The way we behave in various life situations most often than not can be aligned with bunch of models that have been established last century. To understand myself better I've decided to take a couple of tests to clearly determine who I really am and why I behave that way? I hope it will also improve my career and makes me better at everything I do.
CliftonStrengths/Gallup
CliftonStrengths test showed me that my top 5 strengths are:
- Harmony (a relationship building theme)
- Restorative (an executing theme)
- Significance (an influencing theme)
- Focus (an executing theme)
- Competition (an influencing theme)
Awesome. But what does it actually mean?
- Because of Harmony I look for consensus, don't enjoy conflict; rather, I seek areas of agreement.
- Because of Restorative, I am adept at dealing with problems. I am good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.
- Because of Significance, I want to make a big impact. I am independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have on organization or people around me.
- Because of Focus, I can take a direction, follow through and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. I prioritize, then act.
- Because of Competition, I measure my progress against the performance of others. I strive to win first place and revel in contests.
Few resources to get more into details with those strengths:
- The Harmony Theme: How You Can Productively Aim Your CliftonStrengths Talent
- The Restorative Theme: How You Can Productively Aim Your CliftonStrengths Talent
- How You Can Productively Aim Your Significance Talents
- The Focus Theme: How You Can Productively Aim Your CliftonStrengths Talent
- How You Can Productively Aim Your Competition Talents
16 Personalities
Another test - Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - showed me, that I am: INFJ-T (Advocate)
What does it mean?
By test page:
An Advocate is someone with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits. They tend to approach life with deep thoughtfulness and imagination. Their inner vision, personal values, and a quiet, principled version of humanism guide them in all things.
Additional T suffix stands from Turbulent which means I am likely to question myself more and are ordinarily more sensitive to stressors.
specific strengths & weaknesses according to this personality:
- Strengths
- Creative
- Insightful
- Principled
- Passionate
- Altruistic
- Weaknesses
- Sensitive to Criticism
- Reluctant to Open Up
- Perfectionistic
- Avoiding the Ordinary
- Prone to Burnout
Advocates' gifts include idealism, determination, and the ability to envision a better future – but they don’t just want to hear what makes them great. Advocates are committed to actually using these gifts to become better people and serve a greater purpose in this world.
Also:
Nothing lights up Advocates like changing someone else’s life for the better.
DiSC
My personal DiSC style is: C/S
What does it mean?
- Compliant
- Cautious
- Careful
- Conscientious
- Calculating
- Condescending
- Steady
- Stable
- Supportive
- Sincere
- Slow
- Sensitive
- Conscientiousness
- Analytical
- Reserved
- Precise
- Private
- Systematic
- Steadiness
- Even-tempered
- Accommodating
- Patient
- Humble
- Tactful
What motivates me? I will probably enjoy many of the following aspects of work:
- Catching errors or flaws in design
- Maintaining high standards
- Bringing order to a project
- Supporting people when they face a challenge
- Solving problems through logic
- Providing in-depth analysis
- Ensuring accuracy and precision
- Working steadily toward a goal
- Being an expert
So what is stressing me out?
- Working without clear guidelines
- Making decisions without time for analysis
- Having to mingle with strangers
- Dealing with a chaotic environment
- Being wrong or unprepared
- Dealing with emotional or erratic people
- Operating in a political atmosphere
- Being forceful or insistent
- Initiating change and taking risks
Summaray of that DiSC
My priorities: ensuring accuracy, maintaining stability, challenging assumptions, giving support, enjoying collaboration I am motivated by: opportunities to use expertise or gain knowledge, attention to quality, stable environments, sincere appreciation, cooperation, opportunities to help I am afraid of: criticism, slipshod methods, being wrong, loss of stability, change, loss of harmony, offending others My limitations: overly critical, tendency to overanalyze, isolates self, overly accommodating, tendency to avoid change, indecisiveness Other things that describes me: precision, analysis, skepticism, reserve, quiet, patience, team player, calm approach, good listener, humility
The Four Tendencies - Obliger
Yet another label I am sticking to is taken from the book "The Four Tendencies" by Gretchen Rubin.
Shortly, it means that I am described as: "Meets outer expectations, resists inner expectations" which is nothing more than making others happy before myself.
What does it mean?
- Reliable
- Responsible
- Easy to get along with
- Not following through with own goals
- Overwork & Burnout
- 'Obliger Rebellion'
Summary
According to the results it's clearly seen that I'm not a hustle culture member, even if I would like to be like that.
The biggest challenge will be following what I learned about myself to improve my work(flow) to become better software developer, to use my strenghts to the fullest and understand weaknesses to make the world a better place, not just for myself.