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1-Page Summary of Strengthsfinder 2.0
Overview
StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a book by author, researcher and speaker Tom Rath. It’s about helping people identify their strengths so that they can do better in life.
Many people are focused on weaknesses, not strengths. For example, if a student is bad at math, they spend more time on that subject than one in which they’re strong. This is true for entertainment as well. There are many movies about underdogs who have to fight their way to success rather than developing their natural talents. Even modern language focuses more on weakness and problems than it does positive attributes and strengths.
Research shows that modern workers are unhappy at work. They feel like their bosses focus too much on their weaknesses and not enough on their strengths. This leads to employees who don’t want to go to work, coworkers who don’t get along with each other, and less productivity during the day.
Everyone has talents and abilities. When you identify your strengths, it’s easier to use them to your advantage. Dr. Donald O Clifton conducted 100,000 interviews with people in an attempt to find a way of measuring talent. This led him to the 34 themes that are the basis of StrengthsFinder tests on his website, which gives users ideas for how they can use their strengths more effectively in their lives.
Key Takeaways
People tend to focus on problems and weaknesses rather than strengths. This can lead to unhappiness, as well as health issues. The author suggests that people should be taught at a young age to focus on their natural talents rather than fix their weaknesses. He believes this is the best way for people to find success in life. StrengthsFinder measures talent instead of strengths; therefore, when different types of talented individuals work together they are more likely to succeed in finding what career path suits them best.
Ideally, a person should only work on their strengths. However, sometimes it is necessary to learn how to work with your weaknesses as well.
Just like we have weaknesses, we also have strengths. It’s important to identify those strengths so that we can use them effectively in our work and personal lives.
Key Takeaway 1: Focus on human weaknesses has become a global obsession.
In today’s world, we focus too much on people’s weaknesses. For example, if you look at any tabloid magazine or surf the internet, you’ll see a lot of criticism. People criticize celebrities for not having enough talent and making bad career choices. Parents are criticized for allowing their children to play outside or being overprotective. CEOs of technology companies are criticized for being selfish and not generous enough with donations to charity.
Labels have created a whole new language. In the modern world, there are labels for every aspect of society. Even in psychology, diseases are labeled based on certain weaknesses and personality flaws from the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). However, this is changing thanks to a group of scientists who want to focus less on weaknesses and more on strengths. That’s where Strength-based Psychology comes into play.
Key Takeaway 2: Not living a life based on strengths can lead to unhappiness and the potential for health problems.
Many workers are unhappy in their jobs. This is often caused by managers who focus too much on weaknesses and ignore strengths, leading to poor performance and high turnover.
When a person is unhappy with their job, it can cause stress. Stress can lead to many health problems, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders and burnout. Stress also causes high blood pressure which leads to heart problems. It weakens the immune system leading to more frequent illness. Stress upsets the digestive system causing chronic heartburn and indigestion.
