Truthfully, they actually do matter…I exaggerated a bit to get your attention.
Did it work?
Good.
I have, however, noticed a growing trend that bothers me enough to warrant a few paragraphs of my thoughts…
In many circles, personality tests like Strength Finders, DISC, and others have gained traction over the years. Recently, we’ve been taught and urged to give these tests a lot of credit when making decisions and interacting with people.
Full disclosure: I love these tests. They are extremely helpful, and as a matter of fact, at my current job, I was hired partially because one of my profiles fit the team dynamic at this organization very well. 4.5 years later, I would say there was truth to that particular test.
BUT…
I’ve noticed a large number of young people put a lot of stock in these tests, in an unhealthy way.
Have you ever taken Strength Finders? It’s a really good one. I love it.
You buy a book about leadership and personality strengths, and at the end of the book is a code that unlocks a pretty robust and comprehensive online test. You follow the prompts, and 45 minutes later it spits out a PDF of your profile – your top 5 strengths that you bring to a team dynamic, organization, ministry, or work environment.
Occasionally, the test seems to dispense something else along with the results…
Entitlement.
There occasionally seems to be a mindset that I’ve picked up on that appears, in my opinion, to be counterintuitive to personal growth and leadership.
We can become so hyper focused on our strengths that we isolate ourselves from performing any tasks that don’t line up in one of the 5 categories of our profile.
“I really shouldn’t do that, it’s not my strength.”
Really?
Or is that a cop-out to avoid work you don’t necessarily enjoy?
I see tasks not executed with excellence because the skills necessary don’t fall in a person’s strength finder test.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in being efficient and in maximizing work by putting the right people in the right places (John Maxwell’s teaching on Ducks vs Eagles comes to mind)…
…But sometimes to do things well and perform on a high level, it just takes buckling down and making it work, figuring it out, and stretching outside of the comfort zone of your “strengths”.
I’ve been fortunate to be partnered up in life with some incredible minds, and I’m having a blast using my creativity and technology skills to help start and grow several side businesses in just the past couple of years. I love the aspects of creative problem solving, digital products, creating something people want and use, brand storytelling, and strategically unpacking people’s ideas.
You know what I’m not good at?
Paperwork, numbers, and dealing with mundane tasks.
Do you know what each of these few ventures have required a lot more of than I expected?
Paperwork, numbers, and dealing with mundane tasks.
I don’t know what Strengths those fit under, but I don’t have it. It’s probably right down there at the very bottom, right below the other little known Strength I don’t have: “patience for eating with people who chew loudly”.
The point is, if you’re really doing work that matters to you, and you’re really passionate about what you’re doing, and if God has assigned you to this work…
…in some seasons or tasks, your “strengths” will be irrelevant, and “getting stuff done” needs to override the test results.
Take the tests. Learn your skills, grow in your strengths, and sharpen your God-given abilities.
BUT…
Don’t limit yourself or put a ceiling on what you’re capable of because of what you feel like you’re gifted at or what a personality profile tells you. Sometimes, you are most valuable to the marketplace when you’re flexible and adaptable.