Introductory Strengths Reflection & Coaching Request
In-Class Reflections Using the Signature Themes Report
Read through the definitions:
What words or phrases stick out to you for each theme?
- Intellection: Introspective, mental hum, time alone to think.
- Deliberative: Vigilant, private, life is a minefield.
- Input: Inquisitive, infinite variety and complexity, never comfortable throwing anything away.
- Analytical: Prove it, objective, what is the outcome?
- Adaptability: detours are inevitable, the future is not a fixed destination, the demands of the moment.
How would you define each of your top 5 talents in your own words?
- Intellection: The act of thinking is attractive and fulfilling. Puzzles, games, problems, etc are all part of this.
- Deliberative: I look where I step as much as possible. I try to identify potential hazards and traps ahead of time.
- Input: I collect movies, comic books, games, and other things that contain stories and/or give me joy. I have notebooks, note-taking apps, and other databases full of notes, articles, links, and other media for rainy day use--some as future stories, others as future recipies, the rest are just topics i find interesting.
- Analytical: I am generally good with numbers and math because they have a structure and make provable sense. I can use logic to reveal the causes of issues. + Adaptability: The future is not a fixed point, but a constantly moving target. I take the good with the bad and make the best out of all of it.
Do these top 5 talent themes resonate with you? Why or why not? These talents do resonate with me, my only questions have more to do with why and whether these are really the "top 5" of my stregnths--these over all others. The pair that initially baffled me was the Deliberative with the Adatability. They seem to be polar opposites at first blush--one emphasizes caution while the other is about going with the flow. However, in reading the definitions, I realize that they can go hand in hand, and maybe can do so very well. Sure, I may step cautiously, but I also know that if something goes off under my foot, I can deal with it with little fuss or fury.
Further Reflections
How have you seen yourself using each of these talents? How often do you see yourself using these talents? I believe I use these talents every day. Most are things that i do without even thinking about them, especially at this point in my life.
When has it been difficult for you to be aware of these talents? i think i'm always aware of them, but i sometimes deny whether they are really talents or whether they are weaknesses, or sometimes whether i have them at all. That's mostly the depression talking, tho.
When might you overuse any of these themes? How might you benefit from dialing them down in a certain situation? I'm sure that i overuse all of these to some degree, but the one that comes to mind the most is adaptability. i know that i procrastinate, that i can be lazy, and that it can be very difficult to get me to act on certain things, some of which comes from my confidence in my ability to adapt to any situation and still come out okay. I also impulse buy A LOT.
How could you use these themes to help you manage an area in which you might struggle? I think it's a matter of keeping in mind that yes, i am able to analyze and think through any problem, despite my knee-jerk denial that i can. Look at the Suggested Action Items
What options sound doable?
- Intellection:
- Try keeping a journal
- Find your best atmosphere to think
- Deliberative
- Find a social activity that is fun but also meaningful. (Imposters?)
- Look ahead at academic deadlines to minimize surprises.
- Find clubs to join.
- Input
- Schedule time to feed your mind
- Set a timer for down-time
- Find a mentor with Focus and/or Discipline talents
- Research better sleep methods
- Analytical
- Think about how another person would interpret a set of facts (based on age, cultural background, etc.)
- Collaborate with people of the Activator talent
- Create a workout plan. Research, record, adapt.
- Adaptability
- Positive self-talk, especially before an event (like a test)
- Find a Mentor with Focus and/or Strategic talents
- Avoid making impulse purchases
- Explore fitness classes that are demanding but not stressful, and with diverse skill levels. (Yoga?)
What are some new ways to use these themes that you haven't utilized before?
What obstacles are there to trying out any of these options?
Short-term Goals:
How will these talents help you in your work this module? What is an action step you'd like to commit to help you develop your themes further today? Next week? This module? What do you want to learn this module to turn your talents into greater strengths? Longterm Goals: What professional goals do you have? How will these talents contribute to your future career as a software developer? What would you like to focus on development at Turing to ensure that you develop these talents more fully?