12 December 2013

Pr. Curtis and I were talking...

...at the recent ONM retreat about the accuracy with which two tools seem to nail us. The Maier Briggs personality types (INFJ here) and our most recent experience: taking the test associated with Strengths Based Leadership. This thing was a little spooky. I thought the questions silly, the process a waste of time, and told my boss so in not quite so many words. Then I read the results....

I was the only one in our group who had strengths exclusively in a single category, that area being strategic thinking (intellection, input, strategic, learning and context). The descriptors that came my way:

You describe reading as a pleasure, not a chore...you gain insights and acquire information..you can talk about complicated topics by breaking down the important points...you may prefer to let someone else engage people in small talk...you routinely dog-ear pages, underline key ideas, scribble notes in the margin for easily locating them again (you should see the condition of my books!)...you offer unique perspectives on events, proposals, people..you tend to identify a goal and numerous ways of reaching it...you reconfigure factual information in ways that reveal trends (I'd say: discloses another way of looking at something that gives insight into the topic)...you always want to know more...you automatically commit certain words to memory...your curiosity is not easily satisfied...by nature you include some uncommon, technical words in your vocabulary...you tend to hold people's attention...you resist spending the majority of your time on topics that are not in line with your native abilities...you may be a solo performer...you love to gather all kinds of information...fascination with history and the past...you examine historical events and study the lives of people involved in them.

Well, um, yeah. As Pr. Curtis said: the test rather nails it. The challenge with the assessment is to understand the strengths of your over all team of co-workers and then how to not waste time "fixing" the weaknesses but leveraging the strengths and allowing other co-workers strengths to address areas where you are more challenged. Sandy and I actually had this worked out basically sometime ago. We joke about it, but it's true:  Bowers - anything to do with numbers; Weedon - anything to do with words. Works like a charm!

Anyway, the whole exercise really did prove interesting and helpful.

7 comments:

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

I generally come across as an INTJ... although I once actually came across as an XXXJ - where I split the first three 50/50.

I apparently am content to work quietly and remain in the shadows until other people keep messing up, at which point I will take over. (The one test described this as "you are content to let others lead until their incompetence forces you to remove them" - at which point my best friend in college laughed and said, "That is so you!")

It has been a useful thing for me to remember as a Pastor -- when there is delegation, you have delegated... and let it be, and don't pull a coup.

Future Church said...
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Future Church said...

Hi, Pastor Weedon! I knew there was a reason I like you. I'm an INFJ, too. I wonder, do you similarly suffer from a gallows humor that nobody else seems to appreciate. It is, sadly, a cross for me. Well, maybe not that sad, but I feel guilty that I don't feel worse about it. There goes that introspection again. :)

William Weedon said...

Eric,

That's good insight. Cwirla told me once that the J saved me...but I don't think he was speaking of our Lord!

Adam,

You know me well enough to know that I have NO good sense of humor...beyond the bawdy. God, forgive me! Thanks for the friending on FB. Hope you and the family are well.

Dixie said...

Well, that explains everything! No wonder I can't be Lutheran. Like Eric I tend to run 50:50 but only on the T/F. A little less on the N/S. But my P completely squashes any possible inkling of a J in me! I have no J to save me...

Future Church said...

Hahaha! Yep, that pretty well lines up. I hope things are great for you and your family, as well.

William Weedon said...

Dixie,

Look for the sermon I hope to post later this evening. It's why I delight in being a Lutheran Christian. You actually do some of this personality stuff for your company, if I remember correctly, no?

Adam,

Very well indeed. We miss my oldest daughter and her family terribly (son-in-law is pastor in NC), but we cherish whatever time we have together. Today son, daughter, Cindi's dad, Cin and I enjoyed lunch (and I got to hold Lydia!) and then we headed out to catch second Hobbit movie.