Zero to Dangerous - Workbooks
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Harnessing Your Strengths and Invisible Skills

You cannot be anything you want to be but you can be a whole lot more of who you already are ~ Tom Rath, Strengths Finder 2.0
 
 

Table of Contents

 

Key Takeaways

  1. Discovering The Latent Leverage within You
  1. An Epidemic of Strengths Estrangement
  1. Our Amygdala Directs Attention to Weaknesses Not Strengths
  1. This Evolutionary Protection Mechanism Is Blocking Peak Performance
  1. Why Is a Strengths-Based Approach to Development So Important?
 

Exercises

1. Build Your Baseball Card with Strengths Assessments

Here the idea is to take a blend of the different strength conceptualizations of which there are many, and take them and gradually layer that information into a baseball card of yourself that profiles out your own strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. See Lesson Resources for examples of Strengths Assessments.
notion image
Your notes

2. The Buckingham Strengths Finder Reflection

A strength is a function that you can perform that meets the following criteria:
  • You are great at it, not just “good”
  • Anticipating the activity arouses excitement and positive emotion
  • You find it easy to drop into flow when performing the function
  • Performing the function energizes and invigorates yo
Your notes
 
Exercise:
notion image
Your notes

3. The Million Dollar Question

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“How would you engage yourself daily if money was infinite?”
For accuracy: Untether the strength from the application of the strength.
Your notes

Bonus Exercises

The Linley Strengths Spotting Protocol:
Childhood memories: What do you remember doing as a child that you still do now - but most likely much better? Strengths often have deep roots from our earlier lives.
Energy: What activities give you an energetic buzz when you are doing them? These activities are very likely calling on your strengths.
Authenticity: When do you feel most like the “real you”? The chances are that you will be using your strengths in some way.
Ease: See what activities come naturally to you, and at which you excel - sometimes, it seems, without even trying. These will likely be your strengths.
Attention: See where you naturally pay attention. You’re more likely to focus on things that are playing to your strengths.
Rapid Learning: What are the things that you have picked up quickly, learning them almost effortlessly? Rapid learning often indicates an underlying strength.
Motivation: What motivates you? When you find activities that you do simply for the love of doing them, they are likely to be working from your strengths.
Voice: Monitor your tone of voice. When you notice a shift in passion, energy, and engagement, you’re probably talking about a strength.
Words and Phrases: Listen to the words you use. When you’re saying “I love to…” or “It’s just great when…,” the chances are that it’s a strength to which you are referring.
“To do” lists: Notice the things that never make it onto your “to do” list. These things that always seem to get done often reveal an underlying strength that means we never need to be asked twice.

Glossary

Strengths: Strengths are defined as “a pre-existing capacity for a particular way of behaving, thinking, or feeling that is authentic and energizing to the user, and enables optimal functioning, development, and performance”
 
 

Lesson Resources

  1. The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence by Josh Waitzkin
  1. Character Strengths and Virtues, By Martin E.P. Seligman and Christopher Peterson
  1. Flourish, by Martin Seligman
  1. The Business Case for Strengths, TED By Marcus Buckingham
  1. Strength Conceptualizations Here the idea is to take a blend of the different strength conceptualizations of which there are many, and take them and gradually layer that information into a baseball card of yourself that profiles out your own strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. There are many measurements and definitions of strengths—they all have different levels of research and utility. Take a blend and decide what’s useful.
    1. Big 5
    2. Myers Briggs
    3. Via
    4. Enneagram
 
© THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
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