Our church leadership team is re-examining the outcome of a “strengths-finder” test we took a while back. It comes from a book called, Living Your Strengths. The gist of it is that you take a test online to discover what your top strengths are. Once these are confirmed (and buddy let me tell you…these “top 5″ will read your mail) you can step further into your giftings.
It’s been a monumental resource for our team. We’ve taken several hundred people through a class that includes this material and it’s constantly accurate and beneficial to people. Imagine what you can do when you know how you’ve been wired. Imagine how you can grow when you realize your weaker areas.
Here are my top 5 strengths with a little snippet from the book:
EMPATHY // You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own…You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings – to themselves as well as to others.
COMMUNICATION // Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. And so you turn events into stories and practice telling them. You take the dry idea and enliven it with images and examples and metaphors. You believe that most people have a very short attention span.
STRATEGIC // This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?”
IDEATION // You revel in taking the world we all know and turning it around so we can view it from a strange, but strangely enlightening angle.
CONNECTEDNESS // Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures.
Today, our team will be figuring out how our strengths can work together a make sure we aren’t using our weaknesses as a crutch.
If you’re interested in finding out what your strengths are with something quite a bit more in-depth and accurate than a facebook quiz…you should check out the book. My favorite part is that you don’t need to read the whole thing…just what pertains to your strengths or strengths you’re interested in.
Hi Ryan! This book looks awesome! Who is/are the authors? I will definately be on the search for it!
Thanks for sharing, Ina from the Westcoast
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what are you trying to say about facebook quizzes? lol!
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Looks right on about you. Will have to look into this, thanks. I tend to avoid facebook quizzes, especially since I found out I’m a Sideshow Bob which is pretty accurate lately at work, my thespian self making all the buffoons look better. And since I’m paid to do that, I’ll get back at it.
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Ideation + Connectedness = this week in a nutshell for me! It has been fun! We spent Sunday “LoveBombing” a bunch of skaters and taggers. We make a meal for them, share it with them and hear their stories. It’s fun to watch the preconceived ideas break down in the eyes of both the people who are serving and in the skaters. It’s wild to watch these two groups come together and see each other in a whole new light…lots of light bulbs coming on! http://lovefeasttable.com/blog/love-bomb-musings/
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Interesting!
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I think our church needs to do this. Thanks for the links to the book at Amazon. I think I will suggest it to our elders. I know one of my strengths will also be empathy. My shrink told me that years ago and I’m not always sure its a strength.
Do you read Fat Cyclist? check him out. His wife is losing her battle with cancer. They could use prayers.
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We used “StrengthFinder” for work about two years ago, and I couldn’t believe how spot-on it was with everyone that did it. Very useful tool!
Empathy and connectedness are two of my strengths too.
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