StrengthFinder 2.0

  • “Over the past decade, Gallup has surveyed more than 10 million people worldwide on the topic of employee engagement (or how positive and productive people are at work), and only one-third “strongly agree” with the statement: “At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.” And for those who do not get to focus on what they do best—their strengths—the costs are staggering. In a recent poll of more than 1,000 people, among those who “strongly disagreed” or “disagreed” with this “what I do best” statement, not one single person was emotionally engaged on the job. In stark contrast, our studies indicate that people who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 118-26
  • “What’s even more disheartening is the way our fixation on deficits affects young people in the home and classroom. In every culture we have studied, the overwhelming majority of parents (77% in the United States) think that a student’s lowest grades deserve the most time and attention. Parents and teachers reward excellence with apathy instead of investing more time in the areas where a child has the most potential for greatness.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 193-96
  • “Yet it’s clear from Gallup’s research that each person has greater potential for success in specific areas, and the key to human development is building on who you already are.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 201-2
  • “When we’re able to put most of our energy into developing our natural talents, extraordinary room for growth exists. So, a revision to the “You-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be” maxim might be more accurate: You cannot be anything you want to be—but you can be a lot more of who you already are.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 213-17
  • “Across the board, having the opportunity to develop our strengths is more important to our success than our role, our title, or even our pay. In this increasingly talent-driven society, we need to know and develop our strengths to figure out where we fit in.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath) Kindle Location 220-22
  • “And Gallup’s research has shown how a strengths-based approach improves your confidence, direction, hope, and kindness toward others.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 232-33
  • “Most people think they know what they are good at. They are usually wrong…. And yet, a person can perform only from strength.” —Business guru Peter Drucker (1909-2005)
  • “In the mid 1960s, my late mentor and the Father of Strengths Psychology, Don Clifton, realized that we already had countless “languages” for describing what’s wrong with people. In addition to the informal labels used by the people around us, the field of psychology has the DSM-IV, a manual of disorders described by one leading psychologist as “a bloated catalog of what’s wrong with people.”” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 238-41
  • “Although people certainly do change over time and our personalities adapt, scientists have discovered that core personality traits are relatively stable throughout adulthood, as are our passions and interests.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 261-63
  • “Instead, we’ve discovered that the most successful people start with dominant talent—and then add skills, knowledge, and practice to the mix. When they do this, the raw talent actually serves as a multiplier.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 274-76
  • “In many cases, simply being aware of your areas of lesser talent can help you avoid major roadblocks.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 295
  • “Our natural talents and passions—the things we truly love to do—last for a lifetime. But all too often, our talents go untapped. Mark Twain once described a man who died and met Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. Knowing that Saint Peter was very wise, the man asked a question that he had wondered about throughout his life. He said, “Saint Peter, I have been interested in military history for many years. Who was the greatest general of all time?” Saint Peter quickly responded, “Oh that’s a simple question. It’s that man right over there.” “You must be mistaken,” responded the man, now very perplexed. “I knew that man on earth, and he was just a common laborer.” “That’s right my friend,” assured Saint Peter. “He would have been the greatest general of all time, if he had been a general.” This story illustrates a truth that is, unfortunately, all too common. Far too many people spend a lifetime headed in the wrong direction. They go not only from the cradle to the cubicle, but then to the casket, without uncovering their greatest talents and potential.” StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 345-55