STRENGTHSQUEST™
Talent Theme Descriptions
ACHIEVER
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People strong in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They have great satisfaction
from being busy and productive.
Achiever talents are valuable because they help you remain motivated to reach your goals and to push for higher
and higher levels of excellence. You won’t rest until you reach your most highly desired goals – but they must be
your goals.
Careers: Select a career that provides you with numerous opportunities to excel as an individual. Control your
workflow, schedule, productivity, quality level, and action plan. Choose work environments that challenge you.
Opt for situations where your success is measured each day.
Questions: Tell me about a typical day for you. What is it like to have this strength? What do you enjoy about your
day? What goals are you working toward?
ACTIVATOR
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People strong in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action.
Activator talents are valuable because they generate the energy to get things going and then done. This theme
brings innovation and creative approaches to problem solving.
Careers: Identify informal leadership roles within professions, companies, or departments into which you can
step. Persuade coworkers that they can increase productivity, solve problems, launch programs, overcome
obstacles, and bounce back from defeat. Consider becoming your own boss. Make a list of possible businesses
you could start, grow, and sell once they show a profit. Understand that you will probably lose interest once an
enterprise is so fine-tuned that it runs on its own. Recall how maintaining an operation has led to boredom in the
past.
Questions: Tell me about something you have made happen. How do you typically start taking action? What is
your “system” for getting things going?
ADAPTABILITY
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People strong in the Adaptability theme prefer to “go with the flow.” They tend to be “now” people who take
things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.
Adaptability talents are valuable because they allow you to keep moving forward when the unexpected happens.
You can move ahead in a world of unknowns and seemingly unfair treatment when other would give up. You can
deal with everything from injustices to crises and still find a way to make progress.
Careers: Identify three to four occupations that reward those with an ability to live in the moment. Avoid
professions that require rigid adherence to rules, operation procedures, and time controls. Shadow employees
who continually respond to the varied requests of their customers, tourists, guests, and patients.
Questions: What do you like about your typical day? Give me an example of what this strength looks like. You
need to avoid roles that demand structure and predictability. Are you labeled as spontaneous?
ANALYTICAL
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People strong in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the
factors that might affect a situation.
Analytical talents are valuable because they enable you to dig deep, find the root causes and effects, and then
develop clear thoughts about what is true. This type of thinking helps you become clearer about what excellence
is and how it can be attained.
Careers: Choose a job that requires a lot of analysis. Obvious career fields such as accounting, finance, law,
engineering, sciences, business management, computer technology, and journalism are worthy of consideration.
Opt for jobs that allow you to make decisions based on your evaluation of facts, data, tangible evidence,
circumstantial evidence, and research findings.
Questions: What data have you been considering lately? What “feeds” your analytical need? Who might benefit
from the information and facts you know?
ARRANGER
• People strong in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements their
organizing. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged from maximum
productivity.
• Arranger talents are valuable because they help you keep looking for the right combinations of people and
resources to complete projects successfully.
• Careers: Explore careers that demand constant readjustment. Determine how much change and what kinds of
changes you are most comfortable handling. Identify jobs in which you will be expected to put together pieces of
plans, process, projects, and events.
• Questions: List all of the “balls” you have in the air at the moment. What do you like best about pulling all of the
pieces together? Do you enjoy organizing a big event?
BELIEF
• People strong in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a
defined purpose for their life.
• Belief talents are valuable because they produce the motivation for you to work hard, excel, and achieve, as long
as achieving is consistent with your values and beliefs. Your set of beliefs does more than energize you – it is the
basis for developing a meaningful life.
• Careers: Research opportunities in helping professions such medicine, law enforcement, social work, refugee
relocation, teaching, and search-and-rescue. Talk with people who provide services to individuals in need.
Interview those who supervise them. Consider a career in ethics. Align it with subject matter you find fascinating,
such as medicine, law, military service, law enforcement, ministry, or science.
• Questions: What are some of your core values? How do your beliefs influence your decision? What type of
activities make you feel you are doing something important? Have strong beliefs does not equate with being
judgmental.
COMMAND
• People strong in the Command theme what to be in charge. Often they are the people who others expect to call
the shots.
• Command talents are valuable because they help you positively impact other people. You can help people and
entire organizations get through difficult times and make substantive changes in the midst of chaos.
• Careers: Leveraging your persuasiveness when choosing a career. Consider fields such as law, entrepreneurship,
sales, politics, education, medicine, and ministry. Aim to be in a managerial or authoritarian role. Remember, you
tend to be bossy. Avoid occupations where you are expected to blindly follow orders or be subservient.
• Questions: Tell me what you like about being in charge? You are not afraid to take risks. When did you last
persuade someone? About what?
COMMUNICATION
• People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good
conversationalists and presenters.
• Communication talents are valuable because your abilities in this area enable you to reach out and connect with
people. Your story-telling ability builds images in the minds of others and makes you a powerful person as you
connect and bond with people.
• Careers: Choose careers that will allow you to do a lot of the talking, such as teaching, broadcast journalism,
consulting, politics, public relations, and ministry. Explore opportunities to serve as the spokesperson for an
organization, product, political candidate, company, school district, hospital, or elected official.
• Questions: Do you like to tell stories? Do you enjoy being in front of a group and presenting?
COMPETITION
• People strong in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to
win first place and revel in contests.
• Competition talents are valuable because through them you will influence and even push people in your group to
achieve more than other groups. You bring energy to a group and can energize others to move to higher levels of
excellence.
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Careers: Choose work environments that challenge you and in which your success can be quantified with scores,
ratings, and rankings. Avoid situations lacking meaningful, objective measurement criteria. Decide whether you
prefer to compete as an individual or as a team member. Select employment that matches your preference either
for total or shared control over final results.
Questions: Who do you compete with? How do you know or how will you know if you have won? What kind of
contests are you in?
CONNECTEDNESS
• People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all phenomena. They believe that there
are no coincidences and that every event has a reason.
• Connectedness talents are valuable because they provide you with conviction and faith that sustain and
encourage you and your friends in difficult times. You believe that there’s a plan, a design, and a power beyond
the visible world that provide meaning, comfort, and confidence. Your Connectedness gives you hope and helps
you achieve your ultimate goals.
• Careers: Incorporate your need to serve all of humankind into whatever career you choose. Opt to work in fields
and for organizations whose values mirror your own. Dedicate at least two years of your life to serving your
country or community after graduation. Join Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), AmeriCorps, or Teach for
America.
• Questions: Do you have a sense of purpose in your life? Give an example of when you have used your
connectedness strength, i.e. “nothing happens by accident.”
CONSISTENCY
• People strong in their Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat
everyone in the world with consistency by setting up clear rules and adhering to them.
• Consistency talents are valuable because you can more easily recognize inconsistencies, and you can readily
suggest changes that can create a more equitable world.
• Careers: Gravitate to careers in fields such as accounting, tax law, manufacturing, and government service.
Research roles in quality assurance, risk management, safety compliance, law enforcement, and production
standards.
• Questions: What do you do to make sure people are being treated the same? How important is it that people
follow the rules? Why? How do you make sure you are treating your friends the same?
CONTEXT
• People strong in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its
history.
• Context talents are valuable because they provide perspective that enhances your ability and confidence in
making decisions and action planning.
• Careers: Consider a career as a teacher, archivist, museum curator, documentary filmmaker, journalist, or fiction
writer. Or, consider archeology, anthropology, reclamation of sunken ships, or reconstruction of historic sites.
Concentrate on a particular period or figure in history. Specialize in genealogy. Help people trace their family’s
lineage for purposes of membership in an organization or to prove their relationship for historic or legal purposes.
• Questions: What is it like to have context? You make better decisions because you take time to understand the
underlying structure. As you look to the past, the present becomes more stable.
DELIBERATIVE
• People strong in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or
choices.
• Deliberative talents are valuable because they enable you to eliminate or reduce errors by thoroughly considering
each option. As a result, you make outstanding decisions.
• Careers: Choose a career in which you and others can benefit from your careful thinking and deliberation. You
may want to work in roles that require research and analysis of information to plan wise actions or gain new
understandings.
• Questions: How would you describe yourself? How do others describe you? How do you plan ahead so you can
anticipate what might go wrong? How do you help others think through decisions?
DEVELOPER
• People strong in the Developer theme see the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement
and derive satisfaction from these improvements.
• Developer talents are valuable because they help you see the potential in others and move them in that direction.
People usually grow and improve in the presence of a developer. When you fully apply your Developer talents, it
is as if you are education, counseling, and encouraging people all the time.
• Careers: Consider a career in counseling, human resources, teaching, or management. You have a talent for
noting people’s progress and for helping them become even better at what they do. You will be most satisfied in a
career that provides some type of service to people or in which organizational success is based on interpersonal
relationships and your ability to help people be successful.
• Questions: Could you make a list of people you have helped to learn and grow? Could you make a list of people
you would like to develop? What do you like about helping others? Who are you helping right now? How?
DISCIPLINE
• People strong in the Discipline theme enjoy a routine and a structure. Their world is best described by the order
they create.
• Discipline talents are valuable because they make you efficient and effective. First, they motivate you to organize
tasks. Then, they keep you motivated to complete those tasks.
• Careers: Take on a career in which you can maintain order for yourself and others. You will be appreciated in most
work settings because you follow through and you work systematically.
• Questions: How does order help you? How do you like to have your day structured? Describe your room.
EMPATHY
• People strong in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imaging themselves in others’ lives
or others’ situations.
• Empathy talents are valuable because they enable you to form very close, supportive relationships in which you
help and encourage others.
• Careers: Try to work in a peer counseling center or in a job where you give advice or are called to understand
others. Great teachers have been found to be especially high in the Empathy theme. Look for a job in which you
need to work as part of a team. You will understand team members, support them, and help them work together.
• Questions: Tell me about someone’s feelings that you noticed recently. Do you feel like you are a “counselor” to
many? What is it like to have empathy? Are you a “feeling magnet”? Do you feel exhausted at the end of the
day?
FOCUS
• People strong in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the necessary corrections to stay
on track. They prioritize things, then they act.
• Focus talents are valuable because you can quickly evaluate, determine priorities, and get yourself and groups on
track. Your Focus motivates you to be efficient. You get a lot done because you don’t get easily distracted.
• Careers: You will be most satisfied in a career that has identifiable goals, purposes, and objectives, and one that
provides opportunities to meet your own longer-term goals. You will be helpful in an organization that will use
your abilities to set goals and priorities.
• Questions: What goals do you have for yourself? How do you keep track of how you are doing with your goals?
How does your focus strength help you when it comes to studying?
FUTURISTIC
• People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and can inspire others with their visions for the
future.
• Futuristic talents are valuable because your vision raises others’ sights and focuses their energies.
• Careers: Choose a career in which you can help others envision their future and define their goals to reach it. Find
an organization where you can help create the future, painting vivid pictures for those who work there, helping
them see the role they will take in making this vision become reality.
• Questions: Tell me about your vision for the future? How do you plan to make it happen? What can you do to
help create a future where you can make a difference in the world?
HARMONY
• People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict, but instead seek out areas of
agreement.
• Harmony talents are valuable because you see what people have in common and try to help them interact on the
basis of shared points of view. This binds people to you and helps groups come together. Groups, organizations,
and teams function better and achieve more because of what you do to bring people together.
• Careers: Look for a career where you will have opportunities to be a stabilizing factor in a group, team, or
organization. You are practical, and all organizations need practical people to get the work done and keep the
organization running. You can help others see the practical in the theoretical.
• Questions: Describe how you encourage others to work together or how you help people in conflict reach an
agreeable consensus.
IDEATION
• People strong in the Ideation theme are creative. They like free-thinking discussion groups and they are good at
brainstorming. A new idea makes their day.
• Ideation talents are valuable because they enable you to look for new connections and generate new insights
when things don’t make sense. You are able to help others take the world they know and turn it around so that
they can see it form a new point of view.
• Careers: Build on your creativity to find a career that encourages you to think freely and express your ideas. Select
an organization where the leaders encourage and solicit your divergent thinking, stimulating them to consider
some new approaches.
• Questions: Tell me about your latest idea that you are excited about? How do you get your ideas? How do you
put your ideas into practice/become reality? Do you get bored easily?
INCLUDER
• People strong in the Includer theme are accepting of others. They show awareness for those who feel left out, and
make an effort to include them.
• Includer talents are valuable because they enable you to help individuals, groups, organizations, and communities
to be unified and effective. People who have felt rejected will appreciate your efforts.
• Careers: Choose a career where you can supervise or lead a group of people, because you will build a sense of
team and belongingness. Working with a group that is not always included by others, such as physically or
mentally challenged children, will allow you to use your talents to help them feel better about themselves. The
field of social work may interest you. Making sure that children are placed in a home where they are loved and
made to feel a real part of the family would give you the greatest pleasure.
• Questions: Describe your actions when you realize someone is being left out of the group. What comments do
you hear from others regarding you including them?
INDIVIDUALIZATION
• People strong in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a
gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.
• Individualization talents are valuable because they help you form powerful relationships with people. Those
people know that you take them seriously and that you see them as distinct individuals. For many, this is very
valuable and builds trust. Your Individualization talents bring intensity to your relationships.
• Careers: A career in education would directly use your talents because you would value and treat each student as
an individual. Counseling could be a fulfilling role for you. Your ability to see people as distinct individuals will
empower them and help them grow. As a supervisor or manager, you would help individuals determine what they
could do or what they do best on a regular basis. Your evaluations would be based on who the person is and on
what he or she accomplished.
• Questions: Tell about a time when you recognized the unique qualities in others. How do you approach gift buying
for friends or family?
INPUT
• People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of
information.
• Input talents are valuable because they keep your mind active and lead you to become knowledgeable. You are an
expert in something, even though you think you need to learn more.
• Careers: You will enjoy a career where you are always on the cutting edge of knowledge and where you are
stimulated by ideas and creative approaches to problems and issues. An ideal career would be one in which you
have an opportunity to share what you have learned and are expected to be continuously learning and making
new discoveries.
• Questions: What stimulates you intellectually? Do you have a collection of any kind? What are you most curious
about/want to know more about?
INTELLECTION
• People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They love to study and
prefer intellectual discussions.
• Intellection talents are valuable because they help you find innovative ideas and solutions.
• Careers: Select work where you can share ideas and pose questions. Look at careers in which you can interact
with colleagues and have philosophical debates.
• Questions: What have you been thinking about lately? What types of courses/activities stimulate your thinking?
Do you spend much time writing/journaling/listing your ideas/reflecting?
LEARNER
• People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to improve continuously. In particular, it
is the process of learning, rather than the outcome, which excites them.
• Learner talents are valuable because they propel you to thrive in a dynamic world where learning is a necessity.
You can learn a lot in a short period of time.
• Careers: Choose a work environment that encourages constant learning. Consider work that allows you to move
to the next subject that greatly interests you.
• Questions: What are you learning that is exciting to you? What types of things do you like to learn about? How
do you learn best?
MAXIMIZER
• People strong in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence.
• Maximizer talents are valuable because they help you focus on talents to stimulate personal and group excellence.
If a group or organization in on the move toward excellence, a talented Maximizer is somewhere in the midst.
• Careers: Choose a career that allows you to improve on the qualities you already have. Find work where you can
help others see their talents and how their talents make a difference.
• Questions: What would you like to be involved in that you are not right now? How do you help others know their
strengths? Describe how you use this strength.
POSITIVITY
• People strong in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others
excited about what they are going to do.
• Positivity talents are valuable because they have such a helpful influence on the attitudes, motivation, and
productive behaviors of others. Groups and individuals are energized to more toward excellence.
• Careers: Choose a career where you can encourage others, like coaching, teaching, selling, or managing. Select a
fast-paced, stimulating work environment.
• Questions: What kinds of comments do people make about you and your outlook on life? Is the glass half empty
or half full? Tell me about how you have helped others have fun lately. Do others notice your positive outlook on
life? How do you help others to stay focused on the positive?
RELATOR
• People who are strong in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with other individuals. They find deep
satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
• Relator talents are valuable to organizations, groups, and individuals because they foster interpersonal
relationships that lead to productivity.
• Careers: Consider coaching, teaching, managing, supervising, and care giving as possible outlets for your talent.
Choose any career in which in-depth, meaningful relationships are valued.
• Questions: Describe what it means to be a friend. Tell me about the friend you have known the longest. What do
you do to deepen your existing relationships?
RESPONSIBILITY
• People strong in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership for what they say they will do, and are
committed to stable values, such as honesty and loyalty.
• Responsibility talents are valuable because they lead others to trust you and to become more responsible
themselves. You might be more of a role model than you realize.
• Careers: Select work where you can be given more and more responsibility as you progressively achieve. Choose a
work environment that focuses on outcomes rather than process.
• Questions: What do you feel responsible for right now? How often to you say “no”?
RESTORATIVE
• People strong in the Restorative theme can determine the weaknesses of people or a situation. They are adept at
dealing with problems and are good at figuring out what is wrong.
• Restorative talents are valuable because you are energized, rather than defeated, by problems. You quickly
recognize problems others may not detect.
• Careers: Consider a service position where you can help others solve their problems. Look for work opportunities
that allow you to fix whatever is wrong, from restoring art objects to cars to inadequate telephone service.
• Questions: Tell something you have fixed or made better lately. What are some problems you have solved
recently?
SELF-ASSURANCE
• People strong in the Self-Assurance theme feel confident in their ability to manage their own lives. They have an
inner compass that gives them confidence that their decisions are right.
• Self-Assurance talents are valuable because they keep you strong as you withstand many pressures, as you stay on
your course, as you willingly claim the authority to form conclusions, make decisions, and act.
• Careers: Find a career that will constantly challenge you and keep you motivated. Choose a career where you are
in control.
• Questions: What are you sure you can do? How does your intuition guide you? What kind of risks have you taken
lately?
SIGNIFICANCE
• People strong in the Significance theme want to be seen as very significant in the eyes of other people. They are
independent and want to be recognized.
• Significance talents are valuable because they can be a source of energy for doing good and helpful things that will
outlive you. You are motivated by a driving force to produce transformational, lasting change.
• Careers: Choose a career in which you can be looked up to or admired. Consider work that puts you in the public
eye.
• Questions: From whom do you want recognition? Tell me about your best moment of recognition or praise. What
was it for? Who gave it to you? Who was the audience? Where or when have you shown how significant your
contributions can be?
STRATEGIC
• People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to do things. Faced with any given scenario, they
quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
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WOO
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Strategic talents are valuable because they enable you to quickly reach goals by seeing the pros and cons of
various alternatives. You carefully consider the whole picture and then generate the most effective set of actions
or routes to take.
Careers: Consider psychology, as it requires understanding situations and being able to discover or provide
effective problem solving. A career in law may excite you, as it requires the use of logic to build cares and find
creative and effective ways to present them. Consider consulting. The questions if, who do you want to consult
with, and what do you want them to consult you about?
Questions: How do you help others to see the big pictures in particular situations when they can see only the
pieces? Describe at time/situation when you helped someone avoid an obstacle in the future because you could
“see down the road”.
People strong in the Woo theme crave the approval of other people and work diligently to earn it.
Woo talents are valuable because people are influenced by your ability to draw them into a group or a
relationship.
Careers: Choose a career in which you can constantly meet new people, initiate conversations and perhaps
persuade people. Select a career that requires you to quickly form relationships, draw people to you, and
deliberately build a network of people.
Questions: How many new people have you met in the last month? Tell me about your typical behavior at a social
function/party.
Adapted from the StrengthsQuest website, with questions adapted from the Noel Academy for Strengths-Based leadership and
Education.