You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
It's a workbook for understanding and working with your own strengths. For those really interested, it's a fine introduction but once completed, you'll only have your top 5 strengths to work with. Again, that is a start and does allow some insights into "how" you work and live but for a deeper and better understanding of the rest of your talents, it will cost you a lot more. Partnered with a strengths program at work -if you're lucky enough to have one- this is great.
informative
slow-paced
I read this book and did the questionnaire several years ago. I found the "top strengths" fairly accurate, but I didn't have a sense that I discovered anything particularly new. I found Please Understand Me have been a better sense of who I am, and also helped me to understand people who are different from me.
While I spent comparatively little for this copy, I'm angry now that I spent anything on it at all. I feel as if I've been suckered into a scam.
I bought this book hoping it would be useful in helping my teenagers determine their personal strengths, so they might use that knowledge when making decisions about both their future education and careers. What a waste of time and money. I made the mistake of judging by the total overall Amazon rating, rather than looking at individual reviews. Had I done the latter, I never would have bought it.
This book is nothing but an unnecessary syllabus for Gallup's online test. It includes discussion of the test, a list defining each of the 34 supposed themes and a code for taking the online test.
Just to try it out, I took the test myself, only then to discover that no one else could use the one included code. There's no way to add other profiles to your account. If I wanted my kids to be able to use Strengths Finder, I'd have to shell out more money and buy copies of the book for each of them. Are you kidding me? Why on earth would I want multiple copies of this nigh-useless book lying around?
Moreover, the test itself was exceedingly non-specific, the supposed strengths listed were just generic overviews of broad personality traits, and the "Ideas for Action" it offered were really quite vague. For example:
"Wise forethought can remove obstacles before they appear."
"Trust your insights, and use them to ensure the success of your efforts."
"Find people who like to talk about the same issues you do. Organize a discussion group
that addresses your subjects of interest."
Translation? Think before you act. Trust your instincts. Make friends with like-minded people.
Honestly, I've gotten more personal insight from fortune cookies.
I bought this book hoping it would be useful in helping my teenagers determine their personal strengths, so they might use that knowledge when making decisions about both their future education and careers. What a waste of time and money. I made the mistake of judging by the total overall Amazon rating, rather than looking at individual reviews. Had I done the latter, I never would have bought it.
This book is nothing but an unnecessary syllabus for Gallup's online test. It includes discussion of the test, a list defining each of the 34 supposed themes and a code for taking the online test.
Just to try it out, I took the test myself, only then to discover that no one else could use the one included code. There's no way to add other profiles to your account. If I wanted my kids to be able to use Strengths Finder, I'd have to shell out more money and buy copies of the book for each of them. Are you kidding me? Why on earth would I want multiple copies of this nigh-useless book lying around?
Moreover, the test itself was exceedingly non-specific, the supposed strengths listed were just generic overviews of broad personality traits, and the "Ideas for Action" it offered were really quite vague. For example:
"Wise forethought can remove obstacles before they appear."
"Trust your insights, and use them to ensure the success of your efforts."
"Find people who like to talk about the same issues you do. Organize a discussion group
that addresses your subjects of interest."
Translation? Think before you act. Trust your instincts. Make friends with like-minded people.
Honestly, I've gotten more personal insight from fortune cookies.
My employer sent me this test to take, so I got to learn more about my strengths and my coworkers who took the tests' strengths. This isn't my favorite test compared to some others out there like Myers Briggs because two of my strengths were kind of contradictory and the more complex tests would know how to combine those together to give me a holistic viewpoint. I took a little away from this, it is a quick easy read and you do not need to read from cover to cover. note: this would be pointless to get from the library if you don't have access to the test.
I read this book to show my former boss that I was willing to work with her in her efforts to find out how all of her "beans'" strengths could mesh (which could only happen after everyone knew what strengths they had to contribute and when each bean had shared his/her strengths with the rest of the team). By the way, I worked at Starbucks.
I like the organization of the book, the detailed information about strengths, and even the online test you take to find out what strengths you have. I believe the test is thorough and accurate. However,while I am happy that I got results and found out more about myself, what kind of persons I should collaborate with (as far as strengths go)I resent having to buy the book to complete the test online.
This is a very quick read and sharable, apart from the one time use online Strengths Finder test.
I like the organization of the book, the detailed information about strengths, and even the online test you take to find out what strengths you have. I believe the test is thorough and accurate. However,while I am happy that I got results and found out more about myself, what kind of persons I should collaborate with (as far as strengths go)I resent having to buy the book to complete the test online.
This is a very quick read and sharable, apart from the one time use online Strengths Finder test.
A great way to approach personal and professional development, team building and a really good strength identifier
Buying the book allows you to obtain an access code (good for only one user) that lets you take the Strengths Finder 2.0 test. There is no other way to obtain an access code apart from purchasing the book. That means if you already own the book and your spouse wants to take the test, he needs to purchase the book as well. It's a great ploy for selling books. But if Gallup allowed people to purchase an access code without buying the book, I'm sure they would have made quite a bit more money and reached more people.
In any event, the access code for one user per book gives me the sense of a limited audience reach.
I initially borrowed the book from the library, but exhausted the book within minutes as the rest of the book deals with the descriptions of the 34 strength themes---themes the reader can only understand after taking the test. The descriptions for each theme are relatively short with a few testimonies provided for each and ideas for action that challenge the reader to capitalize upon the strengths identified.
I exhausted the book in a day and now refer to it occasionally. However, I did learn quite a bit about my strengths and something I had considered a weakness, the book considers a strength so I'll need to see how that plays out.
In any event, the access code for one user per book gives me the sense of a limited audience reach.
I initially borrowed the book from the library, but exhausted the book within minutes as the rest of the book deals with the descriptions of the 34 strength themes---themes the reader can only understand after taking the test. The descriptions for each theme are relatively short with a few testimonies provided for each and ideas for action that challenge the reader to capitalize upon the strengths identified.
I exhausted the book in a day and now refer to it occasionally. However, I did learn quite a bit about my strengths and something I had considered a weakness, the book considers a strength so I'll need to see how that plays out.
More like a reference & you must take the test for it to be useful!
After reading the first book in this topic, "Now, Discover Your Strengths", I was rejuvenated. I learned the 5 areas of my greatest potential strengths. I felt them to be quite accurate. Tom Rath wrote the sequel, "StrengthFinder 2.0" soon after the publication of Buckingham and Clifton's book and I wanted to read this book for two reasons:
First I wanted a free pass to Strengthfinder 2.0 assessment to check my results against my initial score. Despite the accuracy of my 5 themes, I wanted to challenge the fool-proofness of the test.
Second, I wanted to delve more deeply into practical applications of my strengths.
Funny enough, things hardly go as planned. As for my first reason, curiosity got the best of me and I made my husband take the test instead. What would it be like to know your partner's strengths? Would that help or challenge the relationship? Would opposite strengths be likely to weaken or strengthen the relationship? Would similar partners be compatible or boring?
As for the book, it is more of a reference than something you read cover to cover. You want to first take the test, which is a lot of fun but needs focus and undivided attention, and then learn all about your own strengths, then maybe compare yours to others to better understand them and find ways to do things in such a way as to benefit your relationship with them.
Overall, I do believe and recommend the StrengthFinder program.
After reading the first book in this topic, "Now, Discover Your Strengths", I was rejuvenated. I learned the 5 areas of my greatest potential strengths. I felt them to be quite accurate. Tom Rath wrote the sequel, "StrengthFinder 2.0" soon after the publication of Buckingham and Clifton's book and I wanted to read this book for two reasons:
First I wanted a free pass to Strengthfinder 2.0 assessment to check my results against my initial score. Despite the accuracy of my 5 themes, I wanted to challenge the fool-proofness of the test.
Second, I wanted to delve more deeply into practical applications of my strengths.
Funny enough, things hardly go as planned. As for my first reason, curiosity got the best of me and I made my husband take the test instead. What would it be like to know your partner's strengths? Would that help or challenge the relationship? Would opposite strengths be likely to weaken or strengthen the relationship? Would similar partners be compatible or boring?
As for the book, it is more of a reference than something you read cover to cover. You want to first take the test, which is a lot of fun but needs focus and undivided attention, and then learn all about your own strengths, then maybe compare yours to others to better understand them and find ways to do things in such a way as to benefit your relationship with them.
Overall, I do believe and recommend the StrengthFinder program.
Inane and insulting. The test questions are written to appeal to the simplest of thinkers. Each choice is not necessarily exclusive of the other and if you use more than your basest monkey brain to answer the questions the results will be inconclusive. If you've been assigned this for work, do yourself a favor and find a new job.