Gallupreportwithactions

Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide
SURVEY COMPLETION DATE: 10-29-2014

Blake Sheldon
Your Top 5 Themes
Achiever
Ideation
Learner
Arranger
Futuristic
What's in This Guide?
Section I: Awareness
A brief Shared Theme Description for each of your top five themes
Your Personalized Strengths Insights, which describe what makes you stand out from others
with the same theme in their top five
Questions for you to answer to increase your awareness of your talents
Section II: Application
10 Ideas for Action for each of your top five themes
Questions for you to answer to help you apply your talents
Section III: Achievement
Examples of what each of your top five themes "sounds like" -- real quotes from people who
also have the theme in their top five
Steps for you to take to help you leverage your talents for achievement
641068277 (Blake Sheldon)
2000, 2006-2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.
1
Section I: Awareness
Achiever
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work
hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
What makes you stand out?
Chances are good that you frequently engage in laborious tasks. You yearn to dedicate yourself to
worthy causes or noble purposes. Fortifying the bonds between yourself, the people you know, or
even those you will never meet gives your life special meaning. Because of your strengths, you do a
fine job of imparting knowledge to individuals. You spend a lot of time preparing appropriate stories,
vivid examples, graphic illustrations, or useful materials to enliven your training sessions. Its very
likely that you can mentally zero in on tasks for hours at a time when you have a goal to reach. When
the assignment demands extra time, you would be wise to honor your bodys natural rhythms. In other
words, if you are a morning person, work in the morning. Work in the afternoon if that is when you hit
your stride. Work in the evening if that is when you think better. Work around midnight after everyone
has gone to bed if you are someone who usually stays up very late. Driven by your talents, you might
expend more physical or mental energy doing your job or pursuing your studies than some of your
peers do. Perhaps you need to make measurable progress toward one or two goals each day to feel
successful as a human being. Instinctively, you ordinarily take time and exert extra effort to
comprehend what you are reading. You probably refuse to rush through written material. Why? You
likely intend to commit to memory as many facts and concepts as possible.
Questions
1. As you read your personalized strengths insights, what words, phrases, or lines stand out to
you?
2. Out of all the talents in this insight, what would you like for others to see most in you?
2
Ideation
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to
find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
Driven by your talents, you resist being moved to tears, especially when others can see them. You
really wish you did a better job of containing your emotions. Instinctively, you frequently question
whether others regard you as aloof or standoffish. Those who have this impression need to
understand how hard it is for you to initiate discussions or casual conversation. By nature, you
automatically think of new and different ways to do things. Your mind is brimming with ideas. You
probably are eager to share them with whoever will listen. Its very likely that you routinely contrive
innovative ideas. The art of invention stimulates your mind. You likely spring from one original thought
to an entirely different one. You usually find unique ways to link two or more concepts. Chances are
good that you normally imagine numerous ways of doing something when you know your results,
scores, or performances are being compared to everyone elses. Your desire to be the champion
probably stimulates your creative thinking.
Questions
you?
3
Learner
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to
continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
Instinctively, you sometimes ask people questions so you can collect background information. Maybe
the insights you gather make it a bit easier to pinpoint what makes this person totally different from
everyone else. You might be fascinated by the diversity of human beings. You might amass enough
facts about specific individuals to prevent others from stereotyping them. Because no two people are
the same, you try to decipher who works well with whom. Chances are good that you probably
register for the most difficult rather than the easiest classes. You likely take courses from teachers
who have a reputation for being tough and demanding. You ordinarily have great faith in your ability to
earn the top grade in these instructional situations. Because of your strengths, you may pay attention
to some of the things going on around you. Perhaps you listen, quiz people, read, or take notes. As
you accumulate information, you might disregard what is unrelated, and pay heed to what seems
important. Sometimes the more you reflect on what you know, certain problems reveal themselves,
and eventually some solutions start taking shape in your mind. Then you try to select the best plan
from your list of options. Its very likely that you normally dedicate yourself to acquiring knowledge and
gaining skills. You probably devote many hours to mental labor. By nature, you typically enroll in
demanding classes. You thrive in situations where you can test your talents as well as your
endurance to discover how much you can accomplish. You need to prove yourself to yourself each
day.
Questions
you?
4
Arranger
People who are especially talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility
that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be
arranged for maximum productivity.
Chances are good that you typically do your finest work when you have several things going on
simultaneously. The challenge of coordinating activities, schedules, and resources probably engages
your mind as well as your body. Instinctively, you characteristically choose to join groups. You enjoy
working alongside others. You appreciate individuals who pull you into casual or formal discussions.
You have little, if any, desire to be the person who is in charge of getting everyone talking. Because of
your strengths, you usually excel on teams whose members appreciate your ability to simultaneously
think about multiple ideas, problems, or tasks. The more you have to juggle, the happier you probably
are. Its very likely that you routinely give your team everything you possibly can in terms of your
talent, skill, energy, knowledge, or time. As a result, you probably have little left to offer people outside
the workplace or study group. By nature, you might show people ways they can rely on one anothers
unique styles of thinking, learning, or working. You may demonstrate how a group of people
accomplishes more when everyone cooperates. Perhaps you identify the basic parts of a process,
plan, idea, or program. To some degree, you make assignments based on what each person does
well.
Questions
you?
5
Futuristic
People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could
be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.
Chances are good that you are a visionary thinker. Your vivid mental images of the coming months,
years, or decades often impel you to move into action. Because of your strengths, you take advantage
of every opportunity to describe to others all the amazing things you see happening in the coming
months, years, or decades. Your vision opens peoples minds to new and wondrous possibilities. You
challenge them to consider ideas they might not have thought of on their own. By nature, you may
design forward-looking plans for a specific aspect of your life, such as investments, entrepreneurial
ventures, education, vacations, or retirement. Driven by your talents, you sometimes yearn to know
more about the thoughts of certain visionaries. Perhaps in their presence you begin to see how some
of the inventions and ideas they propose might affect your life. Its very likely that you sometimes
forge ahead to build the life you envision. You might reach goals by identifying specific opportunities
to use your unique abilities and natural gifts.
Questions
you?
6
Questions
1. How does this information help you better understand your unique talents?
2. How can you use this understanding to add value to your role?
3. How can you apply this knowledge to add value to your team, workgroup, department, or
division?
4. How will this understanding help you add value to your organization?
5. What will you do differently tomorrow as a result of this report?
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Section II: Application
Achiever
Ideas for Action:
Select jobs that allow you to have the leeway to work as hard as you want and in
which you are encouraged to measure your own productivity. You will feel challenged
and alive in these environments.
As an achiever, you relish the feeling of being busy, yet you also need to know when
you are done. Attach timelines and measurement to goals so that effort leads to
defined progress and tangible outcomes.
Remember to build celebration and recognition into your life. Achievers tend to move
on to the next challenge without acknowledging their successes. Counter this impulse
by creating regular opportunities to enjoy your progress and accomplishments.
Your drive for action might cause you to find meetings a bit boring. If thats the case,
appeal to your Achiever talents by learning the objectives of each meeting ahead of
time and by taking notes about progress toward those objectives during the meeting.
You can help ensure that meetings are productive and efficient.
Continue your education by attaining certifications in your area or specialty in addition
to attending conferences and other programs. This will give you even more goals to
achieve and will push your existing boundaries of accomplishment.
You do not require much motivation from others. Take advantage of your self-
motivation by setting challenging goals. Set a more demanding goal every time you
finish a project.
Partner with other hard workers. Share your goals with them so they can help you to
get more done.
Count personal achievements in your scoring system. This will help you direct your
Achiever talents toward family and friends as well as toward work.
More work excites you. The prospect of what lies ahead is infinitely more motivating
than what has been completed. Launch initiatives and new projects. Your seemingly
endless reserve of energy will create enthusiasm and momentum.
Make sure that in your eagerness to do more at work, you do not skimp on quality.
Create measurable outcome standards to guarantee that increased productivity is
matched by enhanced quality.
Questions
1. Which of these action items speak to you? Highlight the actions that you are most likely to
take.
2. How will you commit to taking action? Write your own personalized action item that you will
take in the next 30 days.
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Ideation
Ideas for Action:
Seek a career in which you will be given credit for and paid for your ideas, such as
marketing, advertising, journalism, design, or new product development.
You are likely to get bored quickly, so make some small changes in your work or
home life. Experiment. Play mental games with yourself. All of these will help keep
you stimulated.
Finish your thoughts and ideas before communicating them. Lacking your Ideation
talents, others might not be able to join the dots of an interesting but incomplete idea
and thus might dismiss it.
Not all your ideas will be equally practical or serviceable. Learn to edit your ideas, or
find a trusted friend or colleague who can proof your ideas and identify potential
pitfalls.
Understand the fuel for your Ideation talents: When do you get your best ideas?
When youre talking with people? When youre reading? When youre simply listening
or observing? Take note of the circumstances that seem to produce your best ideas,
and recreate them.
Schedule time to read, because the ideas and experiences of others can become
your raw material for new ideas. Schedule time to think, because thinking energizes
you.
You are a natural fit with research and development; you appreciate the mindset of
visionaries and dreamers. Spend time with imaginative peers, and sit in on their
brainstorming sessions.
Partner with someone with strong Analytical talents. This person will question you and
challenge you, therefore strengthening your ideas.
Sometimes you lose others interest because they cannot follow your abstract and
conceptual thinking style. Make your ideas more concrete by drawing pictures, using
analogies or metaphors, or simply explaining your concepts step by step.
Feed your Ideation talents by gathering knowledge. Study fields and industries
different from your own. Apply ideas from outside, and link disparate ideas to
generate new ones.
Questions
take.
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Learner
Ideas for Action:
Refine how you learn. For example, you might learn best by teaching; if so, seek out
opportunities to present to others. You might learn best through quiet reflection; if so,
find this quiet time.
Develop ways to track the progress of your learning. If there are distinct levels or
stages of learning within a discipline or skill, take a moment to celebrate your
progression from one level to the next. If no such levels exist, create them for yourself
(e.g., reading five books on the subject or making three presentations on the subject).
Be a catalyst for change. Others might be intimidated by new rules, new skills, or new
circumstances. Your willingness to soak up this newness can calm their fears and
spur them to action. Take this responsibility seriously.
Seek roles that require some form of technical competence. You will enjoy the
process of acquiring and maintaining this expertise.
As far as possible, shift your career toward a field with constantly changing
technologies or regulations. You will be energized by the challenge of keeping up.
Because you are not threatened by unfamiliar information, you might excel in a
consulting role (either internal or external) in which you are paid to go into new
situations and pick up new competencies or languages quickly.
Research supports the link between learning and performance. When people have
the opportunity to learn and grow, they are more productive and loyal. Look for ways
to measure the degree to which you and others feel that your learning needs are
being met, to create individualized learning milestones, and to reward achievements
in learning.
At work, take advantage of programs that subsidize your learning. Your organization
may be willing to pay for part or all of your instructional coursework or for
certifications. Ask your manager for information about scholarships and other
educational opportunities.
Honor your desire to learn. Take advantage of adult educational opportunities in your
community. Discipline yourself to sign up for at least one new academic or adult
learning course each year.
Time disappears and your attention intensifies when you are immersed in studying or
learning. Allow yourself to follow the trail by scheduling learning sessions during
periods of time that will not be interrupted by pressing engagements.
Questions
take.
10
Arranger
Ideas for Action:
Learn the goals of your coworkers and friends. Let them know that you are aware of
their goals, and then help set them up for success.
If a team needs to be created, make sure you are involved. You recognize talents,
skills, and knowledge in people, and that awareness will help you get the right people
in the right spots.
You intuitively sense how very different people can work together. Take a close look
at groups with divergent personalities and opinions, as they may have the greatest
need for your Arranger talents.
Be sure to keep track of ongoing deadlines for your many tasks, projects, and
obligations. Although you enjoy the chance to juggle lots of activities, others with less
powerful Arranger talents may become anxious if they dont see you working on their
projects frequently. Inform them of your progress to ease their fears.
Seek complex, dynamic environments in which there are few routines.
Take on the organization of a big event a convention, a large party, or a company
celebration.
Give people time to understand your way of doing things when you present it to them.
Your mental juggling is instinctive, but others might find it difficult to break with
existing procedures. Take the time to clearly explain why your way can be more
effective.
At work, focus your Arranger talents on the most dynamic areas of your organization.
Divisions or departments that are static and routine in nature are likely to bore you.
You will thrive when your Arranger talents are energized, and you will suffer when you
are bored.
Help others see your far-reaching expertise by sharing your what if thinking with
them. When they know youve identified and carefully considered all possible options
and arrangements, theyll feel more confident.
You are flexible in the way you organize people, as well as in how you configure
space. Figure out how you can improve workflow by rearranging spaces and/or
procedures to maximize efficiency and to free up time for you and for others.
Questions
take.
11
Futuristic
Ideas for Action:
Choose roles in which you can contribute your ideas about the future. For example,
you might excel in entrepreneurial or start-up situations.
Take time to think about the future. The more time you spend considering your ideas
about the future, the more vivid your ideas will become. The more vivid your ideas,
the more persuasive you will be.
Seek audiences who appreciate your ideas for the future. They will expect you to
make these ideas a reality, and these expectations will motivate you.
Find a friend or colleague who also has powerful Futuristic talents. Set aside an hour
each month for future discussions. You can push each other to greater heights of
creativity and vividness.
Partner with someone with strong Activator talents. This person can remind you that
you do not discover the future, you create it with the actions you take today.
You inspire others with your images of the future, yet your thinking may be too
expansive for them to comprehend. When you articulate your vision, be sure to
describe the future in detail with vivid words and metaphors. Make your ideas and
strategies more concrete via sketches, step-by-step action plans, or mock-up models
so that others can readily grasp your intent.
Surround yourself with people who are eager to put your vision into motion. They will
feel exhilarated by your Futuristic talents, and you can harness their energy to propel
the vision toward reality.
Be prepared to provide logical support for your futuristic thinking. Your exciting visions
of future success will be best received when rooted in real possibility.
Your Futuristic talents could equip you to be a guide or coach for others. Unlike you,
they might not be able to easily see over the horizon. If you catch a vision of what
someone could be or do, dont assume that he or she is aware of that potential. Share
what you see as vividly as you can. In doing so, you may inspire someone to move
forward.
Musing about the future comes naturally to you. Read articles about technology,
science, and research to gain knowledge that will fuel your imagination.
Questions
take.
12
Section III: Achievement
Look for signs of achievement as you read these real quotes from people who share your top five
themes.
Achiever sounds like this:
Melanie K., ER nurse: I have to rack up points every day to feel successful. Today Ive been here
only half an hour, but Ive probably racked up thirty points already. I ordered equipment for the ER, I
had equipment repaired, I had a meeting with my charge nurse, and I brainstormed with my secretary
about improving our computerized logbook. So on my list of ninety things, I have thirty done already.
Im feeling pretty good about myself right now.
Ted S., salesperson: Last year I was salesperson of the year out of my companys three hundred
salespeople. It felt good for a day, but sure enough, later that week, it was as if it never happened. I
was back at zero again. Sometimes I wish I wasnt an achiever because it can lead me away from a
balanced life and toward obsession. I used to think I could change myself, but now I know I am just
wired this way. This theme is truly a double-edged sword. It helps me achieve my goals, but on the
other hand, I wish I could just turn it off and on at will. But, hey, I cant. I can manage it and avoid work
obsession by focusing on achieving in all parts of my life, not just work.
Sara L., writer: This theme is a weird one. First, its good because you live in pursuit of the perpetual
challenge. But in the second place, you never feel as though youve reached your goal. It can keep
you running uphill at seventy miles an hour for your whole life. You never rest because theres always
more to do. But, on balance, I think I would rather have it than not. I call it my divine restlessness,
and if it makes me feel as if I owe the present everything I have, then so be it. I can live with that.
13
Ideation sounds like this:
Mark B., writer: My mind works by finding connections between things. When I was hunting down the
Mona Lisa in the Louvre museum, I turned a corner and was blinded by the flashing of a thousand
cameras snapping the tiny picture. For some reason, I stored that visual image away. Then I noticed a
No Flash Photography sign, and I stored that away too. I thought it was odd because I remembered
reading that flash photography can harm paintings. Then about six months later, I read that the Mona
Lisa has been stolen at least twice in this century. And suddenly I put it all together. The only
explanation for all these facts is that the real Mona Lisa is not on display in the Louvre. The real Mona
Lisa has been stolen, and the museum, afraid to admit their carelessness, has installed a fake. I dont
know if its true, of course, but what a great story.
Andrea H., interior designer: I have the kind of mind where everything has to fit together or I start to
feel very odd. For me, every piece of furniture represents an idea. It serves a discrete function both
independently and in concert with every other piece. The idea of each piece is so powerful in my
mind, it must be obeyed. If I am sitting in a room where the chairs are somehow not fulfilling their
discrete function theyre the wrong kind of chairs or theyre facing the wrong way or they're pushed
up too close to the coffee table I find myself getting physically uncomfortable and mentally
distracted. Later, I wont be able to get it out of my mind. Ill find myself awake at 3:00 a.m., and I walk
through the persons house in my minds eye, rearranging the furniture and repainting the walls. This
started happening when I was very young, say seven years old.
14
Learner sounds like this:
Annie M., managing editor: I get antsy when I am not learning something. Last year, although I was
enjoying my work, I didnt feel as though I was learning enough. So I took up tap dancing. It sounds
strange, doesnt it? I know I am never going to perform or anything, but I enjoy focusing on the
technical skill of tapping, getting a little better each week, and moving up from the beginners class to
the intermediate class. That was a kick.
Miles A., operations manager: When I was seven years old, my teachers would tell my parents,
Miles isnt the most intelligent boy in the school, but hes a sponge for learning, and hell probably go
really far because he will push himself and continually be grasping new things. Right now, I am just
starting a course in business-travel Spanish. I know it is probably too ambitious to think I could learn
conversational Spanish and become totally proficient in that language, but I at least want to be able to
travel there and know the language.
Tim S., coach for executives: One of my clients is so inquisitive that it drives him crazy because he
cant do everything he wants to. Im different. I am not curious in that broad sense. I prefer to go into
greater depth with things so that I can become competent in them and then use them at work. For
example, recently one of my clients wanted me to travel with him to Nice, France, for a business
engagement. So I started reading up on the region, buying books, and checking the Internet. It was all
interesting and I enjoyed the study, but I wouldnt have done any of it if I wasnt going to be traveling
there for work.
15
Arranger sounds like this:
Sarah P., finance executive: I love really complicated challenges where I have to think on my feet
and figure out how all the pieces fit together. Some people look at a situation, see thirty variables, and
get hung up trying to balance all thirty. When I look at the same situation, I see about three options.
And because I see only three, its easier for me to make a decision and then put everything into
place.
Grant D., operations manager: I got a message the other day from our manufacturing facility saying
that demand for one of our products had greatly exceeded the forecast. I thought about it for a
moment, and then an idea popped into my head: Ship the product weekly, not monthly. So I said,
Lets contact our European subsidiaries, ask them what their demand is, tell them the situation we are
in, and then ask what their weekly demand is. That way we can meet requirements without building
up our inventory. Sure, itll drive shipping costs up, but thats better than having too much inventory in
one place and not enough in another.
Jane B., entrepreneur: Sometimes, for instance, when we are all going to a movie or a football game,
this Arranger theme drives me up the wall. My family and friends come to rely on me Jane will get
the tickets, Jane will organize the transportation. Why should I always have to do it? But they just say,
Because you do it well. For us it would take half an hour. For you, it seems to go much faster. You
just call up the ticket place, order the right tickets, and just like that, its done.
16
Futuristic sounds like this:
Dan F., school administrator: In any situation, I am the guy who says, Did you ever think about . . . ?
I wonder if we could . . . I dont believe it cant be done. Its just that nobody has done it yet. Lets
figure out how we can. I am always looking for options, for ways not to be mired by the status quo. In
fact, there is no such thing as the status quo. You are either moving forward, or you are moving
backward. Thats the reality of life, at least from my perspective. And right now, I believe that my
profession is moving backward. State schools are being out-serviced by private schools, charter
schools, home schools, Internet schools. We need to free ourselves from our traditions and create a
new future.
Jan K., internist: Here at the Mayo Clinic, we are launching a group called the Hospitalists. Rather
than having patients handed off from one doctor to another during their stay in the hospital, I envision
a family of providers. I envision fifteen to twenty MDs, of various genders and races, with twenty to
twenty-five nurse practitioners. There will be four to five new hospital services, most of which will work
with surgeons and will provide para-operative care as well as care for the hospitalized elderly. We are
redefining the model of care here. We dont just take care of the patients when they are in the
hospital. If a patient comes in for a knee replacement, a member of the Hospitalist team would see
him before the surgery, follow him from the day of surgery through the days of hospitalization, and
then see him when he comes in six weeks later for his postoperative check. We will provide patients
with a complete episode of care so that they dont get lost in the handoffs. And to get the funding, I
just saw the detailed picture in my head and kept describing this picture to the department chair. I
guess I made it seem so real that they had no choice but to grant me the funds.
17
Questions
1. Talk to friends or coworkers to hear how they have used their talents to achieve.
2. How will you use your talents to achieve?
18

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Strengths Insight and Action-Planning Guide

SURVEY COMPLETION DATE: 10-29-2014

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