Strengths+paper PDF

Preview

Summary

Analyzing my Clifton Strengths results...

Description

Strengths Paper - Clara Reed When I first took the Clifton Strengths assessment, I was very skeptical. Only having 20 seconds to answer what answer best fit you seemed rushed. I felt I needed more time to find out what answer truly fit me. I kept noticing questions that seemed linked and similar, so that put pressure on me to stick with the theme I had going. I ended up with Achiever at the top, then Discipline, Individualization, Relator, and Focus. Looking at these strengths from the outside makes me seem like I am restless, cutthroat, and will stop at nothing to get what I want. I only have two major domains covered: Executing and Relationship Building. I will definitely get into that restless mind state, but that’s not all that I am. I can be very cautious about what I say and how I communicate with people. I can also convince my friends to go get something to eat and influence them to dye their hair. As I thought about my results more and more, I found that I can easily slip into that impatient, uneasy state when things don’t get done. For example, I share my bathroom in the dorms with 2 other people. It was the first week, and the bathroom was starting to get dirty. None of my roommates were making efforts in getting it cleaned, so I took it upon myself. But, I wasn’t done. I made a schedule of who cleans the bathroom and when, as well as steps to cleaning the bathroom and what products to use. This meticulous, thorough, bathroom cleaning schedule seemed like the worst thing to do to your suitemates, but I did it anyway. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t me who ended up cleaning the bathroom every week. And, to my surprise, it worked extremely well. My suitemates had signed and dated every time they cleaned the bathroom and we took turns with no complaints. Doing this project, I could tell that my top strengths really were at work here, especially Discipline and Relator. My roommates and I are a team, and I was the

backbone of it. I designed and executed the plan, and they were the ones to follow and keep the peace. When I am not putting in the most effort, I usually assign people in my group different tasks. I think that my Individualization strength ties into this because when I am in a group assignment, I usually assign the topics and divide the tasks that need to be done. When I was in high school, I knew the people I was working with, so I was easily able to pick whether they'd like a more challenging topic or not. When my mom tells me I have to get my brothers involved in the kitchen, I usually know what tasks each brother would like doing the most. I wasn't surprised when I got the Relator strength, I do enjoy close relationships with people. I have a small group of friends and I tell them everything. When something goes wrong in one of my friendships, I am devasted about it, and reluctant to make up because I put a lot of trust into my relationships. I think the Focus strength comes easily to me, also. Usually, whenever I think of setting a long term goal, I actually implement the steps necessary to achieve that goal. It just doesn't sit in my mind all day long. The longer I keep thinking about something, the more I have to act on it. Once I invest myself into something I'm passionate about, it's almost impossible to see me give up in that area. I think that this strength will definitely help me in any career path I choose. This year I have really been focusing on my physical, environmental and occupational health from the Wellness Wheel. I started going to the gym for an hour once a week, and I've found it gives me more energy for the rest of the day. I have been making sure to brush my teeth and wash my face every morning and night, no matter how tired I am. I am filling up my water bottle and walking to every class, making sure I don't miss any deadlines. This productivity ties into the Achiever strength, I do so much in a single day. My roommate and people on my floor notice me constantly trying and making goals for myself. I think the independence of college has really lead me to take better care

of my body and mental health. I have discovered things about myself that I wouldn't have if I had stayed home. In regards to my occupational health, there is not one day where I don't think about my future career. I am setting myself up so I can have a more successful future. I have scheduled career counseling, thought long and hard on what classes I'm taking this year, and am looking at jobs and internships early. I'm reaching out to people who have careers I might enjoy, and I'm keeping my head up for the future. One thing I have been doing new this year is taking care of my environmental health. I take this environmental class, and we have focused on topics like plastic usage and clean diets. I am definitely more conscious of how much food and plastic I throw away in a day, it is astonishing. I encourage my friends to buy things that are glass or compostable. This concern for the environment relates to my high degree of the Discipline strength. Changing up my routine is a constant battle, and I need to stay on track. I am very practical about why the method I have now is the best one. Doing this assessment just confirmed what I already knew about myself. I can say it has given me more confidence to shoot for a career where you have to be direct and cutthroat for. I hope these attributes stay with me for the rest of college and further....