Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide: Vo Ngoc Duy Nghi
Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide: Vo Ngoc Duy Nghi
Section I: Awareness
Individualization
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique
qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work
together productively.
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
Learner
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to
continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
Strategic
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced
with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
Competition
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Competition theme measure their progress against the
performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
Focus
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make
the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
Questions
1. How does this information help you better understand your unique talents?
2. How can you use this understanding to add value to your role?
3. How can you apply this knowledge to add value to your team, workgroup, department, or
division?
4. How will this understanding help you add value to your organization?
5. What will you do differently tomorrow as a result of this report?
Individualization
Ideas for Action:
Select a vocation in which your Individualization talents can be both used and
appreciated, such as counseling, supervising, teaching, writing human interest
articles, or selling. Your ability to see people as unique individuals is a special talent.
Become an expert in describing your own strengths and style. For example, answer
questions such as: What is the best praise you ever received? How often do you like
to check in with your manager? What is your best method for building relationships?
How do you learn best? Then ask your colleagues and friends these same questions.
Help them plan their future by starting with their strengths, then designing a future
based on what they do best.
Help others understand that true diversity can be found in the subtle differences
between each individual regardless of race, sex, or nationality.
Explain that it is appropriate, just, and effective to treat each person differently. Those
without strong Individualization talents might not see the differences among
individuals and might insist that individualization is unequal and therefore unfair. You
will need to describe your perspective in detail to be persuasive.
Figure out what every person on your team does best. Then help them capitalize on
their talents, skills, and knowledge. You may need to explain your rationale and your
philosophy so people understand that you have their best interests in mind.
You have an awareness and appreciation of others likes and dislikes and an ability to
personalize. This puts you in a unique position. Use your Individualization talents to
help identify areas where one size does not fit all.
Make your colleagues and friends aware of each persons unique needs. Soon people
will look to you to explain other peoples motivations and actions.
Your presentations and speaking opportunities will be most engaging when you relate
your topic to the experiences of individuals in the audience. Use your Individualization
talents to gather and share real-life stories that will make your points much better than
would generic information or theories.
You move comfortably among a broad range of styles and cultures, and you intuitively
personalize your interactions. Consciously and proactively make full use of these
talents by leading diversity and community efforts.
Your Individualization talents can help you take a different approach to interpreting
data. While others are looking for similarities, make a point of identifying
distinctiveness. Your interpretations will add a valuable perspective.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
Learner
Ideas for Action:
Refine how you learn. For example, you might learn best by teaching; if so, seek out
opportunities to present to others. You might learn best through quiet reflection; if so,
find this quiet time.
Develop ways to track the progress of your learning. If there are distinct levels or
stages of learning within a discipline or skill, take a moment to celebrate your
progression from one level to the next. If no such levels exist, create them for yourself
(e.g., reading five books on the subject or making three presentations on the subject).
Be a catalyst for change. Others might be intimidated by new rules, new skills, or new
circumstances. Your willingness to soak up this newness can calm their fears and
spur them to action. Take this responsibility seriously.
Seek roles that require some form of technical competence. You will enjoy the
process of acquiring and maintaining this expertise.
As far as possible, shift your career toward a field with constantly changing
technologies or regulations. You will be energized by the challenge of keeping up.
Because you are not threatened by unfamiliar information, you might excel in a
consulting role (either internal or external) in which you are paid to go into new
situations and pick up new competencies or languages quickly.
Research supports the link between learning and performance. When people have
the opportunity to learn and grow, they are more productive and loyal. Look for ways
to measure the degree to which you and others feel that your learning needs are
being met, to create individualized learning milestones, and to reward achievements
in learning.
At work, take advantage of programs that subsidize your learning. Your organization
may be willing to pay for part or all of your instructional coursework or for
certifications. Ask your manager for information about scholarships and other
educational opportunities.
Honor your desire to learn. Take advantage of adult educational opportunities in your
community. Discipline yourself to sign up for at least one new academic or adult
learning course each year.
Time disappears and your attention intensifies when you are immersed in studying or
learning. Allow yourself to follow the trail by scheduling learning sessions during
periods of time that will not be interrupted by pressing engagements.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
Strategic
Ideas for Action:
Take the time to fully reflect or muse about a goal that you want to achieve until the
related patterns and issues emerge for you. Remember that this musing time is
essential to strategic thinking.
You can see repercussions more clearly than others can. Take advantage of this
ability by planning your range of responses in detail. There is little point in knowing
where events will lead if you are not ready when you get there.
Find a group that you think does important work, and contribute your strategic
thinking. You can be a leader with your ideas.
Your strategic thinking will be necessary to keep a vivid vision from deteriorating into
an ordinary pipe dream. Fully consider all possible paths toward making the vision a
reality. Wise forethought can remove obstacles before they appear.
Make yourself known as a resource for consultation with those who are stumped by a
particular problem or hindered by a particular obstacle or barrier. By naturally seeing
a way when others are convinced there is no way, you will lead them to success.
You are likely to anticipate potential issues more easily than others. Though your
awareness of possible danger might be viewed as negativity by some, you must
share your insights if you are going to avoid these pitfalls. To prevent misperception
of your intent, point out not only the future obstacle, but also a way to prevent or
overcome it. Trust your insights, and use them to ensure the success of your efforts.
Help others understand that your strategic thinking is not an attempt to belittle their
ideas, but is instead a natural propensity to consider all the facets of a plan
objectively. Rather than being a naysayer, you are actually trying to examine ways to
ensure that the goal is accomplished, come what may. Your talents will allow you to
consider others perspectives while keeping your end goal in sight.
Trust your intuitive insights as often as possible. Even though you might not be able
to explain them rationally, your intuitions are created by a brain that instinctively
anticipates and projects. Have confidence in these perceptions.
Partner with someone with strong Activator talents. With this persons need for action
and your need for anticipation, you can forge a powerful partnership.
Make sure that you are involved in the front end of new initiatives or enterprises. Your
innovative yet procedural approach will be critical to the genesis of a new venture
because it will keep its creators from developing deadly tunnel vision.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
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Competition
Ideas for Action:
Select work environments in which you can measure your achievements. You might
not be able to discover how good you can be without competing.
List the performance scores that help you know where you stand every day. What
scores should you pay attention to?
Identify a high-achieving person against whom you can measure your own
achievement. If there is more than one, list all the people with whom you currently
compete. Without measurement, how will you know if you won?
Try to turn ordinary tasks into competitive games. You will get more done this way.
When you win, take the time to investigate why you won. You can learn a great deal
more from a victory than from a loss.
Let people know that being competitive does not equate with putting others down.
Explain that you derive satisfaction from pitting yourself against good, strong
competitors and winning.
Develop a balanced metric a measurement system that will monitor all aspects of
your performance. Even if you are competing against your own previous numbers,
this measurement will help you give proper attention to all aspects of your
performance.
When competing with others, create development opportunities by choosing to
compare yourself to someone who is slightly above your current level of expertise.
Your competition will push you to refine your skills and knowledge to exceed those of
that person. Look one or two levels above you for a role model who will push you to
improve.
Take the time to celebrate your wins. In your world, there is no victory without
celebration.
Design some mental strategies that can help you deal with a loss. Armed with these
strategies, you will be able to move on to the next challenge much more quickly.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
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Focus
Ideas for Action:
When you set goals, discipline yourself to include timelines and measurements.
These will provide regular proof that you are indeed making progress.
Seek roles in which you can function independently. With your dominant Focus
talents, you will be able to stay on track with little supervision.
Your greatest worth as a team member might be helping others set goals. At the end
of meetings, take responsibility for summarizing what was decided, for defining when
these decisions will be acted on, and for setting a date when the group will
reconvene.
Others will think, act, and talk less efficiently than you do. Pay attention. Sometimes
their detours will lead to discoveries and delights.
Stretch your goal setting beyond work. If you find yourself becoming too focused on
work goals, set goals for your personal life. They will give weight to your personal
priorities and thereby help create balance in your life.
Hours can disappear when you are intent on a task; you lose track of time. Make sure
that all of your objectives are met and all of your priorities are followed by scheduling
your efforts and sticking to that schedule.
You function best when you can concentrate on a few well-defined initiatives and
demands. Give yourself permission to reject projects or tasks that do not align with
your overall mission. This will help you concentrate your efforts on your most
important priorities and will help others appreciate your need for focus.
Take the time to write down your aspirations, and refer to them often. You will feel
more in control of your life.
At work, be sure to tell your manager your mid-term and short-term goals. This might
well give your manager the confidence to give you the room you need.
Make sure that the focus points you set for yourself take into consideration both
quantity and quality. The integrity of your objectives will ensure that the application of
your Focus talents leads to solid and long-lasting success.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
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Questions
1. Talk to friends or coworkers to hear how they have used their talents to achieve.
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