StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath: Strong and Engaged

Quick Review: StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Book 1 of 3)

by David Zinger

3 Reviews and 1 interview. The next 3 posts will review 3 books by Tom Rath that are essential reading for anyone involved in employee engagement. The fourth post in this series will be an exclusive interview with Tom Rath about his work.

Strong questions. Do you know your strengths? Do you consciously use them everyday? Do you find new opportunities to make the most of your strengths? Do you engaged in strong conversations?

StrengthsFinder 2.0 is an ideal source to weave together strengths and employee engagement. The value of the book may be more in the assessment and online access than the actual book. You must buy the book to do the assessment and have access to all the online resources.

Strengths and engagement. There are a number of pathways to strength identification and action and this book is one of the best. There is a very strong link between knowing and using your strengths and levels of employee engagement.

Tidbits from the book:

• People who focus on their strengths everyday are 6 times as likely to be engaged in their jobs.
• People who focus on their strengths everyday are 3 times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.
• Only 1/3 of people agree that they have the opportunity do do what they do best every day at work.
• “You cannot be anything you want to be — but you can be a lot more of who you already are.
• If you manager ignores you you have a 40% chance of being disengaged. If you manager focuses on your weaknesses you have a 22% chance of being disengaged. If your manager focuses on your strengths you have a 1% chance of being disengaged.

David’s strengths.My strengths are: Maximizer, Strategic, Positivity, Ideation, and Empathy. I find that I am more engaged when I keep these strengths in mind and action.

Grow strong along with me, the best is yet to be.

Next Book Review: Vital Friends.