22. Maximizer
Excellence, turning something strong into something superb, strengths fascinate you
Ideation
Loves ideas, always looking for connections, looking at things differently
Significance
Wants to be significant in the eyes of others, wants to be admired, goal oriented
Relator
Prefers being around people you already know, comfortable with intimacy
Command
Likes to be in charge, need to align others to your goals, compelled to present the truth
23. Excellence, not average, is your measure. Taking something from below average to slightly above
average takes a great deal of effort and in your opinion is not very rewarding. Transforming
something strong into something superb takes just as much effort but is much more thrilling.
Strengths, whether yours or someone else’s, fascinate you. Like a diver after pearls, you search
them out, watching for the telltale signs of a strength. A glimpse of untutored excellence, rapid
learning, a skill mastered without recourse to steps-all these are clues that a strength may be in
play. And having found a strength, you feel compelled to nurture it, refine it, and stretch it toward
excellence. You polish the pearl until it shines. This natural sorting of strengths means that others
see you as discriminating. You choose to spend time with people who appreciate your particular
strengths. Likewise, you are attracted to others who seem to have found and cultivated their own
strengths. You tend to avoid those who want to fix you and make you well rounded. You don’t want
to spend your life bemoaning what you lack. Rather, you want to capitalize on the gifts with which
you are blessed. It’s more fun. It’s more productive. And, counterintuitively, it is more demanding.
Maximizer
Strengths, whether yours or
someone else’s, fascinate you.
24. Excellence, not average, is your measure. Taking something from below average to slightly above
average takes a great deal of effort and in your opinion is not very rewarding. Transforming
something strong into something superb takes just as much effort but is much more thrilling.
Strengths, whether yours or someone else’s, fascinate you. Like a diver after pearls, you search
them out, watching for the telltale signs of a strength. A glimpse of untutored excellence, rapid
learning, a skill mastered without recourse to steps-all these are clues that a strength may be in
play. And having found a strength, you feel compelled to nurture it, refine it, and stretch it toward
excellence. You polish the pearl until it shines. This natural sorting of strengths means that others
see you as discriminating. You choose to spend time with people who appreciate your particular
strengths. Likewise, you are attracted to others who seem to have found and cultivated their own
strengths. You tend to avoid those who want to fix you and make you well rounded. You don’t want
to spend your life bemoaning what you lack. Rather, you want to capitalize on the gifts with which
you are blessed. It’s more fun. It’s more productive. And, counterintuitively, it is more demanding.
Maximizer
Taking something from below average to
slightly above average takes a great deal
of effort and in your opinion is not very
rewarding. Transforming something
strong into something superb takes just
as much effort but is much more thrilling.
36. Fact Finder
How much information do you need?
Follow Through
How much structure do you need?
Quick Start
How much risk can you tolerate?
Implementor
How much do you need to work with your hands?
40. Dear Friend,
I’m working through a leadership exercise right now where I am trying to
better understand my strengths so that I can put more focus behind them
in the future. I really trust you and respect your opinion, and it would be
incredibly helpful if I could understand your perspective. I’m very curious -
what do you see as my strengths?
My strengths could be what you see as my talents, abilities, what I’m good
at, what you count on me for, or anything that impresses you about who I
am.
This is incredibly helpful to me, and I truly appreciate your feedback.
41. College Friend
• Able to make people understand ideas
• Interpersonal skills; create dialogues
• Risk taking
• Self-confident but not cocky
• Technical knowledge and ability
• Salesperson
Post-College Friend
• Confidence in your skills
• Delighted curiosity
• High expectations
• Good decision quality
• You let yourself have fun
• Respect for people
• Pragmatic about what can
be accomplished
• Reap rewards from taking risks
Family Member
• Great at Solving Problems
• Communicating the heart of what
matters
• Creating analogies and drawing
correlations
• Extreme focus
• Not beholden to society
• Playful – entertaining to be around
• Find humor in most situations
Family Member
• Put people at ease, charisma
• Attention to detail
• High standards (perfectionist)
• Problem Solver
• Confident, Optimistic
• Smart guy
• Focus
Business Partner
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Creativity, Outside the box thinking
• Passionate expression of ideas
• Fully committed
Employee
• Confident, but not arrogant
• Childlike enthusiasm for life
• Identifying problems, iterating,
affecting change
• Level-headed, roll with the punches
• Deep understanding of problems
• Sound judgements
• Boiling concepts down to essence
• Striving for the best
• Unique solutions
42. College Friend
• Able to make people understand ideas
• Interpersonal skills; create dialogues
• Risk taking
• Self-confident but not cocky
• Technical knowledge and ability
• Salesperson
Post-College Friend
• Confidence in your skills
• Delighted curiosity
• High expectations
• Good decision quality
• You let yourself have fun
• Respect for people
• Pragmatic about what can
be accomplished
• Reap rewards from taking risks
Family Member
• Great at Solving Problems
• Communicating the heart of what
matters
• Creating analogies and drawing
correlations
• Extreme focus
• Not beholden to society
• Playful – entertaining to be around
• Find humor in most situations
Family Member
• Put people at ease, charisma
• Attention to detail
• High standards (perfectionist)
• Problem Solver
• Confident, Optimistic
• Smart guy
• Focus
Business Partner
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Creativity, Outside the box thinking
• Passionate expression of ideas
• Fully committed
Employee
• Confident, but not arrogant
• Childlike enthusiasm for life
• Identifying problems, iterating,
affecting change
• Level-headed, roll with the punches
• Deep understanding of problems
• Sound judgements
• Boiling concepts down to essence
• Striving for the best
• Unique solutions
43. College Friend
• Able to make people understand ideas
• Interpersonal skills; create dialogues
• Risk taking
• Self-confident but not cocky
• Technical knowledge and ability
• Salesperson
Post-College Friend
• Confidence in your skills
• Delighted curiosity
• High expectations
• Good decision quality
• You let yourself have fun
• Respect for people
• Pragmatic about what can
be accomplished
• Reap rewards from taking risks
Family Member
• Great at Solving Problems
• Communicating the heart of what
matters
• Creating analogies and drawing
correlations
• Extreme focus
• Not beholden to society
• Playful – entertaining to be around
• Find humor in most situations
Family Member
• Put people at ease, charisma
• Attention to detail
• High standards (perfectionist)
• Problem Solver
• Confident, Optimistic
• Smart guy
• Focus
Business Partner
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Creativity, Outside the box thinking
• Passionate expression of ideas
• Fully committed
Employee
• Confident, but not arrogant
• Childlike enthusiasm for life
• Identifying problems, iterating,
affecting change
• Level-headed, roll with the punches
• Deep understanding of problems
• Sound judgements
• Boiling concepts down to essence
• Striving for the best
• Unique solutions
44. College Friend
• Able to make people understand ideas
• Interpersonal skills; create dialogues
• Risk taking
• Self-confident but not cocky
• Technical knowledge and ability
• Salesperson
Post-College Friend
• Confidence in your skills
• Delighted curiosity
• High expectations
• Good decision quality
• You let yourself have fun
• Respect for people
• Pragmatic about what can
be accomplished
• Reap rewards from taking risks
Family Member
• Great at Solving Problems
• Communicating the heart of what
matters
• Creating analogies and drawing
correlations
• Extreme focus
• Not beholden to society
• Playful – entertaining to be around
• Find humor in most situations
Family Member
• Put people at ease, charisma
• Attention to detail
• High standards (perfectionist)
• Problem Solver
• Confident, Optimistic
• Smart guy
• Focus
Business Partner
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Creativity, Outside the box thinking
• Passionate expression of ideas
• Fully committed
Employee
• Confident, but not arrogant
• Childlike enthusiasm for life
• Identifying problems, iterating,
affecting change
• Level-headed, roll with the punches
• Deep understanding of problems
• Sound judgements
• Boiling concepts down to essence
• Striving for the best
• Unique solutions
46. • People Tell You You’re Great
• You Tend To Downplay It
• It Comes Naturally
• It Energizes You
• It’s a Habit You Always Do
What Is a Super Power?
47. People Tell You You’re Great
You Tend To Downplay It
It Comes Naturally
It Energizes You
It’s a Habit You Always Do
Solving Problems (6) ?
X
X
?
48.
49. College Friend
• Able to make people understand ideas
• Interpersonal skills; create dialogues
• Risk taking
• Self-confident but not cocky
• Technical knowledge and ability
• Salesperson
Post-College Friend
• Confidence in your skills
• Delighted curiosity
• High expectations
• Good decision quality
• You let yourself have fun
• Respect for people
• Pragmatic about what can
be accomplished
• Reap rewards from taking risks
Family Member
• Great at Solving Problems
• Communicating the heart of what
matters
• Creating analogies and drawing
correlations
• Extreme focus
• Not beholden to society
• Playful – entertaining to be around
• Find humor in most situations
Family Member
• Put people at ease, charisma
• Attention to detail
• High standards (perfectionist)
• Problem Solver
• Confident, Optimistic
• Smart guy
• Focus
Business Partner
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Creativity, Outside the box thinking
• Passionate expression of ideas
• Fully committed
Employee
• Confident, but not arrogant
• Childlike enthusiasm for life
• Identifying problems, iterating,
affecting change
• Level-headed, roll with the punches
• Deep understanding of problems
• Sound judgements
• Boiling concepts down to essence
• Striving for the best
• Unique solutions
50. High Fact Finder Low Follow Through
Low Implementor
How? Ideation
Attention to Detail
I always try to
understand the
problem deeply