StandOut Read Online Free Page B

standout.tmbc.com , input your key, and the assessment will begin. You’ll hear me asking you each question—we added this feature to encourage in you a more immediate response— the “gate” will open, and your four options will appear. Read them quickly—the timer in the center of the screen will show you how much time you have left—and then allow your instincts to guide your choice. You have fifteen minutes. Good luck. I hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 3

The Nine Strengths Roles
     
ADVISOR
     
CONNECTOR
     
CREATOR
     
EQUALIZER
     
INFLUENCER
     
PIONEER
     
PROVIDER
     
STIMULATOR
     
TEACHER
     

 
    ADVISOR
     
    The Definition
     
    You begin by asking, “What is the best thing to do?” and your thrill comes from knowing that you are the person others turn to for the answer. You don’t necessarily want to be the person who actually makes the changes happen. Rather, being valued by others for your insight and your judgment is what excites you. Since you love to be the expert, you are constantly on the lookout for information that will help people make better decisions. When you look out at the world, you pay attention to fine shadings of detail because these details will ensure that you give better advice. You know that the best advice is never general, but rather is tailored to the unique characteristics of the person’s situation.
    You can be demanding and opinionated, but above all you are discriminating: “good enough” is never good enough for you. There is always a better way, a better arrangement, a better solution, and you come alive when you are called upon to find it. And when you do, you don’t question your decision. The reason people seek your advice is precisely because you are so assured, so confident in your intuition. Instinctively you know this, and you’re proud of it.

You, at Your Most Powerful
     
• You are connected to someone else through the advice you are giving. In fact, your advice is how you connect with other people.
     
• You are a practical, concrete thinker. You think in terms of “steps” and “modules.” The language you use is: “Here are the steps I recommend.” “Write down these tips.” “Here are the materials I’ve developed.”
     
• You are a problem solver. You are not fazed by complex situations, because when faced with a challenge, you break it down into its component parts. You are a sequential thinker, someone who excels at “delayering” problems, “unstacking” them.
     
• You ask lots of questions because the answer can be found in the details of the situation. You are intrigued by the detail of other people’s plans, problems, lives. You are not voyeuristic—voyeurism is too passive. But you can be nosy.
     
• You like distinctions between two things that seem quite similar. These distinctions help you know how to choose which path to take—“Take this one, not that one.”
     
• You are very respectful of other experts. Experts are able to see fine distinctions, and you respect distinctions.
     
• You are not intrigued by the future or by novelty merely for the sake of it (unless your second strengths Role is Pioneer). Nonetheless you can be innovative, because your question is always “What is the best thing to do?” or “What will work?” and sometimes this leads you to solutions that haven’t been tried before. As such, you are not tied down to existing ways of doing things.
     
• When you write something you feel compelled to think about the person on the receiving end of what you are writing. You think not in terms of “Here is an idea I’d like to present,” but rather in terms of “ You should do this . . .” You like being seen as the expert. You like being needed in this way. When people say, “You have such great insight. You give me such a useful perspective on my situation,” this is the highest of praise.
     
• You are never stumped. You always think you have a solution, a way forward. Other