Strengths Finder 2.0
It's always a little weird to talk about your strengths... it feels a little bit like I'm stepping out onto an empty stage... but here goes :)...
Last year before my first Visionary Leaders Meeting for DSISD I was given the book Strengths Finder and after many questions and self-reflection I was "given" five strengths - positivity, woo, achiever, maximizer, and strategic. This year I am starting the year with reflecting on those strengths.
I am positivity. This is very true for me. I like to look at life with a "the glass is half full" approach. I find it a waste of time to look at things any other way. Life is short, have fun!
I am woo?... This one I am not as confident with... especially if I compare myself to Mr. Payne AKA Mr. Woo himself. But perhaps there is a spectrum of wooness :) and I lie on the other end of it ;). I certainly do enjoy learning from others, making connections with others, and making those around me feel at ease and happy. This year I may need to work on bringing out more of my inner wooness.
I am an achiever. Definitely. I have a hard time driving because I feel like I'm wasting time... I think about all the things I could be doing! I multi-task... almost always. I make lists and I check things off. I'm always looking for how I can learn, grow, and challenge myself. This has been me my whole life. I am surrounded at Walnut with achievers I think. Educators in general are always multi-tasking and working on achieving. There is no way to enter an elementary school and not be productive... not with 20+ students staring at you!
I am a maximizer. I think this goes right along with being an achiever. I don't like to do things half way. If given a task I like to see how I can do it differently... better. I put my whole self into things that I am interested in and will spend hours going down the wormhole until I have made it the best it can be... at least for the moment until I venture down the wormhole again :). This is what I see my job as... to help maximize instruction through supporting teachers!!!! I feel so blessed to be in this position!
I am strategic. This one was difficult for me to reflect on myself with too. I don't necessarily see myself as strategic, I do however, try to be efficient and find the best route possible. I also enjoy puzzles and solving problems - that's strategic, right?! As a child I always leaned towards games that involved strategy - Stratego, Mastermind and Othello to name a few. I always feel like I need to be more strategic in my job and life. There is always so much to do!
If we approach life and tasks through our strengths we will naturally maximize on our best selves right?!
