Discover Your Strengths, Now

Taking the strengthsfinder inventory is fun. I learned some things about myself. You have to be honest when you answer the questions, so if you don't know yourself or have a false self-concept, the results are invalid though--that's a drawback for any self-report instrument. It would be better if you could take the test yourself and then have your spouse/partner and/or a close friend to complete it as well, responding to the questions with you in mind---then you could compare the results and be more assured about the profile. Of course the main drawback is the price of the book. I'd have purchased several copies for my friends had the price been lower. (You know how the joke goes: How many copies of a self-help book does a co-dependent buy? Two--one for herself and one for a friend) Overall, I had a great experience with the book and strengthsfinder.

This book provides some key insights, but is a bit thin in relevant content - especially for those looking to leverage strengths.
Some of the books solid points:
1 - Focusing on strengths is a contratrian idea in many companies, and it is very important for people to know that focusing on their strong spots is up to them.
2 - The online survey is a very informative tool - perhaps the most useful diagnosis I've taken. After using it, you'll say, "Wow, that makes sense!"
3 - The book should open your mind as a manager to staffing, leadership and development opportunities.
Weak spots - even if we're not supposed to focus on them :-):
1 - With the descriptions spread over so many strengths, the reader is left with a lot of fluff and unread material if they're focusing on self development.
2 - The book tends to be written as a group of large lists, with detail on each strength. A theory tying them together would be helpful for putting it into practice. The average manager is hard pressed to use such a thick catalogue.
3 - Fixating on 5 strengths seems a bit restrictive. Maybe some people have 3 or 4 or 6? It would be useful if the tool could give relative weights or scores on them as well.
In summary, the book is best used as a survey for folks interested in a self assessment. More depth (a follow-up book?) is needed to put the ideas into general practice.

Bought the book for a leadership class, definitely a helpful tool for developing yourself as a leader. Even more importantly the seller included a hand written note thanking me for the purchase and I really appreciated it.

I purchased this book used through the store only to discover that for the book to be useful, you have to do an online Strength Finder Profile. The problem is that each book contains a SINGLE code that is only good for ONE USER! So if the original book owner used the code, you won't be able to, and the majority of the book will be meaningless to you because you can't do the profile. I felt completely ripped off when I discovered this! It would be easy for the publisher to note this on the cover so people would know before purchasing, but they don't, so I hold them responsible. They also don't provide or sell additional codes for a fee. I couldn't use the book for its intended purpose therefore it gets only one star.

I bought this book under the assumption and price that this was a "new" book. I bought this book for a class & needed to take the test using the code at the end of the book. The code I entered had already been used & the company states you cannot have a new code without buying a new book. No one can guarantee that the code has not been used. SO, be careful!

I am into head shampoos. You know those instruments that have been developed over time to see what makes you tick. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator and an assortment of other windows into the psyche. Anyway, this is a pretty interesting tool, i think probably for me more of a verification of my own self awareness. the key premise that comes out here is play to your strength. gee, what a concept. but there is more. i think they correctly identify the mass homogenization of training / learning in the work place...and school for that matter. one size fits all world. mass production training and learning. shore up your weaknesses. all the normal stuff we have witnessed through the years. well these guys have said what is obvious to me for years...build on your strengths...go with your talent. thank you very much. now retire the garbage that the corporate gods deem necessary for you to learn in your personal development and performance plan. i have never figured out why we think everyone should be well suited for everything. as cited in the book...there are 88 keys on piano...each strikes a different note...no one key can make all sounds...
what is clever here...especially for them to create follow on revenues...is this book comes with a code that allows you to take their instrument online. it takes less than an hour. 180 paired questions...out comes a report on you. similar to the ice cream shop there are 34 flavors of strengths and they report yours instantly. there is enough of a descriptor for you to either knod or shake your head. i felf like it was pretty on track for myself. but after 3 gazillion head shampoos i have a handle on me...but with this one...it is like the final nail in the coffin...time to get more aligned in my work...and begin enjoying it more.

My work offered this book and topic as a training class. I really enjoyed the class and then bought a book for a friend as a gift. My son told me his one employer also sent him to training and we shared our strengths with each other. It is helpful to understand how not only yourself but others around you are what I call "wired".

I loved this book, especially how it ask you questions and make you think about your own positive strengths. And how you get to write it down, stand back and look at it, and learn some new stuff about your own self.

I anxiously awaited the arrival of "Now, Discover Your Strengths," much like waiting for the return of my beloved pet at the end of a day, with great expectations. Irrespective of a general happiness about my life, I harbor a subtle element of discontent. It is a feeling that my life may not be fulfilled, that my career will not provide the greatest satisfaction for me, that I might never find the right one. It is a lack of conviction about my life's mission or purpose. I had always shunned self-help books, because I thought I knew best how to lead my life. But after years of discontent, I figured I could use some help to resolve some uncertainties in my life. Hence, I eagerly waited, and I was disappointed.

Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton point out that the mission of organizations and educational institutions should be to enable people to discover their strengths and to perfect them. But in reality, people tend to identify their weaknesses rather than their strengths. People expend great energy to remove such weaknesses, so that they may become well rounded. The authors note that this is completely wrong. Instead, people should learn to focus on their strengths and maximize their potential by winnowing away the weaknesses. Authors call this finding ways "around" the weaknesses.

Of the three factors that go into building strength: talent, skill and knowledge, talent is paramount and is enduring. The authors define talent as "any recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied." The cornerstone of the authors' argument is that talent is chief over skill and knowledge because of its biological origin. We are good at what we do because of certain synaptic pathways that we developed as adolescents. And because our neural network does not change until advanced age, our talents are enduring. If we do not align our talents with what we do, then we will grow weary (counter-productive). If we find the right talent to develop in our lives, then we will blossom and be fruitful (productive). For instance, the authors cite Warren Buffet, who said, "I get up every day and have a chance to do what I love to do, every day. If you want to learn anything from me, this is the best advice I can give you."

This is plausible and sounds like an aphorism to abide by. But is it possible to find and hone one's strengths? I'm not certain; I found the authors' thesis a bit hard to swallow. For example, what should become of those who can never practice the trade that suits their strengths? For every example that the authors cite of people who discover and use their strengths to great effect, even in their old age, there surely exists many more who do not. Must that mean that the mass of mankind must lead unfulfilled lives? For all my skepticism, I would like to close with a great point that the authors make, that "talents, like intelligence, are value neutral." Hence, it is up to each one of us, whatever our talents may be, to put it to good use. But, then again, I knew that without reading the book, and so did you.

As mentioned in other reviews, the used version of this book probably will be useless for you. To take the assessment, you need to go online and type in an access code from the back cover. It is a single use code. Therefore, my used copy is useless to me.
I was excited about the assessment but bewildered by the inability to purchase the code online. What kind of strategy is this?
This caused me to abandon the book altogether.
What started out as an engaging process ended in frustration.

This book along with all other Strengths books are so helpful in gaining understanding of what the 34 themes of strengths are and how to apply them.. book comes with a code and is useful when needing a reference

I think the book is great in sharing information in a well organized manner. I enjoyed reading the book but was disappointed to find that the code for the website no longer works. To take the website test to find your strengths, than another more recent book must be bought.

We ordered these books for everyone in my department at work. It was very insightful, not to mention interesting, to find out how each of us function. I think it will also be very beneficial in learning to work with each others' strengths. However, I really don't like that they only give you your top 5. There are 34 strengths. We all agreed that it would be better to maybe get your top and bottom 5s, and/or possibly your ranking that you've got on each strength. Overall though, definitely worth the money.

This is a low cost alternative to spending 2K plus on a 3 day Gallup course. I have used it at several companies with great success. At the very least, it is great for team building.

I have bought copies for both my son's to help them focus on what to do when they leave college.

Okay, ordered and received in what looked like original packaging complete with clear celophane wrapper. However, when I went to the website to take the Strength Finders analysis the ID code is invalid and already used by a previous owner! Will return for the real deal.

I bought the book specifically so that I could take the StrengthsFinder assessment. The code in the book is invalid. The description of the book made it sound like they were selling new copies with valid codes but that is not the case.

Please be aware, if you are purchasing this book to take the strength finder test be sure to buy brand new. Once the code on the inside cover is used, it cannot be used again. That is the main reason I purchased the book and the code was already used.

Very powerful!!
I had done this exercise many years ago, forgot about it, and when completed this time had a sense of "deja vu"
I found my old copy and low and behold, had the same results!
It floored me!
Such are our core strengths that they would be like our personality DNA. Uncanny, such a powerful tool to use!
It explained clearly why I had made a career move.

Thank you

This book is about emphasizing your personal strengths to be more successful in life, rather than wasting effort focusing on weaknesses. A quick read, and an interesting assessment. The last part of the book was most helpful, it focused me on what is most effective for me personally, and also made me aware of these strengths in others, and how to manage others based on their strengths.

This book reveals people to you the way a forecaster may reveal the weather: nothing is certain but the signs are there. Discovering the strengths not only in myself but recognizing friends and workmates within the descriptions of characteristics contained within these pages offers great insight on how best to build strong and productive coalitions in your life. Why focus on weaknesses when true growth comes from capatilizing on strengths?

I purchased this book a couple of weeks ago after hearing glowing reviews from a friend. I also checked out what the store reviewers had to say before purchasing and was anticipating a valuable learning experience. I skimmed through the book, then decided to take the online survey. But when I entered the code, I was informed that it was no longer valid--had already been used. Now since I bought a new copy from the store, I can only assume that somewhere along the line another person knew what to look for and registered that code. Although I will still read the book and probably gain some insight, I was particularly interested in incorporating what I would have learned from the survey. I'm very dissatisfied for the first time in my long association with the store.

This book presents an interesting description of personality that describes 34 different types of strengths that a person may have. Based on measurement of these strengths (discussed below), it is possible to identify dominant strengths that help to determine personality. The focus of the book is on describing these strengths and then arguing that it is best for individuals and managers can best develop and build upon individuals' strengths. The book makes the interesting point that it is most effective trying to build on these strengths rather trying to identify and improve upon weaknesses.
A key to this book is an internet-based test that allows an individual to obtain a measurement of their top five strengths. To take this test, you log onto a specific website and type in the unique password that is printed in thte inside cover of the book. (This means you only take the test once -- your friends will need to buy the book to take the test!). The test is based on work that the Gallup Organization has done and has (according to the book) been been administered to 2 million people in a large number of different type of organizations.
Once on the site, you answer 180 questions in which you are asked to make a two-way choice as to what word better describes you, which action you would rather take, and so forth. It takes about 20-30 minutes in total to get through these, but once you do, a report is generated on screen (along with an with the same information) that lists your top five strengths and provides a description of what they are. Many of the strengths involve how you deal with people, how you process information, and how you see yourself in the world.
The book gives short descriptions of each strength and gives short (one-paragraph)write-ups from people who have the particular strength describing themselves. The book is meant to be a management tool, in that it talks about how to manage people with each of the strength in the book and make best use of these strengths.
I feel that the book is a better popular psychology book rather than a management book. Although the descriptions of strength seemed fairly clear, the discussion could have been better when it described how to manage people. It tended to be a list of "do this" without much discussion of why a manager might want to encourage an employee to do certain things or take on certain types of assignments. What the book really lacked was a description of the downside that certain strengths might bring (e.g., a person who is deliberative may seem to take a long time to do something). A better discussion of what the strengths really mean would have been helpful.
The book is well-written and taking the test is fun. Learning about one own attributes as measured by the test is helpful, both in personal and business life. It will make you think about yourself in a constructive and stimulating way. This in itself makes the book worth buying.
The book provides some good insight into how to manage individual types of people and help them develop on the job. I found it a bit weak on management from the standpoint of what an organization should do, in that it just seemed too general beyond saying figure out what everybody can do well and encourage them to do it. It may be, however, that some of this material is discussed in the book's (earlier) companion book ("First, Break All the Rules").