My natural talents

Okay, to date, I didn't get a single response for the previous entry. While it's not totally unexpected, I am still disappointed.

Oh well.

This is a long entry, it will give you insights into the kind of person I am. As I am posting the results of Strengths Finder: my top five talents, of which the personalised strengths insights are rather revealing.

As an aside, you will need to purchase the Strengths Finder book for a code to go through the online assessment, which will give you your top five talents. The book costs around RM80 at the time of writing this entry.

Alrighty, here are my self-perceived talents/strengths:

- attention to details

- analytical

- discipline

- responsible

- perseverance

I am mightily curious on what the others perceived me as, do you see my talents somewhat similar to how I perceived myself? Or do you see me as what the Strengths Finder assessment says?

Anyway, here we go... (it's a direct copy and paste so I apologise for the missing 'u' and spelling with 'z' instead of 's')

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Responsibility

Shared Theme Description:

People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights:

It’s very likely that you draw on your reserve of personal accountability when pressed to complete tasks. Fulfilling your commitments spurs you to do whatever it takes to complete projects. You realize others depend on you. This explains why you seldom rest until your work is done. By nature, you are quite comfortable being honest about yourself with others. You harbor very few illusions about who you really are. Furthermore, you can openly acknowledge your mistakes and shortcomings. This is apt to distinguish you from most people. Driven by your talents, you willingly assume moral, legal, and mental accountability for people, processes, or assignments. Your outward behavior demonstrates your reliability. Others view you as a person who can be trusted to follow through on commitments. Because of your strengths, you are impelled to deliver on all of your commitments. You are determined to meet all of your obligations. Doing so is your badge of honor. It is one reason why people describe you as trustworthy and dependable. Instinctively, you may be disappointed with yourself if you fail to make someone feel welcome. Perhaps you want to give your approval to all kinds of individuals regardless of their age, nationality, income, job, education, religion, handicaps, or appearance.

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Empathy

Shared Theme Description:

People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights:

Instinctively, you sometimes have quick and ready insights into what individuals are sensing. Perhaps your instincts allow you to ask questions in the right way. In your dealings with people, you might know the best time to speak, listen, advise, or praise. Driven by your talents, you might be prone to taking a common-sense approach in certain situations. Possibly you “name” the emotions you believe people are exhibiting. This practice might help you understand what to say or do in situations that demand diplomacy or understanding. It’s very likely that you feel honored when someone entrusts his/her innermost thoughts and feelings to you. Nonetheless, the person needs to initiate the conversation. Otherwise, it is unlikely to happen. You are reluctant to bring up sensitive topics and delicate questions. You tend to worry about leaving the impression that you are prying or being nosy — that is, unduly interested in the private affairs of the person. Because of your strengths, you cause others to pay attention to their innermost thoughts and feelings. People are confident of your ability to exercise good judgement and common sense. Many people trust you to keep to yourself whatever they choose to share. Your capacity to imagine their situations and be sensitive to their needs allows individuals to unburden themselves. You listen. You customarily acknowledge their unique circumstances. By nature, you may help people understand that life is funny. Perhaps you hope people see the humor in messes, mix-ups, or problems and help them do so. Laughter might be one way you reduce your own and others’ stress. Sometimes it is also an antidote — that is, a remedy — for people who become upset when things go wrong.

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Developer

Shared Theme Description:

People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights:

By nature, you may enjoy acknowledging people’s good traits or applauding their fine accomplishments. Perhaps you make new friends when you notice things they do well. Maybe you maintain current relationships when you express an interest in whatever intrigues each person. To some extent, you are motivated to say and do things that might cause others to befriend you. It’s very likely that you occasionally tell people what you know, what you have experienced, or what you can do. You might benefit when they provide you with information about their talents, knowledge, and skills. Because of your strengths, you now and then make a point of acknowledging and applauding the unique contributions of your teammates. You occasionally call attention to some of their talents, knowledge, or skills. Driven by your talents, you occasionally include newcomers or outsiders in your activities. Maybe you boost their confidence by appreciating their talents or unique perspectives. Perhaps you delight in the fact that they are different from everyone else you know. Instinctively, you like to lift the spirits of the people around you. You know what to do and say so individuals feel useful, valued, appreciated, and important.

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Consistency

Shared Theme Description:

People who are especially talented in the Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat everyone in the world with consistency by setting up clear rules and adhering to them.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights:

Instinctively, you may stay abreast of newsworthy events. Perhaps you have a process in place to monitor issues of personal or professional interest. Periodically you might collect updates from print or broadcast media or through one-on-one conversations with informed individuals. By balancing what you hear, read, or see, you might be able to sort fact from fiction. It’s very likely that you occasionally emphasize facts or point others in the direction of truth. You may wake up those who are deluded — that is, easily misled, deceived, or tricked. Perhaps your honest, direct, and plainspoken approach cuts through individuals’ delusions so they can begin seeing specific things clearly. Maybe your matter-of-fact style helps a few people identify common ground. Now and then, consensus — that is, complete agreement — might occur. Because of your strengths, you might be the team member who streamlines processes, rules, or procedures. Periodically you outline steps so all group members perform the same task the same way every time they do it. By nature, you periodically institute procedures and establish rules that help certain groups of people manage the daily, weekly, monthly, or annual chores that are part of any project. Perhaps you outline a detailed plan. You may work to make sure specific individuals understand it. Possibly these are two ways you maintain healthy relationships with friends who also are your coworkers, teammates, supervisors, peers, direct reports, or study partners. Driven by your talents, you might deal with people in the same way, regardless of their differences. When everyone is supposed to follow certain rules or procedures, perhaps you emphasize these requirements in what you say and do.

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Harmony

Shared Theme Description:

People who are especially talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights:

Driven by your talents, you may have a reputation with some people for being good-natured and congenial. To a certain degree, you are comfortable welcoming diverse types of individuals into your life. Perhaps you invite some of them to join certain groups or participate in specific activities with you. Because of your strengths, you might gravitate to situations where you can team with people on certain types of projects. Because you are a practical and objective person, you occasionally present ideas that have produced good results in the past. Perhaps you appreciate teammates who give the same consideration to your suggestions as they give to everyone else’s. Chances are good that you may realize that conflicts or disagreements can arise when you give one person opportunities, resources, or attention that no one else receives. Perhaps you have a knack for keeping everyone’s emotions in balance by avoiding saying words or doing deeds that might indicate you favor one or two individuals over the rest. Instinctively, you may be practical or realistic as you process ideas. Perhaps you think sequentially. You might appreciate projects that have simple steps or defined starting and stopping points. Sometimes you test your ideas with specialists who might be able to confirm their accuracy or usefulness. It’s very likely that you occasionally collect bits and pieces of information. At the time, the value of this material may not be apparent. In specific cases, you have found it useful to turn to some specialists for help. Perhaps these individuals can provide you with enough direction so you can ask some questions, render a few decisions, or try to map courses of action without upsetting anyone in the process. You avoid angering certain people by consulting with them before doing anything.

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So...

- Responsibility

- Empathy

- Developer

- Consistency

- Harmony

At least I got one right, my self-perception is 20% accurate... -_-

Besides Responsibility, what the heck do the rest of the talents got to do with being an engineer??!?!! >_<

After I got over the denial period and accepted the fact that I should go be a monk, I went through the detail assessment many times, coming to terms and vowing to take the assessment again in a year's time. I want to see if the talents change, especially the last three.

Responsibility and Empathy resonate strongly, on hindsight I should have listed empathy in my self-perceived talent list. I know precisely when I shut myself up and actively stopped my empathy side from reaching out. But if I am ever to share that, it will most likely be in a story form. Suffice it to say that I got burned and to a certain degree lost faith in humanity, I cocooned myself in after that. Guess I did a pretty good job there actively denying my talent until I no longer associate myself with empathy.

Oh well, anyway...

Being someone who is honest, loyal, self-critical, trustworthy, dependable, and keeps his promise; someone to talk to and keeps your secret; someone who listens; who recognises and acknowledges your contributions, who lifts the spirits or people around him; someone who is direct and plainspoken, who treats people the same, who is law-abiding, good-natured, congenial, practical and realistic...

...I am a pretty decent person to be around with, but nothing directly useful at being an engineer!

I... I... I am in a wrong job. I am not utilising my talents. =(