Strengths Finder

A few months ago, I read the Strengths Finder by Tom Rath.   Wow, what a great book, especially if you are looking to change, grow or enhance your personal / professional development. Subsequent to reading the book, I did the Strengths Insight.  What a great tool.  I have encouraged a number of folks to take advantage of this extremely valuable insight into oneself. 

The online assessment gives you your top five themes, with a description of each, your personalized Strengths Insight, questions to answer for increased awareness of your talents, ten ideas for action for each of your top five themes, questions to help you apply your talents and steps for you to take to help leverage your talents for achievement.  The ideas for action component is especially valuable as a way of applying what you have learned about yourself.  For example, one of my five themes was Futuristic.  I am inspired by the future and what could be. The description says that I inspire others with my vision for the future.

So far, pretty accurate and I hope that I inspire others with my vision.  I think in terms of possibilities and the coming months and years.  The coolest part of this insight is the Ideas for Action section where you are given tips, suggestions and ideas for successful application of a futuristic vision, how you can coach others, how you can inspire and harness the energy of others for a vision for the future, how to gain knowledge to fuel one's imagination and identify others who are like-minded and push each other to greater heights of creativity.

Being in health care today, one has to have a vision for the future as this industry is changing by the day.  There is a great deal to manage and lead.  Executives have to have to be well grounded in the reality of today, but also have an eye on the future.