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