To be an effective leader, one must demonstrate certain qualities that inspire and motivate staff. Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize what our strengths and weaknesses may be, but we must have this understanding in order to be the best possible leader. The Gallup Administration believes that the most effective leaders are the ones that understand their own strengths and behaviors (Rath, 2007). In my StrengthsFinder Assessment I discovered my top 5 signature themes are: discipline, futuristic, restorative, competition, and relator.

Discipline has always been a major theme in my life. I was raised in a strict and predictable home that thrived on schedules and routine (Rath, 2007). That is very much a quality I still possess as an adult. As a futuristic person, I am highly focused on how I can improve my future and make the best possible life for myself (Rath, 2007). This is not to say I am focused on money, but rather, I am determined to live a high quality and successful life. Being restorative means I want to solve problems and be a “fixer.” I enjoy finding a solution and improving something in the process (Rath, 2007). My competitive nature is no surprise to me. Competition motivates me to do better and be better. I find myself comparing myself to others and making a competition out of everyday tasks. If I do not win or do better than others, I often feel defeated (Rath, 2007). Finally, I am a relator. This is the one quality I was actually surprised by. I often find myself struggling to create new relationships and create conversation with others. Rath (2007) taught me that being a relator means that I want to invest more into my personal relationships to strengthen those, rather than focus on having many friends to give attention to.

Two core values I want to strengthen are balance and gratitude. In my StrengthsFinder assessment, I found myself selecting options that made me realize I lack balance in my life. I tend to have an all-or-nothing mindset and think that I can take on every responsibility and solve every problem on my own. Although this can be a good quality, it can also decrease my satisfaction with life and lead me to feeling burnt out. Another thing I learned about myself through this assessment is that I do not show enough gratitude. The assessment asked questions about how I make other people feel and how often I am encouraging others. When I was answering honestly, I realized I do not give praise often. According to Baykal & Zehir (2018), good leaders use pride and gratitude to “increase optimal individual and organizational functioning.” My “strengths insight guide” stated that I use positive/encouraging words sparingly. If I want a future as a leader, I must be more willing to give praise and celebrate the behaviors of my staff.

Two strengths I could improve on are flexibility and enthusiasm, and the characteristics I would like to improve are open-mindedness and optimism. Because I am very disciplined, I struggle to “go with the flow” and deal with things as they come. I thrive off having an action plan and making calculated choices. As a future nurse leader, I will experience many obstacles that will not always be predictable or calculated. Magnet hospitals are hospitals that get special recognition for their ability to retain nurses. Leaders at Magnet-Designated hospitals are more likely to be flexible and deal with challenges as they come (Upenieks, 2003). To be the best possible leader, I need to learn to be flexible and deal with these problems as they arise and remain open-minded about their solutions.

References:

Baykal, E., & Zehir, C. (2018). Effects of servant leadership on gratitude, empowerment, innovativeness and performance: turkey example. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jecs/issue/37969/390903?publisher=istanbul

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0 – with Access Code. Gallup Press

Upenieks, V. (2003). What constitutes effective leadership? perceptions of magnet and nonmagnet nurse leaders. The Journal of Nursing Administration. https://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2003

This assignment was a lot more interesting than I thought it was going to be. Some of the question pairs were very easy to choose from while others made me think a little. The Clifton Strenths questionare was easy to use and very insightful. (Gallup, 2022) Overall, I believe that my top 5 are pretty accurate to what is important to me. I got restorative, empathy, adaptability, Ideation, and arranger

            Two core values I would like to strength are treating others with the upmost kindness and respect regardless of their history ort appearance. The other core value I would strengthen would be honesty. Both are very important to me, and I can always get better at them. The first of the two strengths I’d like to strengthen is hard work. It is easy to become complacent and complacency kills. The second strength is listening. Growing as a listener is vital to understanding people and what drives them and becoming a better listener can allow me to better help someone individually. As for the characteristics I’d like to strengthen I would have to go with arranger because I am not always very organized. I would also like to strengthen Adaptability. Being able to adapt and overcome any issue is very important to me. I enjoy solving issues and the more issues I can learn from the more knowledge I have for future issues.  

Reference

Gallup, I. (2022, November 14). The Gallup Access Platform. Gallup.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://my.gallup.com/

Gallops Strength assessment is a tool that is used to assess personal traits and talent that one may possess. The five top talents listed from my assessment were: relator, achiever, responsibility, competition, and harmony. (Rath, 2007). I would love to strengthen two core values: organization and being deliberate in my actions. I tend to work with a scattered workspace and work until the pile is complete. Bringing all tasks furth in an organized manner, I believe, will help me to complete tasks quicker and more deliberately in what I am doing. Being able to speak with staff and tell them exactly what it is that I need from them to complete tasks that are needed rather than completing tasks on my own, rather than delegating tasks that should be delegated. Two characteristics that needs improvement according to strength finder is connectedness and self-assurance. (Gallup, 2022) I often do not connect with others right away, and it takes time for me to grow any bond with others. Assuring myself is also important because I question myself at times. According to Cambridge Dictionary, “self-assurance is confidence that you have in your own abilities.” (Cambridge, n.d). Lastly, two strengths that I would love to strengthen would be responsibility, and achiever. I believe that it is always room to grow in anything that you do in. life.  I believe I take responsibility for things that I do, but with responsibility comes accountability, which is also room for growth.

References

Gallup, I. (2022, November 14). The Gallup Access Platform. Gallup.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://my.gallup.com/ Links to an external site.

Rath, T. ( 2007) Strengths Finder 2.0 – with Access Code. GallupPress

Self-assurance. SELF-ASSURANCE definition | Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/self-assurance

Professor and Class,

While completing the Strength Finder, I was surprised to learn that my top 5 strengths were individualization, woo, harmony, adaptability and command (Rath, 2007). The general concepts shared between these are that I’m basically a happy go lucky person who goes with the flow, have sound reasoning, have good communication skills and am a natural leader because of these traits. This surprises me because even though people often come to me for advice and guidance I often think they could have chosen a better sounding board. This is consistent with the characteristics I would like to strengthen including focus and confidence. I do well at building up the confidence in others but struggle to find it in myself. I know that as a nurse leader, having confidence in myself will allow others to have trust in me and in themselves (Healthcare Experience, 2018). Strengths I would like to build on include responsibility and updating ideas. While I do feel like I am a responsible person at home, I do find myself doing what works best for me related to required tasks instead of trying new ideas which makes me an irresponsible learner who’s not open to new ideas all the time. Core values I would like to strengthen include strategic thinking and balance. I have a very hectic life and I always feel torn between family work and school. I would like to advance my strategic thinking skills so that I can better balance the needs in my life. This assessment will be a very valuable tool for me moving forward in my personal life and in my career.

Healthcare Experience Foundation. Healthcare Experience Foundation What Every Nurse Leader Should Know About Themselves Comments. (2018, May 17). Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://healthcareexperience.org/what-every-nurse-leader-should-know-about-themselves/

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0 – with Access Code.

Main Post

StrengthFinder Assessment Results

Every person has certain recognizable leadership strengths, or areas in which they tend to shine. But people frequently struggle to recognize these advantages. As a result, people frequently fail to use their strengths or do so in an unproductive manner. Recognizing one’s areas of strength can also be accomplished using the Gallup Strength Finder evaluation procedure. Personal qualities are important to an individual’s personality. The top 5 hallmark themes of abilities that appeared following completion of the Clifton Strengths Finder assessment were intellection, learner, relator, input, and futuristic. 

The intellectual motif determined my sense of purpose. I make an observable achievement at the end of the day because I am an intellectual thinker and an achiever. The ability to recognize and support others in expressing their emotions is referred to as an act of empathy. Learner indicates my general talent, particularly in living in harmony with those around me and also learning new content from them. I believe that fighting and bickering don’t accomplish anything positive (Demil et al., 2022). This demonstrates my optimism and my constant search for the good in every circumstance. In addition, despite setbacks, I make every effort to avoid negativity. The idea of relator further compel me to fully own all parts and commitments I make or tasks I feel psychologically obligated to do. 

Core Values, Characteristics, and Areas that need Strengthening

Relator and communicator are the two areas that need improvement in this situation. It is crucial to remember that strengths always result from having particular talents and from developing those qualities by gaining additional knowledge. By learning about the challenges of effective communication and enlisting the assistance of a communications specialist to help me further develop my public speaking abilities, I can enhance my natural ability to communicate well. When someone has relational strength, they typically have the capacity to build on existing relationships with others. I can always accomplish this by providing a setting in which solid bonds can be formed (Liu et al., 2021). I can also create the right environment for team members to develop close, honest, and trustworthy connections by enhancing the relator theme. 

I would like to improve my ability to communicate and develop relationships. Because teamwork and collaboration are crucial to providing high-quality care, I must be able to manage relationships with many people in my role as a nurse leader. Effective communication is arguably significant to note as a prerequisite in relationship management, but they are especially critical to a nurse leader who is expected to interact in a variety of diverse partnerships. This shows that effective communication skills are crucial for the nurse’s and any other nurse’s work. Nurses can acquire information, present a plan, assign tasks, and evaluate a care plan by developing strong communication skills (Monsiváis et al., 2022). In addition to interacting and building connections with coworkers, patients, and their families, nurses often work closely with other healthcare leaders and experts. This means that progress, resolving disagreements, and attaining personal goals all depend on developing relationships and having successful communication. 

Altruism and respect for human dignity are among the two fundamental principles that I need to develop. Altruism is the idea of caring about both one’s own welfare and the welfare of others. Increased nurse advocacy and care for patients’ welfare, as well as that of coworkers and providers, are some signs of altruism in professional nursing practice. Integrity also refers to upholding the rules of conduct and the code of ethics. When I further develop my altruistic core beliefs, I will also support my supporters, encourage ethical behavior when giving treatment, and promote the development of loving relationships with both each other and patients.. 

References

Demir, Oznur Ispir, & Duygulu, Sergul, (2022). Relationship between Nurses’ Perception of Transformational Leadership Practices and Control over Nursing Practices. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 15(1), 465-475. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/relationship-between-nurses-perception/docview/2670468896/se-2

Liu, T., Sun, J., & Hsiao, C. (2021). Novel Coronavirus: Applying Transformational Leadership to the Combat of COVID-19 in Nursing Practice. Hu Li Za Zhi, 68(2), 92-98. https://doi.org/10.6224/JN.202104_68(2).12

Monsiváis, M.,Guadalupe Moreno. (2022). Towards the Transition to an Empowered and Resilient Leadership of Nursing Professionals. [Hacia la transición a un liderazgo empoderado y resiliente en los profesionales de enfermería Rumo à transição de uma liderança empoderada e resiliente nos profissionais de enfermagem] Aquichan, 22(4), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.5294/aqui.2022.22.4.1

Les Sandoval

StrengthsFinder 2.0

StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a tool that Tom Rath developed, and its goal is to help people to identify their talents to build their strength and improve their confidence, sense of purpose, health, and relationships. The test and the book are based on the idea that people should not try to correct weaknesses; instead, they should build upon their strongest abilities. Doing this gives you the best chance of succeeding in whatever you pursue. (Rath, 2007). Rath’s point of view gave me new insight into my way of thinking because my approach to self-improvement is to work on my failures or weaknesses to avoid repeating them and become better at what needs improvement in my life. (Gallup, 2022). This is true when it comes to studying harder to improve grades or practicing longer and harder on whatever instrument I play (I play five instruments).

The various themes identified by the strengths insight guide all have many descriptors that profoundly apply to me. For example, I enjoy thinking about the past and spend a great deal of time thinking of people and events that took place long ago. I enjoy history and tend to gravitate to the elderly because I enjoy asking them about days gone by. On the other hand, some of the descriptions do not apply to me at all. For example, the deliberative individual is described as a “no-nonsense” person. I am the opposite of this and could find humor at a funeral. Perhaps humor is my defense or coping mechanism to life, but nevertheless, I am far from a no-nonsense individual.

The StrengthsFinder 2.0 uses Gallup research and storytelling to show individuals why doing what they do best daily is critical to helping them succeed in their careers and every other part of their life. (StrengthsFinder 2.0 (E-Book) / En-Us-Gallup, n.d.). The Strengths Insight Guide listed my top five themes with descriptions as follows:

1. Context- The context thinker understands the present by researching its history. The past offers insights about the upcoming months, years, or decades. The context thinker creates a vision of the future by unraveling what happened in the past. This person strives to understand events’ what, when, who, where, how, and why.
2. Restorative- The restorative thinker is adept at dealing with problems and are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it. The restorative thinker is “keenly aware of… limitations and deficiencies.” This person is determined to confront weak points and correct them. After the deficiencies have been identified, the restorative thinker is apt to devise a plan to improve performance.
3. Learner- the learner has a great desire to learn and wants to improve continuously. The learning process, rather than the outcome, excites them. The learner can instinctively identify specific traits or experiences that distinguish one person from the next. This observation allows the learner to predict how people react in different situations.
4. Analytical-The analytical thinker searches for reasons and causes and can contemplate all the factors that might affect a situation. Analytical individuals are fascinated by data and examine numbers line by line. They also scrutinize how each element functions or fails to function correctly.
5. The deliberative-The deliberative thinker is best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices, and they anticipate obstacles. Deliberative thinkers equate flattery with dishonesty. These individuals need time for solitude and self-reflection, and coworkers, friends, and family may say they don’t know much about the life of the deliberative thinker because relationships are “guarded.”

(Rath, 2007).

There are elements of all of my top five themes that I like and can deeply relate to. However, two of the core values that I would like to strengthen would be deliberative and analytical. Regarding deliberative thinking, I give compliments sparingly. The deliberative thinker withholds recognition until they have proof that the recipient has earned it. This aspect of my personality or behavioral traits stems from people giving false praise and using praise to obtain things they want. This viewpoint may be from the fact that I equate flattery with dishonesty.

Regarding my analytical theme, I would strengthen this by being less analytical. I analyze everything. Sometimes I view this as a time-wasting activity, and sometimes I must accept that perfection is the enemy of good.  

There are many strengths I would like to improve. One strength identified by StrengthsFinder 2.0 is reaching better conclusions from my analysis of the past (Context). The context thinker enjoys thinking about the history and uses past events and experiences to help resolve current problems or issues. However, this is flawed sometimes in that sometimes I only identify specific issues once they repeat over and over again. There is a saying that those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. That would be me sometimes. Another strength I would like to improve is my awareness of my limitations and deficiencies (Restorative). Some individuals would liken this trait to negativity and seeing the glass as half-empty instead of half-full. This trait is being honest with myself in identifying past failures and weaknesses. I have been told by many of my friends and coworkers that I am too hard on myself. I recognize this aspect of my personality as a strength, but I also need to tone it down sometimes.

I enjoyed taking the Strengths Finder assessment, and it hit the nail on the head concerning how I think and do things. By identifying these strengths, however, I also noticed many aspects of these “strengths” that I probably take too far. It was an exciting topic and provided much-needed insight into what makes me tick. This exercise has helped me analyze myself and work on building skills I already have rather than trying to develop new ones that are not part of my personality. In other words, the old adage “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke” should apply.

References

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0 – with Access Code. Gallup Press.

StrengthsFinder 2.0 (e-book) / en-us-Gallup. (n.d.). Gallup Store. https://store.gallup.com/p/en-us/10386/strengthsfinder-2.0-(e-book) Links to an external site..

Gallup, Inc. (2022). The 34 Clifton Strengths themes explain your talent DNA. https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253715/34-cliftonstrengths-themes.aspx

Gallup Analytics and Reporting.pdf

The Clifton strength assessment is 177 paired statements used to assess a person’s strengths and talents(Gallup, 2022). This questionnaire evaluates leadership skills and teambuilding skills. My strengths assessment found that my top 5 themes are adaptability, Intellection, input, context, and Ideation(Gallup, 2022).

Strengths

My two strengths of the Clifton strengths assessment were relationship building and strategic thinking. Relationship-building themes describe people skilled at motivating individuals in a team to work together in harmony while ensuring that everyone is included and remains positive (Gallup, 2022). Strategic thinking was the area in that I scored the most themes. Strategic thinkers can learn from the past, research existing ideas and find connections that others may miss (Gallup, 2022). They use creative ideas to move a project forward and propel the team toward a goal (Gallup, 2022).

Core Values

Two core values based on my strength’s finder test are openness to new ideas and flexibility. (Broome & Marshall, 2021, p. 219) These core values are essential to the function of organizational teams. The adaptability theme relates to the core value of being flexible. Team leaders and team members must be flexible and adapt to unexpected obstacles (Rath & Gallup, 2007, p. 53). Openness to new ideas helps teams to achieve their vision in new and innovative ways while reflecting on ideas that have worked in the past and how those ideas can work in the current project. The Ideation theme reflects the team leader being excited about new ideas and making atypical connections (Rath & Gallup, 2007, p. 121). People with ideation strength are creative thinkers who bring new ideas to a project to materialize a vision. “Communication and information sharing are the most important aspects of team leading and teamwork” (Broome and Marshall 2021, p. 223).

Improvements

The Executing theme helps teams to complete their assigned tasks. People with executing strengths help teams achieve goals by being disciplined, focused, and deliberate (Gallup, 2022). I also want to strengthen my ability to influence people. Influencers convince and persuade people to buy into completing goals. Influencers can present ideas to people inside and outside of organizations and persuade them to assist in achieving goals (Gallup, 2022). Themes include command, communication, and self-assurance. These themes allow influencers to take control of situations and present ideas to large groups of people while having confidence in their decisions and ability (Gallup, 2022).

References

Broome, M. E., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Building cohesive and effective teams. In Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed., pp. 213–232). Springer Publishing Company.

Gallup. (2022). Login | Gallup access. The Gallup Access Platform: Transform the Workplace -. https://my.gallup.com/_Portal/Component?gssClientId=AQICAHhZzDehHI8PdXStWu1K_2Fjlx692uaazlL1oqYvzbyO4o8gE6zEtU7J1ZJpIyxGrF97a_2FAAAAcTBvBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagYjBgAgEAMFsGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMHX1G2GvGd_2BARgzkQAgEQgC7dKqCJiJfal6dpDgoLT4TOfHhX7bf5HNgYBBOY_2BAGNGj1BT3osPFsUnUunjQYP&gssComponentId=6271#/Links to an external site.

Rath, T., & Gallup. (2007). StrengthsFinder 2.0. Simon & Schuster. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/MBS1879141Links to an external site.