by Kathy Waltz-Freel
As a part of the Region 2 Strengths Initiative, we have woven Strengths Quest into our IVY life skills classes. Students do more than just take the Strengths Finder and complete some reflective assignments focused on strengths, almost every assignment they complete, whether the assignment focuses on whether one is a good candidate for distance learning or asks the student to find campus and community resources, students revisit their Five Signature Themes and how their themes impact them in the context of that assignment. The final project for the semester is a reflective paper on their strengths. These papers have provided some great definitions of the Signature Themes. (All have been shared with the student's permission.):
Achiever
“Achiever is so understandable that I never second guessed why it was my strongest strength. I drive my family and friends crazy with all my ideas and when I get one, I won’t stop until it is done. I work very hard at everything, and I feel wonderful when I can finish my tasks to my standards. . . I get very upset when I do not live up to my standards. . .I am harder on myself than anyone else is. That is what makes me work harder than ever.”
“My fourth strength is Achiever. I feel that I am relating this strength at work now. I work long hours, 12-18 hour days. They say this is a theme that keeps you moving, it works for me. People will say to me ‘How do you do it?’ I don’t know, I just do it!”
Activator
“The fourth theme that I have, activator, means that I am impatient for action. ‘When can we start?’ is a recurring question that activators ask. We don’t like to talk about what to do in a situation, we just want to take action and make something happen. If a decision has been made, then we automatically want to take action to get the project done. We like to make a decision, take action, look at the result, and then learn. This will help us build knowledge and help us to take action in the next project we have.”
“Being labeled an activator was not at all surprising. Even during my childhood, I was the one to start a neighborhood girls club, the organizer for home theater productions and always planning some kind of party. It bothers me to start a project and not finish. Possessing this theme allowed me, at the age of 45, to go back to college and work towards a degree in Interior Design.”
“Activator is my fourth top theme, I always want to start my projects as soon as possible I don’t like to wait for someone to give me the okay or anything like that I want to start thinking about it and setting it through right away. I am always the one to say, “Let’s do it” when I am working in a group just like there is always someone saying “Isn’t there something we forgot?” No!! We can worry about things like that later when we’re already working on it.”
Adaptability
“My first signature theme was adaptability. Basically it means that I live in the moment. I just make my decisions one by one, not really planning or organizing anything. People with the theme adaptability are very spontaneous. They like to be surprised and to expect the unexpected. They are flexible in that they feel comfortable handling many different situations because they can easily adapt.”
“My first theme, adaptability, is the strength I use to fit in at school and work. I’m a very good verbal learner. So what I lack in reading skills I make up by adapting my skills using verbal, hands on work, diagrams and pictures as a way to gather the information I need. I use this strength . . . as well at Martins’ Supermarket where I work. I’ve learned to adapt to be able to use symbols and pictures to help with stocking foods while I figure out the labels, which just takes me a little longer than it might take someone else.”
“Adaptability is another crucial theme to my life because without it I would probably be lost. I have encountered obstacles throughout my life and the characteristic of adaptability has guided me through these obstacles. Adaptability applies to me in the way that I am constantly modifying myself to meet the needs of school, an internship, and a family business. I am continuously changing my schedule and work plans to meet the needs of those around me. I also do not believe it is relevant to create too many long-term goals. I like to live my life one decision at a time. If you set too many long-term goals, it is easy to become consumed by striving to accomplish those goals and not the tasks set before you. I tend to have a personality that is adaptable to the environment around me, and an ability to change directions easily at any given moment. It is easy to fall behind if you are not willing or capable of changing to your surroundings. Today’s life-style is fast paced and always changing, and adaptability helps me succeed in these conditions.”
Analytical
“Analytical is my second signature theme. . . .I find in life that what we believe or follow sometimes is not true. Man has used religion, patriotism, racism, sexism, to mention just a few for his own selfish ends. We must be careful about beliefs; seek the truth of all things. The earth was believed to be flat, it was discovered it is not. Observe the world, great things are discovered that benefit all. Once it was believed that women and minorities were inferior—given the opportunity it was found quite the contrary. I learned that you should always have the facts before you.”
Arranger
“Arranger means that I am very good at organizing, planning, I want to be very efficient. . . . I am usually a good planner; I can keep all of my dates in order and have stuff done on time. By developing this strength, I can achieve my goals by meeting deadlines and knowing where all of my papers are, because if you don’t meet deadlines, you don’t get the jobs. . . . This is also very helpful in everyday life; being organized will help me keep my life on track. It is always good to have everything organized in life.”
Belief
“Belief was my second strongest theme. I possess very strong core values and my belief in God and his work is unshakable. This belief guides me through temptations and distractions in life. He directs every path I take and that brings security for me. My desire is to remain steadfast in my walk with Him until my days on earth are over. I would not be where I am today if it were not for my belief in God.”
Command
“My first strength is command. . . . I always want to be in command of things. Someone with command likes to take charge of things and when things get rough, they don’t just give up and put the blame on someone else. They take responsibility for their actions. I think this is true of me.” (Justin Robichaud)
“My fourth signature theme is command. I consider command as someone who takes charge and isn’t afraid of someone who expresses their feelings or anything. This is someone who isn’t afraid to confront someone or something. I find this theme is another inherited theme that I received from my father’s side. I have found that the people on my father’s side use command as something that they want done and want done right now. I use my command as something valuable especially in my personal and career life. I use command in my personal life to help and push myself to make logical decisions. . . . In my career I use it to make nursing decisions and interventions that are presented to me. I also use it during patient teaching by making the patient pay attention to the exact care that they need and have to give themselves once they are discharged. . . .”
Communication
“My second signature theme is communication. . . . Communication is something that everyone uses every day, but with mine, I am a ‘talker’ no matter what. I am the type of person that isn’t afraid of starting a conversation or joining in a conversation. During a conversation, I believe that I [add] energy and enlightenment to a story or subject. . . . [I]n my profession as a nurse, when I am assessing a patient I have to be able to talk to the patient and their family. This involves asking medical questions and their family history. I use communication at school during class discussions or group discussions. I am the type of person that isn’t shy or hesitant to talk about any subject at any time.”
“My fourth top theme is communication, meaning you like to talk, tell stories, and help explain things more clearly. . . . .I’ve always been a talker, actually growing up from around first grade, I’ve always gotten in trouble for talking too much in class. When I went to the Lutheran school, I think at least 3-4 days of the five-day school week, I would have to stay in from recess with my head on my desk for getting my name on the board too many times for talking. Then with my friends, I’ve always been known as ‘the friend who never shuts up.’ . . . This theme also describes me when it comes to story telling. I’m always telling people stories when I see them, and I can’t just tell a summary of what happened. I have to tell what happened with a story from its exact beginning, middle, to the exact end. Also explaining and breaking things down for others has always been really easy for me. I can always seem to find the words that will help others to understand better.”
Competition
“Competition was the third out of my five signature themes and this is the easiest out of the five for someone to see in me. It is very easy, I hate to lose. I think that competing with other people is a great way for me to compare myself with other people. And when I think about it, it’s not really important winning or losing, but having a scale to compare myself with other people. . . . I’m not very good at letting other people be better than I am. I can really tell that I am competitive when I play someone younger than me in a video game, or maybe someone that has never played or seen the game at all and I have played the game for a few months, and I won’t help that person out very much, and I will still play my hardest because I’m competitive, and I hate to lose no matter what the situation.”
“Competition is me to the max. If I won’t win, I won’t play. Even if I play a video game, I have to win. In basketball, if I don’t have the best jump shot and I am not the tallest person on the court, I have to be on the team of that person. I’m glad this paper isn’t a writing competition because I would have never started it, because I guarantee this won’t be the best paper in the class.” (Justin Robichaud)
Connectedness
“Things happen for a reason. I’m sure of it. The theme also suggests that the feeling of connectedness implies certain ‘responsibilities’ (Clifton). . . My belief is that to whom much is given, much is required. I believe that I was given life abundantly, so I have a responsibility to bring comfort, hope, and the message of love to others.”
Consistency
“Consistency is a strength I see in myself. I am firm in my belief in fairness. Everyone should be treated equal in the workplace, at home, and in every situation. I believe everyone is a team player and on a team everyone is equal. Many times in the workplace, I have seen people advance because of their connections or because ‘the squeaky wheel gets oiled.’ This is an unfair advantage to those who are truly qualified and have worked hard to advance to a new level. Not that I want everything to be predictable, but things should be fair. At home, you always hear the children say you are not being fair. Taking the time to explain to them what was going on and why helped them to understand that I was just being equal in how I treated them and their siblings. Today, I see them repeating the same things to their friends and other family members.”
“I have looked at my job now and my jobs in the past and have realized how upset I get when I do not feel like someone is being treated fairly. It bothers me immensely when I feel that someone of equal employment is being treated better than someone else. I stress my opinion and get a lot of negative feedback about my concerns. I do not feel like I am wrong, so I never let them steer me from my feelings. I make it a big deal because I have my mind set that nobody should have special treatment over anyone else. I believe I follow the rules for a reason and why should everyone else not have to adhere to them. I feel everyone is equal no matter your sex, race, ranking, or popularity. We are all the same!”
Context
“Context means that you have a tendency to look back on past events when making decisions about the future. . . .I will especially use this theme when it comes to choosing my future boyfriends. I have had some bad experiences with my ex-boyfriend and will use that knowledge when picking the next. If my potential boyfriend shows any likeness or tendencies like my ex, I will be running for the hills. I am hopeful that my reflections on my mistakes and the knowledge I have gained from them will be useful when I have kids of my own. I hope I can impart some wisdom to them that they will find useful in their day to day lives.
Deliberative
My second theme is deliberative. This means I move with care and privacy. I noticed this in me more than anyone else did. With most things we do in life there’s a good side to it and there is a bad side. We often fall into traps because we don’t look at the whole picture. For example, I have a lot of friends who want to leave South Bend and start fresh somewhere else. There is nothing wrong with that, but it’s the reasoning behind it that draws my doubts. Most of my friends say that it’s trouble here and [they] just want to experience being somewhere else. . . .They are not looking at the whole picture. . . .What goes on here in South Bend goes on all over the world. It’s not about where you go but how you do it where you’re at. . . . I fell into a trap and almost lost my life. A few years back my mother died of a massive heart attack at the age of 41. I was still at home when this happened. When that unfortunate tragedy struck everything went wrong. What ended up happening was a few months after my mother died, I hooked up with a friend from the neighborhood that I hadn’t seen in seven years. . . . We talked and I told him about my mother and how everything was falling apart. One day he came over to the house with some drugs and gave me the ins and the outs of the dope game. I thought my worries and struggles were over. I got to moving drugs and everything was alright for a 6 month period. After that the police raided my house and threw me in jail facing 50 years. I hired a lawyer and got the charges broken down. I ended up doing 2 ½ years in prison because I didn’t look at the whole picture when I was putting my life on the line. Now everything that’s presented to me, I look at with extra care.
Developer
“My second theme was developer, meaning to encourage others to be better than they think that they can, and always acknowledge any little achievements or steps that they have made, even when no one else sees these little improvements . . . My fiancé’s mother pointed out that when . . . my stepdaughter does some things that are wrong and her father gets mad at her about it, I always find something small that she did right and give her some acknowledgement about it . . . she takes what I have said and uses it to help her strive to do more right the next time.”
“At first reading I understood the developer to be a leader, which I am not. I am a worker, follower, and cheerleader. I love to encourage people to do the best that they can. I believe the potential in all of us is endless. Sometimes we just need a little push to get us to the next level. Little notes of encouragement, small rewards for achieving a goal, or just a hug for a job well done can do so much to make someone feel that they have accomplished something. Encouraging my children and husband if they have had a bad day or did not achieve what was expected of them can do so much for their ego and self-esteem. Knowing that I have helped someone achieve their goal gives me satisfaction.”
“Developer was chosen as my strongest theme. I realized at an early age my daughter was going to excel academically and that she needed my guidance along the way. Stefanne needed to be challenged at all times especially in a classroom setting. The teachers did not always agree with me. Stefanne was often put in time out for talking or not paying attention in class. Stefanne would become frustrated because she thought the teachers did not like her. She started to act out at home too. She wanted to stay home from pre-school on more than one occasion. I started working with her at home on raising her hand if she had something to say. I was happy the first day she brought home a note from the teacher saying she had behaved all day. It may not seem like a big deal, but it was for Stefanne and me. Stefanne started to excel far beyond my wildest expectations.”
Discipline
“The final signature theme I would like to discuss is Discipline. . . . my dislike of surprises or anything out of the ordinary, my impatience with mishaps, my daily routines, and my detail orientation does not need to be misinterpreted as controlling behaviors that ‘box people in.’ I feel that my discipline allows me to focus on not only bettering my life and staying focused, but it allows me to provide the necessary tools that I need to set an example for my daughter. . . .”
Empathy
“My number one is empathy, meaning having the ability to feel and understand others’ feelings, even without being or having been in the situation. . . In order to develop empathy more, I need to learn how to separate my own feelings from those feelings that I absorb from others. I often notice after talking to others about painful subjects, I often find myself feeling down as well afterwards. I need to help myself to establish borders of my own feelings and those of others.”
Focus
“I ask family and friends for help with my kids when I need to study, so I can really focus on my work because my grades and my future mean a lot to me. I realize that focus is not only very important for me, it will help me to succeed and it will help carry me through. I have a direction (a goal) that I am going to accomplish and nothing is going to get in my way and stop me. I will push harder and stay focused to achieve the things that I value.”
“My last signature theme is focus. With focus I use it to organize myself on a daily, even hourly basis. I have used focus to get as far as I have in school by setting goals and scheduling times to study. Focus has made me a very organized person.”
“My second talent is Focus. My husband actually hates this strength because I will get so focused on a project that I will not take a break for any reason for several hours until a task is complete.”
“My fourth strength surprised me the most. That strength being focus. It surprised me because; I don’t feel that focus is a strong suit of mine. The reason I feel that it is not a strength is that I have ADHD as well as a reading disability, so focus is very challenging for me. Unless it is something I can learn verbally or hands on, I struggle. For instance my class books I have on CD from the dyslexia foundation so that I can learn the material verbally. This class is an excellent example of a focus issue for me. This class is very challenging to me because there is a lot of reading and listening skills, which are difficult for someone like me. I have to work twice as hard to get the same amount of information as someone sitting next to me with no disabilities. So focus as a strength was a surprise, but, I guess I do use focus just in a very different way than most people do. Because, people who have ADHD are able to really tune into something they find interesting and shut everything else out. It’s like tunnel vision. With the object of your attention being at the end of the tunnel and you will work tirelessly to get there. Unfortunately, this kind of intense focus can backfire too. The ability to tune out everything else means you miss things too. Not intentionally the distraction part of my disability is not something I can control well. Being in college is a huge achievement for me. I guess I used my focus strength to get here and didn’t realize I had it. After all I’ve spent twelve years at school being told I can’t focus. Boy wouldn’t they be surprised to see my strength list!”
Futuristic
Futuristic is always going to in the plan of people who believe that anything is possible because it takes faith to see what tomorrow holds. . . . I can’t just walk in to a place without knowing where I am going. Where is my destiny?”
Harmony
“My top strength is harmony. People with harmony don’t like to be involved in conflicts with others but they also don’t like to see other people in conflict. They will try in any way to resolve the problems between two people. . . . I hate to see people fight. . . . An example would be when my boyfriend and are fighting, I usually give in and apologize even if I know it wasn’t my fault in the first place. When others or myself are involved in a conflict, it stresses me out. If two people I know are fighting, I will try and resolve their problem. But by doing this they sometimes see me as being nosey or trying to be in their business, which isn’t at all true, I just don’t want them to fight.”
Ideation
“Ideation is my second theme and this describes me as well. Because when I get to thinking, I get to thinking. All kinds of ideas just pop right up in my head about anything. I didn’t need a test to tell me I had a lot of ideas. I already had an idea of that.” (Justin Robichaud)
Includer
“Includer was my top theme. It pulls at my heartstrings to see someone on the outside wanting in. In the past, I have been placed in areas that emphasized this theme. This includes being a small group leader in women’s ministries and various bible studies. A circle of friends with different nationalities sounds exciting to me because I love the diversity. Mission work abroad brings me joy and is fulfilling because I am giving a part of myself to humanity. As a youth group leader, I was always looking for the ‘odd man out,’ wanting to start a conversation.”
“Finally, the includer will help me to be more aware of others. I will not leave anyone out. . . I don’t like to see people sitting on the side looking in. I have been there before and it’s not fun. I generally like just about everyone and want to include all kinds of people in my life.”
Individualization
N/A
Input
My first signature theme is input. That means that I am a very inquisitive person. I love to read and collect information. I never had a problem with remembering anything. If my sister-in-law sends my brother to the grocery store and I’m around, I have to go with him so he won’t forget what his wife wanted from the store. There have been many occasions where my brother and I talk sports or watch a game and I’ll just spill out player information like stats and alma maters. My brother always gets this look of surprise on his face because he can’t believe that I remember these things. I’m always surprised that he doesn’t know most of the things I know about sports because he’s only a year and a half younger than me.”
“My last theme . . .is the input theme. I collect information. I love to acquire new information. Often times, I will be in a group of friends and I will just sit and listen to what they have to say, because I want to hear what they have to say. I also like to people watch. The silent information that one can get from only sitting and watching people walk by. It intrigues me.”
Intellection
“Intellection is my fourth signature theme, which means that I enjoy mental activity. I was always the type of person who enjoyed exercising my brain with mental games that can increase my knowledge. I enjoy the challenge of learning new things and being able to think about those things. I enjoy sitting at home sometimes, just taking in the quiet and just thinking about anything.”
“I do think a lot. Some time alone so I can connect to the ‘inner being’ is something I do everyday. The thinkers of the world make things happen—thought is man’s gift.”
“I am a thinker. I have to take time to process and figure out what is going on before I act on it. . . .I can sit for hours and just think about how my children will grow up and become adults. I talk to myself all the time when I have a hard decision to make or a difficult problem to solve. . . . I think and ponder ways of making things in my life easier and happier for me so that everyone involved will be happier as well.”
Learner
“My first and most prominent theme is the Learner theme. I did not realize this trait until I started to attend college. While I was attending grade school, I was not too fond of school. I was graduated from high school for five years before I started college. Now that I am here, I realize that I really love to learn. It is like I cannot get enough information. I feel like a knowledge addict. While attending college, I feel that I will be able to start developing this theme into a strength. The more that I learn, the easier it is to keep learning. Being a learner has many advantages. One of them is being able to learn on the job. I am getting my degree in computer networking. In the fast-paced, always changing field of information technology, learning is the key to staying in demand. I feel that having the learner theme will help me in college because I truly enjoy learning. It isn’t a struggle for me to pick up my book and start reading something new. . . . I do not think that a person can go a day without learning something new, and I have the constant drive to keep learning.”
Maximizer
“Maximizer: Visions of my childhood playing ball in the park—you would try to pick individual talent to make a good team. Each boy had strength, speed, quickness, power, and intelligence—put it all together and you have a competitive team. Maximizer reveals why I was a trainer at work. Everyone was good at something. I would start from their strong point or strength and build from there; success would come much easier.”
Positivity
“My final Strengths Quest theme is Positivity. My family tells me that I am the glue that holds them together because I am always upbeat, always seeking the positive side of all situations. I have the tendency to tell when people are stressing and always telling them to take a step back, take a deep breath, count to ten, and it will get better. I awake in the morning with the attitude God has granted me another day, and I truly do not want to miss a minute of it! I feel that this can help me not only deal with patients and their families, but with my co-workers to help make a better working environment for all.”
“Smiling is important to me. . . . There is something magical in a smile. I guess that is why I love doing it. Not only do I love to smile, but I love making others smile. I’ve been told that I have a very easy going, laid-back personality. I get much pleasure from making others feel good. I have a thirteen year old son who I find myself praising a lot. Whether at one of his basketball games shouting out, ‘Go son!’ or cracking a joke, I try to always think positively about every situation. I do this because I know life has a way of putting a person through adversity and tough times. Anytime I can lighten a mood while putting a smile on a person’s face, creating laughter, I can honestly say that I feel at my best during those moments. Positivity, my fourth theme, clearly describes my personality and way of life.”
Relator
“I am a relator! I do take my relationships with others seriously. I enjoy having a relationship with my teachers (that’s why long distance learning is not for me), friends, and family. I am serious about keeping a close bond with those around me and that’s why I think I am so easy to get along with.”
“For a relator, a relationship has value only if it is genuine. . . . I value the relationships that I have with male and female friends. I want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams, and I also expect for them to understand mine.”
“My last and final theme is relator. This theme is about my attitude with relationships. I love relationships. I like to be around my friends and do things with them. I also love intimacy. Those things are beautiful, but only if they are real. I lose a lot of respect for people posing to be something they are not and I opened up a little to them. I hate when people do that. Or someone will get close to you to find out something, then they go behind your back and assassinate your character. You will lose some major cool points with me if you do any of these things. That’s why I hang out with people who knew me before I was grown. They know me and I know them. There is no confusion in that because I’ve known all of my close friends for over 15 years. I don’t care about meeting new people, I just don’t like the risks that are involved. Plus I’ve been burned a time or two in my life.”
Responsibility
“Responsibility is my fifth strength. . . . If I make a commitment to do something, I will do everything in my power to follow through with it. I have built a reputation for myself and lots of people depend on me to get things done. There are times when I find I have overextended myself and need to find alternatives to get things done. But, they always get done. I have built a lot of trust with people I work with. They know projects will get done, and I do not need anyone standing over my shoulder to make sure it happens. This was a big lesson to teach my children. They were taught to never commit to something they were not going to finish. I do not agree with part of the explanation of responsibility that this is an obsession and not being able to live with myself until I make amends. I just consider this to be a rule of thumb. If you are going to commit to something, make sure it can be done and just do it.”
“My home was a place of falsehoods, deceptions, and empty promises. I learned early that I could count on no one but myself. Anything that was said or promised was said with the same value as someone saying, ‘Pass the salt.’ My response was to always do as I said I would do. Always mean what I would say, . . .Taking responsibility for my actions and what I said became very important to me. Keeping my word, was a great responsibility, and I took it seriously.”
“Have you ever heard the old saying, ‘You are only as good as your word?’ That is truly how I feel. I believe that I have this conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right. . . people will look to me first because they know the job will get done. . . I believe that my willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead me to take on more than I should, but I feel that I reward myself by the outcome of the completion of the extra task that I may have chosen.”
Restorative
“I am a problem solver. Always have been always will be. I strive on solving hard problems, not just for myself, but for others as well. I think about how I would handle the situation and offer my opinion to others. Whether they run with it is totally up to them. I also tell them ‘I told you so’ when they come back to me and say ‘I should have done what you suggested.’ Being able to analyze a situation and come up with an easier way of doing something gives me satisfaction.”
“My next theme is restorative. Although I am not energized by breakdowns and mishaps, I do think of ways to tackle a situation. . . .When life’s obstacles are thrown by way, I just take it in and do as I can to benefit others. I keep moving forward and helping others along the way because that’s who I’ve become to be.”
“My next theme is restorative. That means that I love to solve problems. There’s no better feeling to me than to overcome an obstacle nobody thought could be overcome. To be honest, I never really look at the problems, I look at getting past it. Dwelling on the problem isn’t going to help you solve it. That’s only going to sow seeds of doubt in your head. When you look at the problem the first thing you’re going to think about is how big it is. That’s why I just attack the problems that I’m faced with. . . What’s funny is a lot of people bring their problems to me, especially my brothers. They’re always bringing their relationship problems to me. I try to help the best way I can, but they seem to forget that I don’t have a girlfriend or any kids.”
Self Assurance
“My next theme is the Self-Assurance theme. I can see this trait in myself because I feel that I do have good judgment. I can see the right path in live. I know that I can honestly do anything that I set my mind to.”
Significance
“Finally, there is the fifth and final talent on my top five list. This is ‘significance.’ This is really true and should have been in the top two in my opinion. I like to stand out and be heard. This is why I like to teach martial arts. . . . When I was in high school, I was considered a nerd and no one gave me any attention unless they were beating me up and putting me in a trash can. Now when I am teaching, I tell a command and I have five to ten people listening and doing what I tell them to do. This makes me feel proud and great about myself, and then when a student learns his or her new form, that really gives me a great feeling and sense of accomplishment. I have helped change a student’s way of learning for the better.”
Strategic
I look for ways that would help me accomplish things faster and successfully. These ways have learning paths that help me to improve, get better, and have more knowledge. The best example for this strength would be my process to get the residence of the United States. My application was received, I have been approved, but not for the residence, it is just a waiting list. This course of action will make me wait three to four more years to officially start the process, which will last anywhere from two to three more years. Meanwhile I am not able to freely work at any place, but. . . I have devoted my time . . .to volunteering doing what I like by teaching and helping [others] in whatever I can. . . which I know will help me to be a better teacher.”
“Strategic helps me to see potential obstacles and sort through the clutter to find the best route. I feel like I am always asking ‘what if.” . . . I sit and ponder selections until I come to a chosen path (strategy) and with that in mind, I strike forward. This theme helps me with making goals and achieving them.”
“I like to think of myself as a strategic person. One of my main goals was to be the first person in my family to attend college and obtain a degree. Before choosing Ivy Tech Community College as my school of choice, I sat and made a list of my career interests, work schedule, income and obligations. Once I decided, I never second guessed myself. I knew that I was taking on a huge challenge, but I was confident that I would achieve my goal. Life has taught me many lessons. One of the main lessons I’ve learned was that things won’t always go my way. I mentally prepared myself for whatever adversity I would face throughout my educational experiences. . . . I was taught since childhood, if one door is closed, another one will open. Before entering into any situation, I try to think of any alternate routes that could help me achieve my goal the quickest.”
Woo
“My fifth strength is WOO which means winning others over. A person with WOO loves the adventure of meeting new people. They take satisfaction from breaking the ice with strangers and making a common connection. . . . I have been to many gatherings with friends, and they always ask if I will be o.k. not knowing anybody. I always am, in fact, I usually have a better time not knowing anybody.”
“Sometimes when I’m around people, I get an adrenaline rush. When I came to Ivy Tech to enroll in classes, I was elated. Just being around other people who were continuing their education like me was fun! Since we all had the same common goal, it made it easier for me to kick off a conversation. . . . I enjoy learning people’s names and a little bit about that person’s interests. To me getting to know other people is getting to know myself.”
“. . . I feel my next theme, WOO accurately describes my personality. Since a child, I’ve always made friends everywhere I went. It has always been important to me that I am liked. I frequent a local sports bar here in town called Buffalo Wild Wings. I’m known by nearly all of the staff and many customers. It’s kind of funny how I work my way around the room chatting with friends I’ve made acquaintance with, management, the owner, and even the cooking staff. Everyone knows me on a first name basis. I’ve also networked and met a lot of prominent figures living in South Bend. I’ve met doctors, lawyers, dentists, business owners, to name a few. . . . Few things get me more excited than walking into a crowded room unknown, yet leaving known.”
We are at our best when our bucket is overflowing and at our worst when it is empty. In any and every interaction we can dip from other's buckets making them feel bad and despaired, or we can dip to fill their bucket, making them feel uplifted. When we fill other's buckets, we also fill our own. The book goes on to discuss the affects of positive and negative interaction. 
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