November 8, 2010

Kim Made Me Take A "Strengths Test"

This test costs money.  There were 177 questions.  Kinda stressed me.  Anyhow, the idea is that if you find your strengths, you invest in those.  You don't try and beat yourself over what you are lacking in.  Something like that.  It was interesting.  After all the questioning, here are my strengths in order:
  1. Ideation
  2. Learner
  3. Achiever
  4. Adaptability
  5. Strategic
On the ideation part, Gallop said that I should partner with somebody strongly analytic who can keep up and challenge what I am thinking.  It said that I am likely to throw out stuff and expect people to connect the dots... but that more than likely - they don't.  Well, Mark can.  Weird.  Kinda like Gallop knew that.  I actually, admittedly, confuse people sometimes, I think.  Take this, "..."!!!

Kim said that my problem is that I "ideate" and expect myself to do it all because as an achiever I don't think anybody else can do what I'm thinking about and I expect myself to do everything.  Kim went on to say, "No wonder you hate your job."  Well.  I don't hate my job.  But maybe I do and Kim knows me better than I do.  I don't doubt that.

Kim's strength is "input" - seriously.  The description boils down to what I think is "pack rat"... but supposedly it is a *strength*.  She has made a point that her second strength is "connectedness".  She just placed a printout on the table as I write this.  Kim, for the record, everybody knows I suck and you are the greatest.

Kaley's strength, as it turns out, is not fractions and decimals.

JR's strength is howling at the firetruck in the distance.  He's doing that right now as I type.

What I really wanted to say was that the *idea* of catching the bass is just as strong, or stronger, than the actual catch.  Like Kim said, "Oh, you are in your head all the time --- that explains a lot."

All Kim needed was some good "input" for that.  Well, I hope it was stimulating ;-)

5 comments:

Robert said...

Can you take the test online somewhere?

Keith said...

Yes, the test is online, but you have to get this little book that goes along with it. Inside the book there is an activation code for the test. I don't think the book is too expensive. I can't remember the name of the book offhand, I think it is called "Strength Finder".

Keith said...

The results were pretty long. One thing it said was that I probably "bristle" when somebody says "that's the way we've always done it and we can't change it" --- this is what makes it hard for me to work in a big organization. Probably why I hate meetings where there is a droning "status" report.

Anonymous said...

In regards to your statement that, "Kim, for the record, everybody knows I suck and you are the greatest;" although, I think Kim is the greatest daughter-in-law in the universe... you, my son... are God's masterpice! Sure, you have your faults like everyone else, but you are unique, brilliant, and you had the great sense to choose Kim!... no, really... I know no man that I admire more than my son!!! Mom

Keith said...

Thanks, mom :-D