over, wondering when we can actually start doing something. Undoubtedly, sometimes the progress could be achieved in a meeting room, but deep down in your heart you know it’s the action that leads to tangible results. If some can be resistant to act because they don’t have full information, for you – acting is the best teacher and the best source of information. How can you know something that does not work if we haven’t tried it? You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. As a result, you are impatient for action and, if not managed, it can lead to confusion of your team members. However, this talent of transforming intangible ideas into tangible actions is invaluable in every team. It’s all because you believe that you will be evaluated by what you get done, not what you say or what you think.”

       

      Yup, I learn stuff by doing them. I love to be in the move, always doing something, always creating. My friend always says that I’m “a busy 🐝”. The more I do, the more time I have for everything.

    

   Here it is. You’ve learned a whole lot about me today. I hope I interested you in the strengths test, let me know if decided to do it and what you think about your results!

   >>Take the High5 test here!<<

   *The featured photo: Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash
   The post also used Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash