34 Talent Themesaccording to Tom Rath

Edited by Peter Nguyen,omnidigitalbrain@yahoo.com

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Overview of 34 Talent Themes

• Achiever• Activator• Adaptability• Analytical• Arranger• Belief• Command• Communication• Competition

Harmony Ideation Includer Individualization Input Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity

Connectedness Consistency Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Focus Futuristic

Relator Responsibility Restorative Self-Assurance Significance Strategic Woo

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ACHIEVER

• You have a constant need for achievement• You must achieve to feel good• You have an internal burning fire driving you

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ACTIVATOR

• “When can we start?”• You are impatient for action• Only action is real for you• You believe that action is the best device for

learning

5

ADAPTABILITY

• You live in the moment• You discover your future one choice at a time• You respond willingly to the demands of the

moment• You don’t resent sudden requests or

unforeseen detours• You are flexible and can stay productive

amidst change

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ANALYTICAL

• You ask, “Prove it, show me why it’s true”• You insist that people’s theories be sound• You are objective and dispassionate• You search for patterns and connections• Logical and rigorous

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ARRANGER

• You enjoy managing all the variables, aligning and realigning them until the most productive configuration is found

• You try to figure out the best way to get things done

• You are a shining example of effective flexibility

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BELIEF

• You have certain core values that are enduring• You are family-oriented, altruistic, even

spiritual• You value responsibility and high ethics• Your friends call you dependable• You know where you stand

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COMMAND

• You take charge• You impose your views on others• Once a goal is set, you want to align others with

you• You are not afraid of confrontation• You present the facts and the truth, no matter

how unpleasant• You challenge people to be clear-eyed and honest

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COMMUNICATION

• You like to explain, describe, speak and write• Ideas are dry and events are static to you• You want to make them exciting and vivid

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COMPETITION

• You are instinctively aware of other people’s performance

• You feel driven to outperform your peers• You need to compare with others• You compete in order to win

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CONNECTEDNESS

• Things happen for a reason, you are sure of it• You gain confidence from knowing we are

connected to one another• Considerate, caring and accepting• You are a bridge builder for people of different

cultures

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CONSISTENCY

• You treat people the same no matter what their station in life

• You believe in a fair and consistent environment where the rules are clear and apply to everyone equally

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CONTEXT

• You look back at the past to understand the unstable present

• The earlier time was simpler, made of blueprints

• You realize what the initial intentions were

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DELIBERATIVE

• Careful, vigilant, private person• Beneath the calm surface, you sense the many

risks• You draw these risks into the open, to assess

and reduce them

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DEVELOPER

• You see the potential in others• You are drawn to people because you see

them as “works in progress”• Your goal is to help them experience success• You challenge them, create experiences that

stretch them and help them to grow

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DISCIPLINE

• Your world needs to be predictable, ordered and planned

• You set up routines• You focus on timelines and deadlines

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EMPATHY

• You can sense the emotions of people around you

• You feel their feelings as if they were your own• You can see the world through their eyes and

share their perspective

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FOCUS

• You need a clear destination• Without a clear goal, your life and your work

quickly become frustrating• You set up goals each week, month and year• Goals serve as your compass

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FUTURISTIC

• “Wouldn’t it be great if…”• The future fascinates you• You see in detail what the future might hold,

and this picture pulls you into tomorrow

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HARMONY

• You look for areas of agreement• You try to find the common ground among

people who have different views• You steer them away from confrontation and

toward harmony

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IDEATION

• You are fascinated by ideas• An idea is a concept, the best explanation of

the most events• You are happy when you discover beneath the

complex surface, an elegant and simple explanation

• An idea is a connection• Your mind is always looking for connections

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INCLUDER

• Your philosophy is to expand the circle• You want to include people and make them

feel part of the group

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INDIVIDUALIZATION

• You are intrigued by the unique qualities of each person

• You don’t like generalizations or types• They obscure what is distinct about each

person

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INPUT

• You collect things, information, words, facts, books, quotations

• You collect tangible objects like baseball cards, porcelain dolls, etc.

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INTELLECTION

• You like to think• You like to exercise the muscles of your brain

and stretch them in multiple directions• It doesn’t matter what you think about, you

simply like to think• You like to spend time alone for musing and

reflection

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LEARNER

• You love to learn• You are drawn to the process of learning• What energizes you is the steady and

deliberate journey from ignorance to competence

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MAXIMIZER

• Excellence, not average, is your measure• Strengths, yours or others’, fascinate you• Having found a strength, you feel compelled

to nurture it, refine it and develop it until it reaches excellence

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POSITIVITY

• Generous with praise, quick to smile • Always on the lookout for the positive in any

situation• People want to be around you• Your enthusiasm is contagious

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RELATOR

• You are pulled toward people you already know

• Comfortable with intimacy• You derive pleasure and strength from being

around close friends• You want to understand their feelings, fears,

goals and dreams, and you want them to understand yours

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RESPONSIBILITY

• You take psychological ownership for anything you commit to

• You feel emotionally bound to follow through• You do not accept excuses and rationalizations• You are obsessed with doing things right• Impeccable ethics

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RESTORATIVE

• You love to solve problems• Breakdowns bother others, but energize you• You enjoy analyzing a problem and finding

solutions

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SELF-ASSURANCE

• You have faith in your strengths and in your judgment

• You know your perspective is unique and distinct, thus no one can tell you what to think nor decide for you

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SIGNIFICANCE

• You want to be recognized, stand out, and be known

• You want to be appreciated for the unique strengths you bring

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STRATEGIC

• You can sort through the clutter and find the best route

• You see patterns where others see complexity• You play out alternative scenarios to predict

outcomes, and select the best path

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WOO

• You like winning others over• You enjoy getting people to like you• You are not shy with strangers, they actually

energize you• You want to learn everything about them and

build rapport