This is part of a series of articles on the different types of strengths that each of us as individuals have. You can take a look at the ACHIEVER strength that I discussed in the first post in the series.
Everyone is born with talents. Talents are our natural way of thinking, feeling and behaving that can be productively applied. When we invest and develop our talents, they then become strengths. A strength is the ability to consistently do an activity to near perfection. It is about the WAY we achieve success, and all of us have a ‘way.’
There is an assessment called Strengths Finder, and it takes about 45 minutes to do online, answering various questions. Once you are done, it then sends you a strength report. There are 34 strengths in total and the assessment calculates your most dominant strengths from number 1 to number 34 in sequence of their dominance. You choose whether you want the report of your full 34 or just your dominant first 5 strengths.
In this issue we are going to look at the strength of DELIBERATIVE.
“You are careful. You are vigilant. You are a private person. You know that the world is an unpredictable place. Everything may seem in order, but beneath the surface you sense the many risks. Rather than denying these risks, you draw each one out into the open. Then each risk can be identified, assessed, and ultimately reduced. Thus, you are a fairly serious person who approaches life with a certain reserve. For example, you like to plan ahead so as to anticipate what might go wrong. You select your friends cautiously and keep your own counsel when the conversation turns to personal matters. You are careful not to give too much praise and recognition, lest it be misconstrued. For you, life is not a popularity contest. Life is something of a minefield. Others can run through it recklessly if they so choose, but you take a different approach. You identify the dangers, weigh their relative impact, and then place your feet deliberately. You walk with care.” Tom Rath, StrengthsFinder 2.0.
Our friend Precious has Deliberative in her top 5. She instinctively sees the obstacles in situations, and doesn’t get excited too easily. Once she decides on a move, you know the likelihood of success is high because she would have taken time to look at every nook and cranny. She hates being rushed, as this compromises her process of risk analysis, and how to work around it. One has to understand that when she mentions the potential danger, she is not trying to discourage or dissuade, but she’s making sure all angles are covered for a better chance of success.
Her Deliberative strength makes her a great source of reliable information when it comes to planning for big projects that involve a lot of money. She is part of our church committee for a building project we have just embarked on. Whenever she speaks, those of us listening feel confident because she shares every meticulous detail. Once she decides on something, it’s a definite go, as there is no turning back at this point.
Joyce Mutangara is a wife, mother, pastor, legal adviser and strengths coach. She loves to give inspiring personal interaction, through authentic discussion, and exploration of talents that motivate people to achieve optimum performance through intentionally deploying their strengths. For more information or access to her work and to get personal strengths coaching, you can email her: joycemut@gmail.com or visit her blog Joyce’s Blog.
