Are there Naznetters whose churches or organizations are using Strength Finders, from the Gallup organization to identify talents and strengths of workers?
Are there Naznetters whose churches or organizations are using Strength Finders, from the Gallup organization to identify talents and strengths of workers?
We used them in World Mission (Mexico Field) for some team building and training.
Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 LaughingDennis M. Scott - "thanks" for this post
I've used them in a number of settings. I've found them quite helpful, especially when coupled with the book specifically designed for using the StrengthsFinder in local congregations.
...just my $.02.Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Laughing
Apparently my signature strengths are: Maximizer, Includer, Ideation, Arranger, and Connectedness.
To the countless people I've offended over the years, does this help understand me at all?
My strengths are: strategy, achiever, learner, analytical and intellection.
I don't like that they make up words like intellection.
Lori's are discipline, consistency, responsibility, adaptability, self-assurance.
I think a lot of individuals at our church were helped by this introspection who had never had a personality assessment. I'm not sure the organization has been helped, though. Like gifts training, people start to use their lack of a strength as an excuse. Since we are all wired in certain ways, then what do we do if we are missing some key strength? We only have one "woo" in our church and no "futuristics". So we really don't know what to do next.
Doug
I've used them in several settings.
According to the instrument, my strengths are: Learner, Belief, Maximizer, Relator, Intellection
"Fully embracing the Gospel, fully engaging the world"
They list my signature themes in this order: Responsibility, Harmony, Adaptability, Input, Belief.Originally Posted by Mike Schutz
I've wondered what, if anything, this has to do with my tendency to lurk rather than post on Naznet.
Any thoughts?
Bob Manley
Before anybody else says it, I'd say it's the Responsibility thing. Every Naznetter's spouse can tell you you how clearly responsible people don't spend much time posting here.They list my signature themes in this order: Responsibility, Harmony, Adaptability, Input, Belief.
I've wondered what, if anything, this has to do with my tendency to lurk rather than post on Naznet.
Any thoughts?
Bob Manley
Our church is currently going through the process. We've taken it a step further and have taken the "Engaged Church" Survey offered by Gallup, and are working through the results right now. I'm part of the committee. It's been a valuable experience so far, and I think it can be a great tool.
Incidentally, my strengths are: Intellection, Input, Learner, Responsibility, Harmony
Mine are:
Strategic
Achiever
Futuristic
Learner
Maximizer
No surprises there.
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In answer to your question, Dennis, several of the Nazarene colleges and universities use the StrengthsFinder instrument with their students; still others include their faculty and staff. I used it with my staff when at ENC and also introduced it into the Freshman experience curriculum; I understand it is no longer used in that curriculum. Point Loma has committed to using it with all their students and has an office that focuses on enhancing students' understanding of their strengths for both their personal and professional development. Mid-America Nazarene had a leading Gallup-trained strengths person who worked students, faculty, and staff for many years using this instrument; I just learned her position was cut this last week. I believe the instrument is used on some of the other Nazarene campuses but am not sure.
Then, Azusa Pacific University (where I teach) is home to the Noel Academy for Strengths-Based Leadership. The idea of strengths-based leadership and learning is embedded across the curriculum, as well as faculty and staff development. I was fortunate to be named a fellow of this Academy, in addition to my faculty duties. I've served on a number of research projects and dissertation committees expanding our understanding of how a strengths-based approach enhances the development of teams, organizations, and individuals.
The growth of Gallup's higher education division has been greatly aided by the number of Christian college and university campuses that utilize this instrument on their campuses. I really believe it embraces the idea that each of us are uniquely designed by our Creator; if we can find how to develop our areas of talents into strengths, we are operating out of our optimal potential. It's pretty amazing to see people flourish in these kinds of developmental and supportive environments!
PS--Today, my home church (Pasadena 1st Nazarene or PazNaz as it is called) is having a women's ministries event focusing on strengths. Last I heard, 180 women were registered and others were wait-listed.
PPS--Forgot to mention my strengths are Input, Learner, Achiever, Woo, and Strategic
Last edited by Anita Henck; January 15th, 2011 at 07:31 PM.
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Although in its infancy, Nazarenestrengths.org might be of interest. It appears that it will become even more utilized in the future. Thanks to all comments here, on facebook, and via email.
I don't think there are any surprises in my Strength Finder profile.
Maximizer
Belief
Learner
Context
Significance
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Nor mine...
* Learner
* Intellection
* Input
* Ideation
* Context
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How about these for this pastor:
1. Intellection
2. Responsibility
3. Adaptability
4. Restorative
5. Context
You would think that there might ought to be something in a pastor's top 5 about leadership, developer, maximizer, belief, communication, or maximizer. But the 5 I listed seem to fit me pretty well.
One comment I have about this Strengthfinders is that they sure know how to make sure they sell their books by making sure that each book has a unique test code that can be used only once, thereby basically guaranteeing that everyone has to buy his or her own new book (at least if they want to take the test).
It's smart marketing, for sure, but I don't like it. If frugality would have been one of the options in the list of strengths, it probably would have been near my top 2!
:-)
Last edited by Pete Vecchi; January 30th, 2011 at 11:29 PM. Reason: correcting those seemingly ever-present typos :-(
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Context, intellection, relator, restorative, strategic
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What? There's a strength assessment I have yet to encounter? Maybe that's why I'm stuck in a leadership role where I have to rely on God to be strong where I am weak. People keep telling me what I'm doing wrong and I try to be pleasant as I agree with them and point out that it leaves more room for people like them to step in and do it right. It seems, however, that telling me the right way to do things is more fun, so I just keep muddling along the best I can, enjoy the give-and-take of interaction with my beloved critics, and watch the results with wonder. I'm finding far more fulfillment in that area of weakness than anything I've ever done out of my strengths.
Although I still do plenty of strength-based service, that stuff just rides in the background requiring little attention or effort. Working in one's area of strength is easy and pleasant and makes life seem well-oiled and smooth. Working in one's area of weakness isn't nearly so smooth, but it's a much better stimulus for one's prayer life and faith. What is there to pray about and trust God for when we can tackle the problems around us out of our strengths? It's in our areas of weakness that we can learn humility and watch God work in spite of our bungling ways.
Which doesn't address your question at all. I told someone yesterday morning that I had surely said before what I was saying to him, that the number of subjects for which I give compulsive speeches is fairly limited and he's surely heard them all by now. As some may have figured out, gift assessments is one of those subjects. I have tried to make it brief. Thank you for your time.
Marsha
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
The entire concept of StrengthFinders/Builders (whichever it's called--the book is in my office and I'm not so I can't see it at this moment) is that God has uniquely gifted each of us in some areas. The concept is that we live in a culture that all too often focuses on trying to improve in our areas of weakness instead of living and building upon our strengths.
An interesting comment from the seminar I attended that illustrates this was that for a short time, the test gave the results ranking a person's #1 strength all the way down to the final 30-some (where the people were NOT gifted, or weak). But soon they started showing only the top five, because they found that the tendency of most people when they received their test results was to immediately look at their lowest results.
The truth is, there are just some areas where I am NOT gifted, and if we view these aspects of our lives as individual gifts through which God wants to uniquely use us, then we will spend more time living out our strengths (and being productive) rather than trying to improve upon our weaknesses (and more or less spinning our wheels). It is when we live our strengths that we are then able to better work together with others who are gifted in other areas, thereby functioning as the Body of Christ.
At least that's the summation I recall from when I took the test and seminar.
OK, but the other side of this is that sometimes I can refuse to do something because it's not in my strength set. However, other times it would simply frustrate others if I did that. Or it's something I can see needs to be done at some level, even if not well. So I agree to do it, even though it's an area of weakness for me and my best efforts will fall short of the most minimum standards. The results of my efforts are humiliating to me and I am continually hoping someone will step in and do a better job. Which means I hold my position loosely and it's one that is immediately available when someone comes along who can do it well, unlike areas where people are filling their positions with excellence and finding great fulfillment in their work and wouldn't dream of letting someone else take over.
I have no problem with using my God-given gifts in areas of service. I don't know what skills go with the terms associated with the assessment under discussion, but "helping" is one of my primary talents -- working behind the scenes in support roles. As I said before, there's little effort and much reward in serving in those areas of strength. But it's when floundering (and laughing at myself) in my areas of weakness that I learn the most about faith and prayer and God's grace. It's when I am weak that God's strength is most evident.
In my opinion, the problem with accepting gotta-be-done assignments in our areas of weakness is not the weakness itself or even our poor output but the failure to realize that we're in an area of weakness and accept the humiliation and failure that comes along with such work with grace and humor while leaving room for God to use our weaknesses for his own glory.
Marsha
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
My hat off to all my friends who gently declined correcting the title of this thread. It is "Strengthsfinder", rather than strengthfinders.
Society usually does focus on weaknesses rather than strengths. Typically, education has a deficit model, rather than strengths. We most often identify a person's areas of lesser abilities, and focus on shoring up those. Strengthsfinder theory is that people are created with a mix of strengths. People can develop and excel in those areas of strength, particularly in a team scenario working with others whose strength mix may complement theirs. More will be accomplished when people are encouraged and set free to function as they were created. While areas of non-strength should not be neglected, more positive results will be achieved as individuals are able to focus major energies on those areas where their abilities are the greatest.
Pete's discription above is good.
I'm still in early stages of discovering strengthsfinder theory, but among the similarities between strengths and spiritual gifts is that generally people are created with "strengths", and "gifts" are given to the church (most commonly understood as being given to individuals for the benefit of the church), upon either conversion or following conversion. The thinking here is that individuals are created with strengths, whether they are believers or not. At Gallup, employees' nametags include the person's top five strengths as well as their names. Team members know the strengths of those with whom they work.
Hmm... I guess I'm too far away from education to see the focus on weaknesses there and somehow miss out on it in other parts of society. What I encounter is people being type-cast into certain positions where they are known to be strong and never encouraged to explore new areas of development. Sally always heads up the kitchen during VBS. She's so good at it. And, of course, Susie does the decorations and Tom is in charge of recreation. We need to keep people in their areas of strength. But how do we know but that Sally would do a wonderful job with the preschoolers if she weren't tied down to the kitchen and were given some training in that area and Susie wouldn't bring a fresh approach to the kitchen if we allowed someone new to do the decorations? (These are, of course, simplified examples representing the great complexity of ministry roles.)
I see a background pattern of innate personality features and giftedness against which the Spirit can work to nurture us in areas where we never imagined we would have anything to contribute. I think there is value in identifying those "natural" talents and characteristics, which is all one can expect out of these assessments, but I shudder to see how they are used (when used at all rather than simply filed) to pigeonhole and limit people rather than as a starting place to which we can add the hidden gifts God wants to develop within us.
I've voiced these opinions before and can't see that is has gone anywhere, so I'll get out of your thread now and simply resist pigeonholing in my "real" world and enjoy seeing what is around the next corner for people who are developing and discovering spiritual gifts that no assessment could ever have predicted.
Marsha
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
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I think you're looking at this a step ahead of its intentions. The idea of Strengthsfinder is for personal development. I agree with you that if we just pigeon-hole people in the areas where they've always served we're doing them a disservice. At the same time, when given an opportunity to explore strengths, we may find people belong in different places of ministry; we may also find they're really using their strengths well. The added issue is then, no matter where they're serving, we need to challenge them to build upon their strengths and develop the gifts they have, not just keep doing the same thing.
When it comes to leadership and personal development, society does generally focus on "bringing weak areas up to par." For me, I do need to work on my social skills at times, but that doesn't mean I'm going to focus there because no amount of work and development is going to make me the best person to head up the hospitality committee.
...just my $.02.Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Laughing
Marsha, this is exactly what the program we're discussing tries to deal with. I acknowledge the fact that there are times when we will all need to work in areas where we aren't gifted. However, as Dennis noted, the theory with this program is that more gets accomplished better when people use their areas of strength along side of others who are using their areas of strength.
Your examples of Sally, Susie, and Tom is in essence one that was discussed at the seminar. Some people end up getting "type-cast" into certain jobs/duties simply because they've "always done it" or they seem to be good at it. But it has been found that at times people are basically miserable in these jobs, but keep on doing them. Later, when they take the Strengthsfinder test, they find that their best gifts are in areas other than where they have been working all these years.
For instance, someone in the background working in the kitchen may have great dishwashing skills, but the person's "personality strength" may be one of "Woo" (Winning Others Over). This is described as a person to whom there are no strangers--just friends he or she hasn't yet met. This person (Sally, in your example) may have, for instance, grown up in a church setting, and Mom always worked in the church kitchen during VBS. As Sally graduated out of the VBS-child age, her mom asked Sally if she'd like to help in the kitchen. And ever since then, Sally has been "behind the scenes" doing VBS work where maybe she'd be much happier going out and bringing people in to VBS.
That's just an example. But the point is that through this program, people have found out not only what makes them tick, but what makes other people tick.
For instance, as I said in a previous post, there are my Top 5 personality strengths: Intellection--meaning that my mind is always going; Responsibility--meaning that I tend to take very seriously anything that I am supposed to do, even if it is seemingly trivial to other people; Adaptability--meaning that if needed, I can fairly easily change the way things are done as needed; Restorative--meaning that I want to "fix" things, such as situations, relationships, etc...; and Context--meaning that knowing the history of a situation is vital to me, because if I can know how we got to where we are, it might help me know how to best proceed. I am basically "put together" this way. I may spend more time thinking and considering ideas than, say, an "Activator" who wants to get things done yesterday. But if the "activator" is also one who is strong in "Belief", it might be a challenge at for the two of us to figure out how to work together, because his belief system is apt to trigger his activation skills, while I would want to tend to consider things, knowing (especially as a pastor) that I have a responsibility not only to the activator, but to the well-being of other people who might not be so string in belief or activation (or in intellection, responsibility, adaptability, restorative, or context).
To me it's fascinating, but then again with my intelelction being so high, that makes sense.
An important point here is also that they stress that none of these gifts are better than the others--they are simply different. In other words, my trait of "Intellection" doesn't mean that I'm smarter or a better thinker than others; it means that my mind is always going. I find this to be true--I can have all kinds of scattered thoughts all going through my head at once. My challenge is to concentrate, which is sometimes difficult for me, because my mind can tend to wander or get side-tracked (not that people can tall any of that from my posts...) ;-)
And just to be clear, I am in no way intending my posts in this thread to be argumentative--just trying to explain the theory behind the Strengthsfinder.
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OK. I've now paid the price to play along with this game. Sigh. I just can't resist analysis. Does that show in the results? (I haven't read the rest of the book yet to find out what all this means.)
Marsha
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
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Great, Marsha! You and I could work together, as long as you remember that among my highest strengths are NOT, Intellection and Consistency! And, that's one of the reasons we could make such a good team. Maybe you could get a job in a library or something. Oh, wait . . .
Mine are
Futuristic
Strategic
Self-Assurance
Individualization
Ideation
It is sometimes spooky how well some of these things can "peg" me.
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I guess I never listed mine:
Command
Competition
Input
Intellection
Strategic
...just my $.02.Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Laughing
Is there a link to this website? Everyone seems quite familiar with it, but I've never heard of it.
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strengthsfinder.com will get you there, but I think you have to buy a book to get access code for your personal survey.
Well, forget that. One of my strengths is being able to resist buying a book to take a personal survey.
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Input
Intellection
Maximizer
Activator
Significance
http://www.ceci-orlando.orgPost Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Laughing
Like Scott said, unless there's a place you folks found where a "code" is not needed, can't check it out. (wonder how much that "code" costs). Oh, yeah ... Marsha did mention there is a "cost" ... what might that cost be?
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
My board just took the test and I mapped our strengths to show them what our grouping is. I also gave them a copy of "Living your strengths" so that they can work on using those strengths.
I see it as a valuable leadership development tool.
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$12.50 for the code. I have a used book that may still have an active code, but it is the Catholic edition that I accidentaly ordered.
BTW mine are:
Activator
Communication
Ideation
Woo
Strategic
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Wow! - a Woo!
I would think that a Woo would thrive on Naznet.
Sigh. Maybe someday when I grow up I can be like that. I think I messed up the one-shot-only test anyway. I'm now reading about the various "strengths" and I don't think my results are at all accurate.Well, forget that. One of my strengths is being able to resist buying a book to take a personal survey.
Really, we should all take these tests when we are young. At 53, I am so far removed from my natural strengths it's often difficult to even remember what they are, but I certainly can't comprehend how I, a compulsive record-keeper whose primary asset as a young electrical engineer was trouble-shooting (aka, network analysis), can take an assessment that includes a possible result of "analytical" and not have it included among my top 5 strengths. (Maybe I over-analyzed the questions?)
I bought the book so I could take the test and am now finding the test results questionable. Maybe you can just borrow the book from your local library and decide for yourself which "strengths" describe you so you, too, can play this game.
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
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How fitting that a librarian would think of borrowing a book.
Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 LaughingGina Stevenson - thanks for this funny post
That's so true! I read my "funny" response to Jackie and she instantly said she could look in the system and see if they had the book at her library.
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I actually borrowed it first before giving in and buying one for the code so I could take the test and get my questionable results. The library version, of course, had a used code.
This is sort of a repeat of what I have posted previously in this thread, but having now read about the impetus behind the book, I still feel out of touch with the angst it contains. Somehow I have missed what the author sees as ubiquitous pressure in our society to focus on tackling and overcoming weaknesses rather than capitalizing on strengths. Other than falsely assuming that I have certain skills and interests just because I am a woman, people have always been eager to pigeon-hole me based on my strengths. Yet, via winding paths that went around those guards at the gates, I am now, in my 50s, spending much time in areas of weakness. I am not just a librarian happily processing books in a back room or keeping the computers humming in keeping with my detail-oriented, analytical, and introverted personality; I am the library director, overseeing a staff of two adults and two students plus various volunteer organizations and contracted work, guiding an appointed, unpaid board of trustees through decision-making processes, casting vision. And I teach/guide/direct a Sunday School class that has become the most active small group in the local church. Much of what I do I do poorly, having obviously been promoted to a level of incompetence. I keep waiting for someone with strengths where I am weak to relieve me of some of my responsibilities. Instead, I find myself surrounded by people who affirm my leadership role in spite of everything and humble me by taking up the slack when they can do so out of their strengths. It's no wonder I get such messed-up results on tests such as these. Working for over ten years in areas of weakness has changed who I am and what I value most in both myself and others.
Maybe it's the small town setting that makes people so tolerant of incompetency that they put up with it rather than insisting on either improvement in areas of weakness or bringing in someone else to do the job right. Whatever it is, the suggestion that people work in their areas of strengths rather than focusing on fixing their weaknesses seems more conventional wisdom than revolutionary thinking and, yet, at the same time, limiting. It seems to me that passion, humility, and the power of Spirit-filled living go a long way toward allowing one to thrive and find great satisfaction in the midst of challenges to which one brings limited innate resources.
Marsha
"Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questionsblog: www.marshalyn.blogspot.com
than seeking practical answers."
-- Peter Block in The Answer to How Is Yes
OK, please do tell me what a "WOO" is. Pleeeeease?
But I'm not a librarian, Scott![actually, we learn that we need a new code to do the test, which appears to be only on-line, anyway]
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
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