Activator: An Activator is impatient for things to happen. Her belief is that action, and only action, will make things happen.
You can tell a person strong in Activator by these attributes (source: Dr. Hulme, APU):
- Turn ideas into actions
- Impatient with talking about doing things— wants to do them now
- Powerful force in making things happen
- Action is the best method for learning— learn by doing
More about Activator:
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- Needs on a team: To learn by doing
- As a Leader: Make things happen
- In Conflict: Can be impatient
- Partner with: Focus, Strategic, Futuristic, Analytical
- Partner with someone with a strong Strategic or Analytical theme. This person can help you see how high the cliff is before you fall off it.
- In academics:
– loves to learn by doing – courses with hands-on activities, lots of class participation, experiential learning – avoid classes that are all lecture or with a rigid syllabus – find profs that allow optional assignments
Where does Activator Theme rank in the population?
- Overall, Activator ranks 28th, occurring in around 10% of the population’s Top Five (9% of Females and 9% of Males)
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Out of your Top 5 CliftonStrengths, it’s statistically:
- most likely to appear with Strategic, Positivity and Woo
- least likely to be found with Developr or Consistency
The genius of your Activator talent begins with the concept of action. You want action and you can make things happen. Most of all, the genius of your activator talent gives you the ability to see howto make things happen. Whereas others have ideas that only swim around in their minds, you can quickly see how to turn ideas into actions, programs, and services. This points to the greatest aspect of the genius of your Activator talent. You are creative and very innovative. Finally, you have a tremendous amount of motivation, energy and personal power when it comes to taking an idea and then putting it into action. You are particularly motivated to be innovative in turning your ideas into action, programs, and services. You are a dynamo in turning ideas into actions that generate revolutionary changes.
At your best (Balcony):
- self-starter, fire-starter, energy source, fearless
At your worst (Basement):
- ready-fire-aim, loose cannon, speak before you think, in left field (because others haven’t caught up)
Activator may be one of your signature themes if…
- You are always ready to start a new project and find yourself impatient for action.
- Analysis generally bores you, even though you understand debate and discussion has its place.
- You are not deterred by the unknown, but rather thrive on performance and results.
- You feel action is the best way to learn and grow.
- You stay fresh and informed by putting yourself out there and taking the next step.
- You understand we are judged, not by what we say, but by what we do – and you are ready to act!
- Source: Let’s Talk Personality
A more detailed explanation from Gallup:
“When can we start?” This is a recurring question in your life. You are impatient for action. You may concede that analysis has its uses or that debate and discussion can occasionally yield some valuable insights, but deep down you know that only action is real. Only action can make things happen. Only action leads to performance. Once a decision is made, you cannot not act. Others may worry that “there are still some things we don’t know,” but this doesn’t seem to slow you. If the decision has been made to go across town, you know that the fastest way to get there is to go stoplight to stoplight. You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. This learning informs your next action and your next. How can you grow if you have nothing to react to? Well, you believe you can’t. You must put yourself out there. You must take the next step. It is the only way to keep your thinking fresh and informed. The bottom line is this: You know you will be judged not by what you say, not by what you think, but by what you get done. This does not frighten you. It pleases you.
Action Items for This Theme
- Seek work in which you can make your own decisions and act upon them. In particular, look for start-up or turn-around situations.
- Take responsibility for your intensity by always asking for action when you are a part of a group.
- To avoid conflict later, ensure that your manager judges you on measurable outcomes rather than your process. Your process is not always pretty.
- Prepare a simple explanation as to why any decision, even the wrong one, will help you learn, and therefore will make the next decision more informed. Use it when people challenge you and tell you to slow down.
- Try to work only on committees that are action-oriented. Much committee work might prove very boring for you.
Be ready to:
- Give the reasons why your requests for action must be granted; otherwise, others might dismiss you as impatient and label you a “ready, fire, aim” person.
- Recognize that your “pushiness” might sometimes intimidate others.
- Partner with someone with a strong Strategic or Analytical theme. This person can help you see how high the cliff is before you fall off it.
- Avoid activity for activity’s sake. If you want people to join in your activity, you will need to provide them with a purpose for their actions.
- The Clifton StrengthsFinder and the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are protected by copyright of Gallup Inc., 2000. All rights reserved.
A fantastic website with insightful discussion of Activator, including
- Building your brand through this strengths
- Strengthening your performance at work
- Tips for managing someone with this strengths
- Partnering with someone with this strength
More ideas on going deeper:
- Gallup on How You Can Productively Aim Your Activator Talents
- Many universities use the StrengthsQuest Workbook to help you build relationships, more effectively study and find meaning in what you do.
- South Mountain Community College offers up ideas on Applying your Talents in Career Discovery and Applying your Talents in Academics
- Western Texas tells us about Using your Strengths In the Job Search, Interview and New Position
- Weber State University has posted action plan worksheets for each of Gallup’s 34 strengthsfinder talents.
THEME INSIGHTS:
- I am (Belong) ———-> Impatient with inactivity
- I will (Doing) ———-> Create momentum
- I Bring (Contribution) ———-> A catalytic sense of urgency
- I Need (Requirement) ———-> Less discussion, more action
- I Love (Value) ———-> Initiation, Instigation
- I Hate (Value) ———-> Waiting, wasting time
- Metaphor/Image ———-> Getting out of the blocks quickly
- Barrier Label ———-> Leaps before looking
THEME CONTRAST:
- Activator: There is no substitute for action
- Intellection: There is no substitute fort thinking
- Activator: Do it until you get it right
- Deliberative: Do it when you get it right
- Season 1: Loving Your Theme
- Season 2: Theme Dynamics
- Season 3: Strengths Based Leadership
- Season 4:Focusing on Success
- Season 5: Highlights From Your CliftonStrengths 34 Report
- Season 6: Developing Teams and Managers
- Highly recommended: Utilize the Called to Coach worksheet for Activator as you listen.
- Mastery Monday: Understanding Activator
- Mastery Monday: Productive Aiming: Activator (2018)
Podcast episodes to help you understand and leverage your Activator Strength
- Episode 1: Turning Ideas into Action – “The Tim Ferriss Show”
- Episode 2: Strategies for Jumpstarting Projects – “The Tony Robbins Podcast”
- Episode 3: Overcoming Procrastination and Taking the First Step – “The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes”
- Episode 4: The Power of Starting Now – “The Brendon Show”
- Episode 5: Igniting Change and Momentum – “The Art of Charm”
- Episode 6: Empowering Women to Take Action – “The Brave Exchange” (Host: Laura Poburan)
- Episode 7: Women Who Activate Change – “The Goal Standard Podcast” (Host: Arianna Huffington)
Listen to great Strengths Podcasts
- Theme addicts is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment through interviews and discussions.
- Lead through your strengths features many interesting guests and Career Q and A about leverage your strengths at work.
- Maximize Your Strengths features interviews and discussion on developing your strengths. She really drills into each of the themes by interviewing real people on how a specific theme shows up in their lives.
- Called to Coach is a webcast resource for those who want to help others discover and use their strengths. We have Gallup experts and independent strengths coaches share tactics, insights and strategies to help coaches maximize the talent of individuals, teams and organizations around the world.
- ISOGO TV promises a lot: So dramatically increase your energy and decrease your frustration at work, that you cannot help but take the Strengths paradigm home to your family. Fueling life-changing stories.
- The True Strength Podcast by Ian Pettigrew (Kingfisher Coaching) features inspiring true stories of how people succeed through applying their strengths and being resilient. It often includes a Gallup StrengthsFinder profile.
- If you are looking to identify and develop your strengths and talents, take calculated risks and make decisions, The Strengths Revolution with Steve Morgan will help your personal development, as well as helping you support your clients, employees, teams and wider organisations. Knowing your strengths will also support positive risk-taking and decision making as part of good risk management.
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Sources:
- Balconies and Basements
- Leadership, team and conflict
- The Genius and Beauty of Strengths
- Strengths-based academic Advising
- Strengths partnerships
Read more: http://www.strategicleadershipinstitute.net/instruments/strengthsfinder-assessment/