Commentary from Strategic Positioning

Strategic Positioning:

Before we move on to the U's – be unique (and extra-ordinary) and apply urgency (even when urgency may not be present), I received some thoughtful commentary regarding Friday's essay on finding your dream job, from my friend Jim Blanchard of Strategic Positioning. Jim suggested I look at my 'Birkman Profile' in relation to the following paragraph from the post. (The Birkman Profile is an industry-leading personality assessment that facilitates team building, executive coaching, leadership development, career and talent management and interpersonal conflict resolution.) Jim's comments bracketed in bold:

Do stuff you love to do (emotionally vested, passionate) [Your interests are what makes you happy], stuff you are good at (talents, focus, drive, energy) [Your usual and most productive behavior], and stuff that someone will pay you to do (what the world needs.) [Find the environment  that satisfies your own needs, because you cannot be fully productive unless you are in a place that meets your inner needs and nourishes you.]

This all points to the importance of knowing yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your behavioral tendencies in certain situations? The Birkman Profile is a great way to help you understand these things. There are other similar (but different) tests, such as the popular Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or DISC, a quadrant behavioral model that evaluates peoples' traits within their environment or within a specific situation. MBTI and DISC are inexpensive and can be found on-line, however I think it is important to discuss your results with an expert and to hold yourself accountable to improving in specific areas. I can personally recommend Jim's work at Strategic Positioning (Austin, TX) or the talented folks at The Flippen Group in College Station, TX.

On a lighter note, as we churnOn into May, the always clever sign in front of Cedar Creek Elementary says:

"Don't be a pessimist, it won't work."