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StandOut: The Groundbreaking New Strengths Assessment from the Leader of the Strengths Revolution
StandOut , the revolutionary new book and online assessment tool from Marcus Buckingham, is the result of extensive research, statistical testing, and analysis of the world's top performers. From the coauthor of Now , Discover Your Strengths and the recognized leader of the strengths movement, StandOu t unveils your top two Strength Roles and offers sharp, practical ideas that professionals and managers in any organization can use to find their edge and win at work.
227 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
57 people are currently reading
3119 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Buckingham
85 books612 followersIn a world where efficiency and competency rule the workplace, where do personal strengths fit in?
It's a complex question, one that intrigued Cambridge-educated Marcus Buckingham so greatly, he set out to answer it by challenging years of social theory and utilizing his nearly two decades of research experience as a Sr. Researcher at Gallup Organization to break through the preconceptions about achievements and get to the core of what drives success.
The result of his persistence, and arguably the definitive answer to the strengths question can be found in Buckingham's four best-selling books First, Break All the Rules (coauthored with Curt Coffman, Simon & Schuster, 1999); Now, Discover Your Strengths (coauthored with Donald O. Clifton, The Free Press, 2001); The One Thing You Need to Know (The Free Press, 2005) and Go Put Your Strengths To Work (The Free Press, 2007). The author gives important insights to maximizing strengths, understanding the crucial differences between leadership and management, and fulfilling the quest for long-lasting personal success. In his most recent book, Buckingham offers ways to apply your strengths for maximum success at work.
What would happen if men and women spent more than 75% of each day on the job using their strongest skills and engaged in their favorite tasks, basically doing exactly what they wanted to do?
According to Marcus Buckingham (who spent years interviewing thousands of employees at every career stage and who is widely considered one of the world's leading authorities on employee productivity and the practices of leading and managing), companies that focus on cultivating employees' strengths rather than simply improving their weaknesses stand to dramatically increase efficiency while allowing for maximum personal growth and success.
If such a theory sounds revolutionary, that's because it is. Marcus Buckingham calls it the “strengths revolution.”
As he addresses more than 250,000 people around the globe each year, Buckingham touts this strengths revolution as the key to finding the most effective route to personal success and the missing link to the efficiency, competency, and success for which many companies constantly strive.
To kick-start the strengths revolution, Buckingham and Gallup developed the StrengthsFinder exam (StrengthsFinder.com), which identifies signature themes that help employees quantify their personal strengths in the workplace and at home. Since the StrengthsFinder debuted in 2001, more than 1 million people have discovered their strengths with this useful and important tool.
In his role as author, independent consultant and speaker, Marcus Buckingham has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Fortune, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal and is routinely lauded by such corporations as Toyota, Coca-Cola, Master Foods, Wells Fargo, Yahoo and Disney as an invaluable resource in informing, challenging, mentoring and inspiring people to find their strengths and obtain and sustain long-lasting personal success.
A wonderful resource for leaders, managers, and educators, Buckingham challenges conventional wisdom and shows the link between engaged employees and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover. Buckingham graduated from Cambridge University in 1987 with a master's degree in Social and Political Science.
It's a complex question, one that intrigued Cambridge-educated Marcus Buckingham so greatly, he set out to answer it by challenging years of social theory and utilizing his nearly two decades of research experience as a Sr. Researcher at Gallup Organization to break through the preconceptions about achievements and get to the core of what drives success.
The result of his persistence, and arguably the definitive answer to the strengths question can be found in Buckingham's four best-selling books First, Break All the Rules (coauthored with Curt Coffman, Simon & Schuster, 1999); Now, Discover Your Strengths (coauthored with Donald O. Clifton, The Free Press, 2001); The One Thing You Need to Know (The Free Press, 2005) and Go Put Your Strengths To Work (The Free Press, 2007). The author gives important insights to maximizing strengths, understanding the crucial differences between leadership and management, and fulfilling the quest for long-lasting personal success. In his most recent book, Buckingham offers ways to apply your strengths for maximum success at work.
What would happen if men and women spent more than 75% of each day on the job using their strongest skills and engaged in their favorite tasks, basically doing exactly what they wanted to do?
According to Marcus Buckingham (who spent years interviewing thousands of employees at every career stage and who is widely considered one of the world's leading authorities on employee productivity and the practices of leading and managing), companies that focus on cultivating employees' strengths rather than simply improving their weaknesses stand to dramatically increase efficiency while allowing for maximum personal growth and success.
If such a theory sounds revolutionary, that's because it is. Marcus Buckingham calls it the “strengths revolution.”
As he addresses more than 250,000 people around the globe each year, Buckingham touts this strengths revolution as the key to finding the most effective route to personal success and the missing link to the efficiency, competency, and success for which many companies constantly strive.
To kick-start the strengths revolution, Buckingham and Gallup developed the StrengthsFinder exam (StrengthsFinder.com), which identifies signature themes that help employees quantify their personal strengths in the workplace and at home. Since the StrengthsFinder debuted in 2001, more than 1 million people have discovered their strengths with this useful and important tool.
In his role as author, independent consultant and speaker, Marcus Buckingham has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Fortune, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal and is routinely lauded by such corporations as Toyota, Coca-Cola, Master Foods, Wells Fargo, Yahoo and Disney as an invaluable resource in informing, challenging, mentoring and inspiring people to find their strengths and obtain and sustain long-lasting personal success.
A wonderful resource for leaders, managers, and educators, Buckingham challenges conventional wisdom and shows the link between engaged employees and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover. Buckingham graduated from Cambridge University in 1987 with a master's degree in Social and Political Science.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
July 9, 2012
If you've spent any amount of time in the corporate world, it's likely you've encountered some sort of a strengths assessment book such as 'Now, Discover Your Strengths' (Free Press, 2001) or 'StrengthsFinder 2.0' (Gallup Press, 2007). Your initial reaction to the thought of doing another online strengths assessment is likely been there, done that. Honestly that's how I felt when I first heard about 'StandOut.'
I used the 'StrengthsFinder 2.0' assessment with my management peers and our entire contact center team back in 2009. It was extremely insightful to understand each of my team member's five key strengths, but it was also overwhelming. In our group of twenty, that was one hundred strengths to consider. One of the key innovations that they've made in the new book is to move away from returning results with 5 key strengths. This new assessment returns only two, a primary and secondary strength role. I appreciate the way Marcus Buckingham explains the differences between the two assessments in the following excerpt from chapter two: "We wanted an assessment that would reveal your edge and give you practical innovations to help you sharpen this edge. Where StrengthsFinder was descriptive and affirming, we wanted StandOut to be prescriptive and innovating." (p. 27)
The premise is simple. Take a 10 minute online survey and get your results. My results labeled me as a Teacher / Connector. As I read through the definitions and descriptions for each role, I was taken aback by how accurately these two roles describe me. The information in the post-survey report is presented in a format that is extremely practical and actionable. Here are a few of the section headings that will give you an idea of what you can expect:
*You, Are at Your Most Powerful..
*Phrases to Describe Yourself
*How to Make an Immediate Impact
*How to Take Your Performance to the Next Level
*What to Watch Our For
After reviewing each of your strengths separately, the report transitions into sharing your comparative advantage offering a suggestion for an ideal career as well as specific ways you can capitalize on your primary and secondary strengths to win in leadership, management, client service, and sales. The final section of the report is the Strengths Map, which asks six key questions to spur you on to some next steps.
At this point you're probably wondering if 'StandOut' is for you. As a leader and manager, I found the survey results extremely insightful as I continually strive for personal and professional growth in order to better manage my team and serve within my larger organization. Now don't get me wrong, 'StandOut' isn't just for managers and other leaders. Everybody from the mailroom to the C-suite will benefit from their survey results. Each of us is able to achieve infinitely more to a much higher degree of personal satisfaction when we're deriving success from our real strengths.
I used the 'StrengthsFinder 2.0' assessment with my management peers and our entire contact center team back in 2009. It was extremely insightful to understand each of my team member's five key strengths, but it was also overwhelming. In our group of twenty, that was one hundred strengths to consider. One of the key innovations that they've made in the new book is to move away from returning results with 5 key strengths. This new assessment returns only two, a primary and secondary strength role. I appreciate the way Marcus Buckingham explains the differences between the two assessments in the following excerpt from chapter two: "We wanted an assessment that would reveal your edge and give you practical innovations to help you sharpen this edge. Where StrengthsFinder was descriptive and affirming, we wanted StandOut to be prescriptive and innovating." (p. 27)
The premise is simple. Take a 10 minute online survey and get your results. My results labeled me as a Teacher / Connector. As I read through the definitions and descriptions for each role, I was taken aback by how accurately these two roles describe me. The information in the post-survey report is presented in a format that is extremely practical and actionable. Here are a few of the section headings that will give you an idea of what you can expect:
*You, Are at Your Most Powerful..
*Phrases to Describe Yourself
*How to Make an Immediate Impact
*How to Take Your Performance to the Next Level
*What to Watch Our For
After reviewing each of your strengths separately, the report transitions into sharing your comparative advantage offering a suggestion for an ideal career as well as specific ways you can capitalize on your primary and secondary strengths to win in leadership, management, client service, and sales. The final section of the report is the Strengths Map, which asks six key questions to spur you on to some next steps.
At this point you're probably wondering if 'StandOut' is for you. As a leader and manager, I found the survey results extremely insightful as I continually strive for personal and professional growth in order to better manage my team and serve within my larger organization. Now don't get me wrong, 'StandOut' isn't just for managers and other leaders. Everybody from the mailroom to the C-suite will benefit from their survey results. Each of us is able to achieve infinitely more to a much higher degree of personal satisfaction when we're deriving success from our real strengths.
December 28, 2011
I should probably refrain from rating the book until after I have taken and applied the assessment, but the three stars is based on the perceived merit of the book itself. The concepts in StandOut appear to be a bit less universal than StrengthsFinder, as they appear to be especially geared towards leaders. I am a bit confused by Buckingham's distinction that this assessment is more about application whereas StrengthsFinder was more about diagnostics. The book Strengths-Based Leadership draws out the strengths wonderfully, fleshing out a wide swath of applications and actions for honing your top themes.
In the same spirit, StandOut helps you identify your top two of nine "roles", wherein your core genius, or "edge" lies. The idea is that there are clusters of strengths that work naturally together, manifesting into personalities that lend themselves to distinct roles in a team or society. Without having taken the assessment, I definitely saw myself in 2 or three, though I was a bit annoyed at what seemed to be a broad overlap in some of the descriptions (i.e. it seemed like every other role was described as being a lover of learning).
If you are a Buckingham fan, you won't be disappointed...or if you are an assessment fan, I suppose.
In the same spirit, StandOut helps you identify your top two of nine "roles", wherein your core genius, or "edge" lies. The idea is that there are clusters of strengths that work naturally together, manifesting into personalities that lend themselves to distinct roles in a team or society. Without having taken the assessment, I definitely saw myself in 2 or three, though I was a bit annoyed at what seemed to be a broad overlap in some of the descriptions (i.e. it seemed like every other role was described as being a lover of learning).
If you are a Buckingham fan, you won't be disappointed...or if you are an assessment fan, I suppose.
June 15, 2012
I always enjoy reading Marcus Buckingham books. His books are very engaging and they make you want to be a better person. Marcus has worked a long time with Gallup to develop a series of questions to help you be a stand out leader. I am a General Manager for Hampton Inn and Hampton uses Marcus quit frequently when helping to produce more engaged leaders at their hotels. His books have really helped me with my career at the hotel. I find that not everyone is good at everything, and that you must put people in roles they can succeed in. Right fit right job. By completing the strength assessments with your employees you are not only setting your employees up for success, but the hotel as well. Marcus breaks everyone down into strength zones. Pioneer, Advisor, Connector, Creator, Equalizer, Influencer, Stimulator, Provider, and Teacher. I personally fell under Connector-Stimulator. A connector is a catalyst. Your power lies in your craving to bring two people or ideas together to make something bigger and better than it is now. and Stimulator is the host of other people's emotions. You feel responsible for them, for turning them around, for elevating them. When I play to these strengths I DO feel stronger at work, and that I accomplished more at work. I love connecting people together and networking. That's what I do! I also do feel responsible for my employees and guest at the hotel and I want to see them succeed to highest possibility. I would recommend anyone that has the opportunity to listen to Marcus as a speaker do so! If not read the books, and find out where your strengths lie, you may be surprised! Very easy read and easy to understand.
May 14, 2018
READ MAY 2018
This is not your typical "assessment-based" book. The instrument is unique and the way they unpack it is helpful.
Best quotes, "you have to own your own genius before you can responsibly offer it up to others" p. 196; "In life we find ourselves cursed and blessed with things we can't control. Yet we have choices; and we have time." p. 209.
This is not your typical "assessment-based" book. The instrument is unique and the way they unpack it is helpful.
Best quotes, "you have to own your own genius before you can responsibly offer it up to others" p. 196; "In life we find ourselves cursed and blessed with things we can't control. Yet we have choices; and we have time." p. 209.
October 16, 2017
A great reminder to focus on one's strengths rather than improve one's weaknesses.
June 10, 2025
Este es un libro común por el tema de autoayuda, pero raro por la forma como se lee. No es para que se lea de corrido, sino que primero el porqué (Capítulo 1), luego el cómo (Capítulo 2), en unos 15 min; luego te tomas unos 15 o 20 minutos para hacer el cuestionario en línea con calma, un té o una cerveza de por medio; imprimes tus resultados, los leés y te saltas el Capítulo 3 (donde explica una por una cada una de las fortalezas de las 9 que hay), excepto las dos pequeñas partes que salieron en tu cuestionario, y al final leés el Capítulo 4, sobre tres principios:
1. Tu fortaleza es concreta y las situaciones de vida te llevarán a ella continuamente.
2. Llegas más rápido al nivel de tu incompetencia cuando te centras en fortalezas que no tienes.
3. Hay 72 variantes medidas en las fortalezas diferenciadas, concéntrate en las dos de tu cuestionario.
El último capítulo 5 (hecho por Courtney McCashland, artífice de la estadística detrás de la metodología) es para técnicos que quieren entender por qué la probabilidad y estadística deben ser rigurosas en cuestionarios psicométricos serios. Su motivación para hacerlo bien es súper fuerte por una experiencia traumática que vivió de joven.
Si lo leés de corrido (solamente las personas muy empáticas lo harían, para entender qué onda con otros, es decir los que según Marcus serían "Proveedores"), o en formato de audiolibro te llevarás una decepción. No es un libro para leer, sino una técnica para aplicar.
Esta obra es absolutamente recomendable para todos los profesionales que quieren evolucionar con base en cómo te ven los demás a partir de tus fortalezas. Y es muy bueno y conciso, en palabras de Marcus: "buscar pulir tus dos fortalezas a partir de consejos prácticos". Si quieres más detalle o quieres comenzar a entenderte tú mismo, es mejor que leas el "StrengthsFinder 2.0", donde es más de diagnóstico detallado, y un poco más complejo, para personas más en el porqué que en el qué.
A mí en lo particular me describió perfectamente como consultor: Consejero / Maestro. Y así me ven la mayoría de las personas con las que me relaciono profesionalmente.
///////
This is a typical book for its self-help theme, but unusual for its reading style. It's not meant to be read in one sitting. Instead, you cover the why (Chapter 1) first, then the how (Chapter 2), in about 15 minutes. Then, take 15 or 20 minutes to calmly take the online questionnaire, with a cup of tea or a beer in between. Print out your results, read them, and skip Chapter 3 (where each strength is explained one by one), except for the two small sections that appeared on your questionnaire. Finally, Chapter 4, about three principles:
1. Your strength is concrete, and life situations will continually lead you to it.
2. You reach the level of your incompetence faster when you focus on strengths you don't have.
3. There are 72 measured variations of the differentiated strengths; focus on the two in your questionnaire.
The final chapter, Chapter 5 (written by Courtney McCashland, the architect of the statistics behind the methodology), is for professionals who want to understand why probability and statistics must be rigorous in serious psychometric questionnaires. Her motivation to do it well is incredibly strong due to a traumatic experience she endured as a young woman.
If you read it straight through (only very empathetic people would do so, to understand what's going on with others, i.e., those who, according to Marcus, are "Providers"), or in audiobook format, you'll be disappointed. It's not a book to read, but a technique to apply.
This work is highly recommended for all professionals who want to evolve based on how others see you based on your strengths. And it's very good and concise, in Marcus's words, seek to polish your two strengths based on practical advice. If you want more detail or want to begin to understand yourself, it's best to read StrengthsFinder 2.0, which offers a more detailed diagnosis and is a bit more complex, for people who are more interested in the why than the what.
Personally, it perfectly describes me as a consultant: Advisor/Teacher. And that's how most of the people I interact with professionally see me.
1. Tu fortaleza es concreta y las situaciones de vida te llevarán a ella continuamente.
2. Llegas más rápido al nivel de tu incompetencia cuando te centras en fortalezas que no tienes.
3. Hay 72 variantes medidas en las fortalezas diferenciadas, concéntrate en las dos de tu cuestionario.
El último capítulo 5 (hecho por Courtney McCashland, artífice de la estadística detrás de la metodología) es para técnicos que quieren entender por qué la probabilidad y estadística deben ser rigurosas en cuestionarios psicométricos serios. Su motivación para hacerlo bien es súper fuerte por una experiencia traumática que vivió de joven.
Si lo leés de corrido (solamente las personas muy empáticas lo harían, para entender qué onda con otros, es decir los que según Marcus serían "Proveedores"), o en formato de audiolibro te llevarás una decepción. No es un libro para leer, sino una técnica para aplicar.
Esta obra es absolutamente recomendable para todos los profesionales que quieren evolucionar con base en cómo te ven los demás a partir de tus fortalezas. Y es muy bueno y conciso, en palabras de Marcus: "buscar pulir tus dos fortalezas a partir de consejos prácticos". Si quieres más detalle o quieres comenzar a entenderte tú mismo, es mejor que leas el "StrengthsFinder 2.0", donde es más de diagnóstico detallado, y un poco más complejo, para personas más en el porqué que en el qué.
A mí en lo particular me describió perfectamente como consultor: Consejero / Maestro. Y así me ven la mayoría de las personas con las que me relaciono profesionalmente.
///////
This is a typical book for its self-help theme, but unusual for its reading style. It's not meant to be read in one sitting. Instead, you cover the why (Chapter 1) first, then the how (Chapter 2), in about 15 minutes. Then, take 15 or 20 minutes to calmly take the online questionnaire, with a cup of tea or a beer in between. Print out your results, read them, and skip Chapter 3 (where each strength is explained one by one), except for the two small sections that appeared on your questionnaire. Finally, Chapter 4, about three principles:
1. Your strength is concrete, and life situations will continually lead you to it.
2. You reach the level of your incompetence faster when you focus on strengths you don't have.
3. There are 72 measured variations of the differentiated strengths; focus on the two in your questionnaire.
The final chapter, Chapter 5 (written by Courtney McCashland, the architect of the statistics behind the methodology), is for professionals who want to understand why probability and statistics must be rigorous in serious psychometric questionnaires. Her motivation to do it well is incredibly strong due to a traumatic experience she endured as a young woman.
If you read it straight through (only very empathetic people would do so, to understand what's going on with others, i.e., those who, according to Marcus, are "Providers"), or in audiobook format, you'll be disappointed. It's not a book to read, but a technique to apply.
This work is highly recommended for all professionals who want to evolve based on how others see you based on your strengths. And it's very good and concise, in Marcus's words, seek to polish your two strengths based on practical advice. If you want more detail or want to begin to understand yourself, it's best to read StrengthsFinder 2.0, which offers a more detailed diagnosis and is a bit more complex, for people who are more interested in the why than the what.
Personally, it perfectly describes me as a consultant: Advisor/Teacher. And that's how most of the people I interact with professionally see me.
July 10, 2019
Really enjoyed this. It takes the Strengthsfinder model a step further by identifying 9 common "profiles" or groups of strengths. You take a test to see your mix of profiles and then read the book to see how best to play to your strengths, especially in the work place. I found this very insightful, gave me some real food for thought. It also has a nice follow up website to help you keep coming back to your strengths in your everyday working week.
October 30, 2020
I had to read this for work. After taking the quiz, I am a Provider and Influencer. I found the results interesting because I do not see myself as an Influencer as described in the book. I feel like both the Provider and Influencer roles go well together in the aspect of helping others act on their own strengths and potential.
October 26, 2017
oamenii au anumite caracteristici personale pe baza carora ar trebui sa isi gaseasca telul in viata. Nu oricui ii vor placea aceleasi joburi in aceleasi industrii, dar fiecare poate fi sales, leader etc
September 26, 2018
We had to purchase this for a class, everything was extra. The assessment, it’s extra, the review is, well, if you are taking the class... get the book. But look online to see if you really need to take the test.
June 9, 2023
I guess this book helped me better understand my strengths, if nothing, it's useful information to describe yourself on an interview. Nice to have and revisit every couple years to remind oneself where our strengths lie. Still, I didn't find this very practical.
October 4, 2017
I think the paper version of this would be much easier to follow than the audio.
December 20, 2017
interesting and helpful. Short and to the point. The assessment and it's design was pretty genius. I am the stimulator in every way.
June 21, 2020
Probably one of the most insightful assessments I have ever taken. Marcus Buckingham is brilliant. Really liked this book.
March 1, 2021
The assessment and output are very insightful. I found it to be very accurate and appreciate the actionable insights.
September 2, 2022
Marcus was one of the designers of Gallup Strength Finder test. In this book StandOut, he devised Strength Finder 2.0 with strength profiles blended into themes.
November 29, 2022
I love all things Buckingham. This was spot on for me.
January 20, 2016
According to Marcus Buckingham, I am a Provider/Connector and the greatest contribution I make to my team is watching out for long-term interests. This is based on the new strengths assessment he developed and makes available online to the book's readers. Armed with the knowledge of our unique personal assets, we can then leverage them to maximize our value and standout in our workplace. By measuring how we would instinctively respond in a variety of scenarios - and comparing the results with hundreds of thousands of others - the Standout Assessment helps us identify how the people in our lives perceive us. We make our best impact when we consistently deliver what people expect from us.
Unlike the 34 talents of Now, Discover Your Strengths and Strengthsfinder 2.0, the nine Standout strengths are role-based. Naturally-born "advisers" are different from "pioneers" and will have different styles as teammates, managers, or leaders. To say that I am a "provider" is to say that I am "protective of other people and will get angry or upset if I see behavior that is cavalier or dismissive of people's feelings."
I'll tell you, there is a great deal of truth in this. I won't send back food in a restaurant for fear of hurting the cook's feelings or causing trouble for the server. I can also tell you that there are people in my life who would laugh our loud at the notion that I give extra care to how others feel. They may acknowledge that I have a special sense for the dynamics of a group meeting when I am facilitating, but there is no question that I can be a bull in a china shop at other times, running rough shod over others with no real-time awareness of it at all. That's the consistency part. To truly standout and make the most of my provider assets, people have to be able to trust that they can count on me to be sensitive to their feelings. What good does it do to advise a group leader to show more respect for the views of his colleagues when he's still smarting because I just dismissed a suggestion he made? Being perceived as inauthentic is killer.
What I like about Standout is that Buckingham doesn't suggest that any of the strength roles are unequivocally good. He describes providers, for example, as thin-skinned and defensive which is definitely true in my case. This is the primary reason why I can be quick to decide that someone is wrong before I have heard their perspective. Buckingham offers suggestions for such down sides, however, strategies and techniques to employ. In my case I should "discipline myself to use my values as a backstop earlier, rather than later" and "tell myself positive stories." Easier said than done, of course, but it feels right and is worth trying.
Once again, Buckingham has made a significant contribution to the field of personal development. By helping us to focus on our natural gifts and abilities, and using them as a launching pad from which to seek success, he's given each of us a personal strategic plan. I recommend Standout to anyone who feels a need to grow their capacity to add value at work and in the community. Learn more at https://standout.tmbc.com including a great six minute video called "The Case for Strengths."
Unlike the 34 talents of Now, Discover Your Strengths and Strengthsfinder 2.0, the nine Standout strengths are role-based. Naturally-born "advisers" are different from "pioneers" and will have different styles as teammates, managers, or leaders. To say that I am a "provider" is to say that I am "protective of other people and will get angry or upset if I see behavior that is cavalier or dismissive of people's feelings."
I'll tell you, there is a great deal of truth in this. I won't send back food in a restaurant for fear of hurting the cook's feelings or causing trouble for the server. I can also tell you that there are people in my life who would laugh our loud at the notion that I give extra care to how others feel. They may acknowledge that I have a special sense for the dynamics of a group meeting when I am facilitating, but there is no question that I can be a bull in a china shop at other times, running rough shod over others with no real-time awareness of it at all. That's the consistency part. To truly standout and make the most of my provider assets, people have to be able to trust that they can count on me to be sensitive to their feelings. What good does it do to advise a group leader to show more respect for the views of his colleagues when he's still smarting because I just dismissed a suggestion he made? Being perceived as inauthentic is killer.
What I like about Standout is that Buckingham doesn't suggest that any of the strength roles are unequivocally good. He describes providers, for example, as thin-skinned and defensive which is definitely true in my case. This is the primary reason why I can be quick to decide that someone is wrong before I have heard their perspective. Buckingham offers suggestions for such down sides, however, strategies and techniques to employ. In my case I should "discipline myself to use my values as a backstop earlier, rather than later" and "tell myself positive stories." Easier said than done, of course, but it feels right and is worth trying.
Once again, Buckingham has made a significant contribution to the field of personal development. By helping us to focus on our natural gifts and abilities, and using them as a launching pad from which to seek success, he's given each of us a personal strategic plan. I recommend Standout to anyone who feels a need to grow their capacity to add value at work and in the community. Learn more at https://standout.tmbc.com including a great six minute video called "The Case for Strengths."
January 6, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. INNOVATION:
- The problem and the power of innovation: namely that innovation is a practice, not an idea.
- Innovation is a “novelty that can be applied.” This means that there is a person involved, someone actually doing the doing.
- An innovation is transferable only if the person you are delivering the innovation too has the same strengths as the person who created it in the first place.
- What is effective and authentic in the hands of one person looks forced, fake, and foolish in the hands of another.
2. AUTHENTICITY & ACCELERATE:
- You want to accelerate your creativity and yet still retain your authenticity.
3. SUM OF CHOICES:
- Your real-world performance for any given day is the sum of all the moment-by-moment choices you make.
- StandOut measures which way you instinctively react to the scenarios, your results reveal how you come across to others.
4. READ:
- Stay current on new trends, research, or practices within your chosen “something.”
- You’ve got to know who the latest Creators are and what new sense they are making of the world.
5. PERSPECTIVE:
- Deliberately forge a relationship with people who see things very differently from you.
- You excel at keeping it simple. It makes us proud to align with a leader who cuts through the complexity and reveals how simple it can be to do the right thing.
6. CREATOR:
- Your strength is the time you give me.
- To listen.
- To consider.
- To understand before reaching your conclusions.
7. EXPECTATIONS:
- Be crystal clear and consistent with your expectations.
- No performance correction should ever come as a surprise.
- Define your area of responsibility clearly.
- You always function best when the boundaries of your position and others’ positions are crystal clear.
- People like certainty.
- Follow-through is the surest way to give them this certainty.
- No matter how tempting it might be to look around the corner to the next opportunity, begin by being conservative about what you are prepared to commit to and then make sure you do what you say you are going to do—on time, on budget, no surprises.
- This will establish your reputation. Claim your love of bringing order to things.
8. SUSTAINED SUCCESS:
- Sustained success comes only when you take what’s unique about you and figure out how to make it useful.
- You have to fully own your own genius before you can responsibly offer it up to others.
9. APPLY DAILY:
- The responsibility falls to you to apply your strengths consciously every day.
10. QUESTIONS:
- You take the time to discover the root cause of my need.
- You are skilled at asking relevant questions.
- Hone this, as it shows me that you’re truly curious and interested in unpacking my problem.
1. INNOVATION:
- The problem and the power of innovation: namely that innovation is a practice, not an idea.
- Innovation is a “novelty that can be applied.” This means that there is a person involved, someone actually doing the doing.
- An innovation is transferable only if the person you are delivering the innovation too has the same strengths as the person who created it in the first place.
- What is effective and authentic in the hands of one person looks forced, fake, and foolish in the hands of another.
2. AUTHENTICITY & ACCELERATE:
- You want to accelerate your creativity and yet still retain your authenticity.
3. SUM OF CHOICES:
- Your real-world performance for any given day is the sum of all the moment-by-moment choices you make.
- StandOut measures which way you instinctively react to the scenarios, your results reveal how you come across to others.
4. READ:
- Stay current on new trends, research, or practices within your chosen “something.”
- You’ve got to know who the latest Creators are and what new sense they are making of the world.
5. PERSPECTIVE:
- Deliberately forge a relationship with people who see things very differently from you.
- You excel at keeping it simple. It makes us proud to align with a leader who cuts through the complexity and reveals how simple it can be to do the right thing.
6. CREATOR:
- Your strength is the time you give me.
- To listen.
- To consider.
- To understand before reaching your conclusions.
7. EXPECTATIONS:
- Be crystal clear and consistent with your expectations.
- No performance correction should ever come as a surprise.
- Define your area of responsibility clearly.
- You always function best when the boundaries of your position and others’ positions are crystal clear.
- People like certainty.
- Follow-through is the surest way to give them this certainty.
- No matter how tempting it might be to look around the corner to the next opportunity, begin by being conservative about what you are prepared to commit to and then make sure you do what you say you are going to do—on time, on budget, no surprises.
- This will establish your reputation. Claim your love of bringing order to things.
8. SUSTAINED SUCCESS:
- Sustained success comes only when you take what’s unique about you and figure out how to make it useful.
- You have to fully own your own genius before you can responsibly offer it up to others.
9. APPLY DAILY:
- The responsibility falls to you to apply your strengths consciously every day.
10. QUESTIONS:
- You take the time to discover the root cause of my need.
- You are skilled at asking relevant questions.
- Hone this, as it shows me that you’re truly curious and interested in unpacking my problem.
February 17, 2016
Fascinating little book that describes itself as The Groundbreaking New Strengths Assessment from the Leader of the Strengths Revolution. Each book comes with a password in the back to complete the Standout assessement online and determine your two top Strength roles from the list of nine: Advisor, Connector, Creator, Equalizer, Influencer, Pioneer, Provider, Stimulator and Teacher. The assessment itself is taken online in 15 minutes. The author asks you the questions out loud, allows a short emount of time to select your best response from the options given (known as a Situation Judgment Test). You will receive scores on all nine, although Buckingham encourages you to focus on your top two as your key Strength Roles. Each of the nine chapters provides practical and specific details on the role being covered - a definition, you at your most powerful, how to describe yourself in interviews and reviews, how to make an immediate impact, how to improve your performance, what to watch for, how to lead, manage, sell and provide customer service.
The online report then allows you to click on combining your top 2 roles to provide insights on career options along with more detail on success in leadership, management, sales and customer service. Additional group reports are also available at an additional fee.
Ever the hands-on practitioner, Buckingham (he is a Creator-Stimulator, according to his own measure) closes with what he calls the Three Key Principles to remember in applying your roles: 1) Your genius is precise, 2) You can’t respect what you don’t remember, and 3) You must reach beyond your roles.
A worthwhile resource for enhanced understanding of one’s key strengths. I found reading through all nine Role chapters especially enlightening.
The online report then allows you to click on combining your top 2 roles to provide insights on career options along with more detail on success in leadership, management, sales and customer service. Additional group reports are also available at an additional fee.
Ever the hands-on practitioner, Buckingham (he is a Creator-Stimulator, according to his own measure) closes with what he calls the Three Key Principles to remember in applying your roles: 1) Your genius is precise, 2) You can’t respect what you don’t remember, and 3) You must reach beyond your roles.
A worthwhile resource for enhanced understanding of one’s key strengths. I found reading through all nine Role chapters especially enlightening.
December 21, 2011
Buckingham's approach for maximizing success is for each person to focus not on improving their weaknesses, but on determining and exploiting natural strengths. An online assessment tool is used to determine strengths. I like this approach as it offers a better method to creating value in your life that can be translated into success in the workplace, at church, and all areas of life.
I am considering having the IT staff take this test. It will, of course, identify strength for each individual, but when we share our strengths, it will allow others to understand better why each person approaches problems and work in the ways that they do. When you understand the strengths of others, it should help you relate and work with them in better ways.
There are nine strengths identified by Buckingham. They are Equalizer, Advisor, Influencer, Provider, Stimulator, Pioneer, Creator, Teacher, and Connector. Each strength is defined in six different ways. These ways are a basic role definition, identifying when and where you are most powerful, ways you describe yourself, how to make an impact with your strength, taking your strengths to the next level, and things to watch out for.
I recommend this book and his approach. Too much time, effort, and money is spent on correcting weaknesses with minimal impact on effectiveness. Better would be to focus on the strengths we have been blessed by God with and use them to their best advantage.
I am considering having the IT staff take this test. It will, of course, identify strength for each individual, but when we share our strengths, it will allow others to understand better why each person approaches problems and work in the ways that they do. When you understand the strengths of others, it should help you relate and work with them in better ways.
There are nine strengths identified by Buckingham. They are Equalizer, Advisor, Influencer, Provider, Stimulator, Pioneer, Creator, Teacher, and Connector. Each strength is defined in six different ways. These ways are a basic role definition, identifying when and where you are most powerful, ways you describe yourself, how to make an impact with your strength, taking your strengths to the next level, and things to watch out for.
I recommend this book and his approach. Too much time, effort, and money is spent on correcting weaknesses with minimal impact on effectiveness. Better would be to focus on the strengths we have been blessed by God with and use them to their best advantage.
October 1, 2013
I was required to take this assessment for my job. I've taken other similar personality type tests, and usually found a lot that I could relate to. However, when I took this test, I found it so incredibly far from my personality. The areas that it told me I excel in are areas that I struggle with, dread, and receive negative feedback on. I emailed the company to tell them I didn't think it was accurate. They did not make any efforts to find out why I thought that my assessment was incorrect (which might've helped to improve their techniques). The response was simply that they were right, and they had data to "prove" it. They recommended that I ask other people whether they agreed with the assessment. So I read the sections to multiple coworkers (some who am I very close with, and some who are only acquaintance level), to my significant other, and to a good friend. All of them, without prompting, said that they did not think that applied to me. None of the people who know me in real life saw me the way that Marcus Buckingham company said was the way "other people see me." Finally, the customer service responder suggested that if I wanted to take the assessment again, I could do so, IF I gave them another $15 dollars. Needless to say, I won't be doing that.
At the end of the day, this is just yet another money making enterprise masked as a corporate helper.
At the end of the day, this is just yet another money making enterprise masked as a corporate helper.
January 31, 2016
This was an interesting book, but the real value is that it gives you a key that you can enter on Buckingham's company website to take a survey and find your specific strengths. After you take the survey online, the site identifies your best strengths, and then gives some insight into how best to apply your talents. There is only about five to eight pages on each strength role, so this is a quick, high level exposure to the strength role. I will admit that the survey correctly identified my strength roles, although if I had browsed through them and selected what I thought were my strength roles I would have picked at least one that was different. He explains how this can occur in his book, though.
I do think this book is good, but the online content is much better and provides a little more insight on how to better apply the concepts for each strength role. Therefore, this book is mainly valuable because of the key it contains to get to the survey online.
Disclaimer: I read this book as part of a development program at work, so I was given the book for free.
I do think this book is good, but the online content is much better and provides a little more insight on how to better apply the concepts for each strength role. Therefore, this book is mainly valuable because of the key it contains to get to the survey online.
Disclaimer: I read this book as part of a development program at work, so I was given the book for free.
February 10, 2017
The examples and anecdotes included are very clear and came across as relevant to the subject matter discussed. Explanations of the elements were clear and crisp.The online assessment was useful, it provided insights and made one reflect on the outcomes.
Overall, definitely a beneficial read and an enjoyable one.
Overall, definitely a beneficial read and an enjoyable one.
April 26, 2014
I was given this book, and thus the Standout Assessment by the company I work for. I had glanced through the book before taking the test, and then read the book more thoroughly afterwards. I really have learned a lot from this, both about myself and my coworkers. The assessment results are very thorough and clear - and very eye opening. The book goes through each type of result you could have and explains it. This is helpful when you know the top two characteristics of someone else and want to read their description. This has helped me know better how to communicate with my coworkers and understand why they think and do the things they do. As for me, it showed me strengths I had only guessed I had before. And it showed me career choices that would be good for me, as well as explaining how to do well as a salesperson, manager, and as a worker. Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a career choice, or who just wants to better understand their work characteristics.
September 5, 2014
This book helped me get clear on what strengths are uniquely mine, how to win by sharing them, what i look like at my most powerful, and many other wonderful insights into areas i measured strong in. The detailed description of each strength was helpful in determining what i wasn't. It was an easy book to read and left me wanting to apply my strengths in areas where i've been chronically underperforming.
I feel like it could have used some soul. It was missing that feeling that the person writing actually cares for you and isn't just a personality and behavioral research junkie. Maybe i'm asking too much from a little book on strengths, but a few stories of how it changed peoples lives to discover their strengths couldn't have hurt, and might have increased my desire to do something more than be intrigued about my potential (if i'm just able to get my stuff together). I don't like wondering what to do with an information tree this big.
I feel like it could have used some soul. It was missing that feeling that the person writing actually cares for you and isn't just a personality and behavioral research junkie. Maybe i'm asking too much from a little book on strengths, but a few stories of how it changed peoples lives to discover their strengths couldn't have hurt, and might have increased my desire to do something more than be intrigued about my potential (if i'm just able to get my stuff together). I don't like wondering what to do with an information tree this big.
November 9, 2013
Are you really a Teacher (like I thought I was) or is teaching just one way to do what you love best--like connecting ideas to people? Or maybe you're a Pioneer who loves to try out all the new gizmos, or an Advisor who is always listening to others and building them up.
StandOut is a self-help book that has you take an online test to determine your top two inner strengths (it is focused on those who work outside the home but I reframed the questions for myself and still loved the results). Then you read in the book about how these strengths can help you stand out (or hinder you) in your work. You'll also find out why certain things you do feel more satisfying than others. Do's & Don'ts for each strength make the book well worth the cost! I highly recommend this for everyone who is ready for a boost in life.
StandOut is a self-help book that has you take an online test to determine your top two inner strengths (it is focused on those who work outside the home but I reframed the questions for myself and still loved the results). Then you read in the book about how these strengths can help you stand out (or hinder you) in your work. You'll also find out why certain things you do feel more satisfying than others. Do's & Don'ts for each strength make the book well worth the cost! I highly recommend this for everyone who is ready for a boost in life.
February 4, 2016
Ótimo livro, seguindo o best-seller Descubra Seus Pontos Fortes, com um teste que revela dois perfis predominantes dentre nove possíveis. Aqui cada perfil é tratado com mais detalhes do que em Descubra, pois há as seguintes descrições: Definição, Você no seu melhor momento, Como se descrever (em entrevistas e avaliações de desempenho), Como causar um impacto imediato, Como elevar seu desempenho a outro patamar, Com que você precisa tomar cuidado, Destacando-se como líder, Destacando-se como gerente, Destacando-se como vendedor e Destacando-se no atendimento ao cliente. Os livros impressos estão esgotados no Brasil, mas é possível comprar o e-book. Atenção porque no e-book não vem a senha para realizar o teste, é necessário acionar a editora Sextante e enviar o comprovante de pagamento, que eles enviam o código por e-mail.
July 2, 2016
The author gives descriptions of the different working-world personality types and how to use your personality to stand out at work. These personality types are categorized according to strengths. If you don't know what your type is, you can take the author's online test, which, of course, will cost you.
You don't need to take the author's test, I'm sure you can figure out your working world personality type from reading his descriptions of those types. Those descriptions are in this book. These descriptions are nothing new for any self-aware person, in fact, you'll know what sections to read by looking at the Table of Contents i.e. I knew I am a Creator type, so I went to that part of the book and read that my guess was right.
This book does have a valuable component: for each personality type, it gives a way of describing yourself at an interview or on a resume.
You don't need to take the author's test, I'm sure you can figure out your working world personality type from reading his descriptions of those types. Those descriptions are in this book. These descriptions are nothing new for any self-aware person, in fact, you'll know what sections to read by looking at the Table of Contents i.e. I knew I am a Creator type, so I went to that part of the book and read that my guess was right.
This book does have a valuable component: for each personality type, it gives a way of describing yourself at an interview or on a resume.
February 26, 2016
19 books for the year. I really am going to try and finish this off this month. I've already taken the online assessment and was really surprised about the results.
Major: CREATOR - You make sense of the world, pulling it apart, seeing a better configuration, and creating it.
Minor: EQUALIZER - You are a level-headed person whose power comes from keeping the world in balance, ethically and practically. (I think most folks would argue my minor side. Level-headed? Really?!?....find out for yourself. I think it they mean beyond the reactions I give off...they really mean the end results once I work it out. ;-) Well that is the way I'm going to tell the story regardless.)
OK...leftover from 2011, but will sneak it in somewhere....
Major: CREATOR - You make sense of the world, pulling it apart, seeing a better configuration, and creating it.
Minor: EQUALIZER - You are a level-headed person whose power comes from keeping the world in balance, ethically and practically. (I think most folks would argue my minor side. Level-headed? Really?!?....find out for yourself. I think it they mean beyond the reactions I give off...they really mean the end results once I work it out. ;-) Well that is the way I'm going to tell the story regardless.)
OK...leftover from 2011, but will sneak it in somewhere....
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