Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63180 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-31
• Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews

Identifying Talents, Not "Becoming Anything You Want to Be"
We have all heard the adage that, if you work hard enough, you can become anything you want to be. Rath challenges this. We all have different strengths, and very seldom is someone very successful in something that is not his/her strength. Don't follow the path of greatest resistance!

Rath criticizes the widespread societal practice on dwelling on failure instead of success. For instance, there is excessive attention paid to poor grades in school instead of to the good ones. He also believes that talents are innate, and change little through life. He even cites a study (p. 18) that indicates that the child's personality traits at age 3 are very similar to those at age 26.

After extensive research, the Gallup Organization developed a list consisting of 34 common talents, each of which is described in this book in a separate chapter. I will briefly describe a few of them. A person with the Analytical talent is good at picking apart ideas, projects, etc., not to destroy them but to make them work better. He/she would do well in marketing, database management, or medical research. A person with the Intellection talent likes mental activity. He or she would do well in studies of philosophy, literature, or psychology. The Learner constantly wants to learn something. He/she might learn best by teaching.

Evidently, this book has hit the chord. It has been a bestseller for many years, has been translated into several languages, and has been used by businesses, schools, community groups, etc.

Building a Business from Your Strengths
I am a psychologist-coach. Having worked as a psychologist for 13 years I have found this book extremely useful in helping people to build a stronger sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. The reason it is so useful is that it is based upon real strengths grounded in fact. The research to establish this tool is very solid. The Gallup organization used a large sample of people to assess diverse strengths. Large corporations pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $1500 for 34 strengths top to bottom. With this tool generally less than $21 you get your top 5 strengths. This can help people develop a business and a career around their strengths. It is also very useful in helping people to develop a team around talents. I use it constantly in my coaching practice[...] and my business community building[...]. It can also help you with guiding your young adults into careers that make sense. Enjoy!
Charles Shinaver, PhD

Work from strength.
How much time, money and anguish have you invested improving your worst skill-sets? Welcome to Strengthsfinder! It takes the opposite track by helping you develop your chi through strength identification. We all have weaknesses; that can't be avoided, but we only enhance our opportunities for success through talent improvement. See for yourself, take the online questionnaire and chart a personal course of advancement. Remember, truth makes the Strengthfinder assessment remarkably accurate. It's worthwhile and enlightening.