| There seems to be no lack of the number of | | | | that you might naturally posses. The book |
| books written about personality traits, | | | | goes on to elaborate how each of the 34 |
| talents and how to more effectively manage | | | | unique themes can be identified, complete |
| personnel to the advantage of the | | | | with individual profiles describing how each |
| organization. However, Marcus Buckingham, | | | | might act and what each might "sound like." |
| coauthor of the book First, Break All the | | | | As each sees the world through their own |
| Rules, and Donald O. Clifton, Chair of the | | | | strengths filter, it is easy to have friction |
| Gallup International Research & Education | | | | between different individuals within the same |
| Center, now provide managers with a positive | | | | department or organization, because we all |
| approach to help identify and utilize | | | | see the world, and how it should look, so |
| strengths of individuals to the benefit of | | | | differently. While one may hear what someone |
| the organization in their bestselling Now, | | | | else is saying, they may not be able to |
| Discover Your Strengths. The book maintains | | | | assimilate it into their own world |
| that this unique, positive approach of | | | | effectively. This is why partners or |
| focusing on strengths is far more effective | | | | advisors are often so effective, as they ad |
| in achieving success than eliminating | | | | balance to the limits of others. One word of |
| weaknesses, given that we all have inherent | | | | caution however: do not buy this book used if |
| strengths and natural weaknesses no matter | | | | you intend to take the preference test. There |
| what positions we might have. For example, | | | | is a unique, one-time code that comes with |
| the book points out, it does not matter if | | | | each copy of Now, Discover Your Strengths, |
| you are Bill Gates or Tiger Woods. True, | | | | which is absolutely necessary in order to |
| these are individuals with tremendous talents | | | | access the website's resources. The book has |
| that have made them well known in their | | | | limited value without the ability to take the |
| respective fields, but they also have | | | | online test. However, the test alone is well |
| weaknesses that play into the mix. It would | | | | worth the price of the entire book just by |
| seem our brains are programmed by nature from | | | | itself. With this resource, you will better |
| early childhood, no matter how good our | | | | understand how to build a "strengths-based |
| nurture, to start being selective in a few | | | | organization" by capitalizing on the fact |
| key areas. It is as nature intended it to be. | | | | that such traits are already present among |
| Without being selective, and allowing many | | | | those within it. |
| of the billions of connections we are born | | | | |
| with to lapse into disrepair, we would become | | | | With an estimated 8 out of 10 people in this |
| dysfunctional with information overload. | | | | country not really in a position to |
| Therefore, it is understandable that with | | | | capitalize on their strengths and talents, |
| sufficient practice, while we might be able | | | | chances are most of us could benefit from |
| to learn different tasks well, we will never | | | | reading this book. As most of us fail to |
| be great in these areas unless we have a | | | | capitalize on our strengths, it is not |
| natural innate talent for them. | | | | surprising that most departments in any |
| | | | company, no matter the size of the |
| Unfortunately, most of us do not have a good | | | | organization, are not operating at even par |
| sense of our talents, let alone the ability | | | | performance. The risk doing nothing is |
| to effectively use our strengths to our | | | | costly- not only in lost productivity, but |
| advantage. Rather, most of us spend our | | | | in job satisfaction, employee retention and |
| lives becoming all too aware of our | | | | absenteeism and so on. This groundbreaking, |
| weaknesses and spend our time trying to deal | | | | resourceful book is easy to read in short |
| with our flaws, while neglecting our innate | | | | concise chapters. Along with the associated |
| talents. However, most original and | | | | preference test, Now, Discover Your |
| potentially most revealing, to address this | | | | Strengths, is a positive cost effective |
| problem, Now, Discover Your Strengths | | | | solution in resolving problems, and helping |
| provides access to a web-based interactive | | | | each employee achieve his or her full |
| questionnaire, developed by the Gallup | | | | potential. This is must read for managers and |
| Organization, that quickly identifies your | | | | office teams who want a win-win solution in |
| top 5 (out of a total of 34) positive | | | | improving their own departments, as well as |
| "personality themes", such as: Achiever, | | | | the lives of those who work for them. |
| Deliberative, Harmony, Empathy and so forth | | | | |