Based on a Gallup study of over two million people who have excelled in their careers, this text uses a programme to help readers discover their distinct talents and strengths. The product of 25 years research, the "StrengthFinder" programme introduces 34 talent or themes and reveals how they can best translate into personal and career success. After going through the programme, and discovering which of the 34 themes dominates their profile, readers can make practical applications for change: within their own lives, as a manager and within an organization. The book shows readers what environments they flourish best in and helps them to make changes around them, how managers can better cultivate their employee's talents, and how organizations inhibit the talents of their people and need to change.
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Marcus Buckingham and Donald O Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths proposes a unique approach to managing personnel: focus on enhancing people's strengths rather than eliminating their weaknesses. Effectively managing personnel--as well as one's own behaviour--is an extraordinarily complex task that, not surprisingly, has been the subject of countless books touting what each claims is the true path to success. Following up on the coauthors' popular previous book, First, Break All the Rules, it fully describes 34 positive personality themes the two have formulated (such as Achiever, Developer, Learner, and Maximiser) and explains how to build a "strengths-based organisation" by capitalising on the fact that such traits are already present among those within it.
Most original and potentially most revealing, however, is a Web-based interactive component that allows readers to complete a questionnaire developed by the Gallup Organisation and instantly discover their own top five inborn talents. This device provides a personalised window into the authors' management philosophy which, coupled with subsequent advice, places their suggestions into the kind of practical context that's missing from most similar tomes. "You can't lead a strengths revolution if you don't know how to find, name and develop your own," write Buckingham and Clifton. Their book encourages such introspection while providing knowledgeable guidance for applying its lessons. --Howard Rothman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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"This book has been instrumental in how we think about developing talent at Facebook."--Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook CEO, as quoted in the New York Times & --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm a big fan of this book's predecessor 'First, Break All The Rules' and was looking forward to the publication of 'Now...'
Gallup's research methodology is convincing and, for me, the real value in this book was getting the code to take the test on their web site and "discover my strengths".
The book then explains how to play to your strengths. This in itself is useful for identifying how you can increase your personal effectiveness. Managers will also the find the section on "How to Manage a Person Strong in [each Strength]" useful (if you buy copies for your team and get them all to take the test).
Having said that, I did have fun guessing in my own mind the strengths of my boss and my co-workers from the descriptions given.
The book does not make any prescriptions such as 'To be good in sales you should have these strengths...', arguing that identification of your strengths (and acting on that knowledge) is more fundamental for success in any chosen career. This was encouraging for me as, when I read the book (over a year ago), I was wondering whether I 'had what it takes' in my profession. I didn't seem to conform to the model of success in my organisation. I'm pleased to say that, partly as a result of tuning in to my strengths, I'm now a top performer.
For those of you in senior positions wanting to make changes at an organisational level, the book also goes on to recommend how to build a "Strengths Based Organisation".
The most important theme of the book for me was the authors' conviction that putting effort into developing our strengths is always going to be far more productive and enjoyable than trying to develop our weak areas. If we accept that we're just not wired to perform well in that area, and we have the ability to recognise that strength in others and then collaborate with them, then we're all going to be a lot less stressed, more fulfilled and more effective.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By V. Cummings
Format:Paperback
I was really enjoying this book until I got to the part where you take the Strengthsfinder test.
I went online only to discover that Strengthsfinder 2.0 is the new updated version of Now Discover your Strengths.
I felt cheated that this was not made clear when I was looking for the book on Amazon.co.uk - If you have bought Now Discover your Strengths, the Strengthsfinder.com website pushes you into taking the Strengthsfinder 1.0 test, leaving you forever wondering what you may have discovered about yourself if you had been able to take the "new and improved version of the assessment"
Strengthsfinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now Discover Your Strengths
I went online only to discover that Strengthsfinder 2.0 is the new updated version of Now Discover your Strengths.
I felt cheated that this was not made clear when I was looking for the book on Amazon.co.uk - If you have bought Now Discover your Strengths, the Strengthsfinder.com website pushes you into taking the Strengthsfinder 1.0 test, leaving you forever wondering what you may have discovered about yourself if you had been able to take the "new and improved version of the assessment"
Strengthsfinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now Discover Your Strengths
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By T.R.
Format:Paperback
The idea of the book is to help you find your talents, build your strengths, which will in turn, improve your performance.
Building your strengths is indeed somthing that is often overlooked, as most of the time we seek to improve our weaknesses- that's a point well taken- and a good reason to buy the book. However two more things also need to be mentioned. First, why can't we work on building both our strengths AND our weaknesses? In other words, why do we have to necessarily pick just one? I feel that many weaknesses can be improved upon.
Secondly, discovering your talents and doing what you're good at may not necessarily improve your performance. Why? Because there are lots of things we're good at, but still hate to do nonetheless. For instance, I'm really good at cleaning houses and debating, but I don't like to really do either one. People really perform well when its something that they know how to do AND when there's something meaningful/important in it for them. Anyway, just some food for thought. Readers may also be interested in The Sixty-Second Motivator.
Building your strengths is indeed somthing that is often overlooked, as most of the time we seek to improve our weaknesses- that's a point well taken- and a good reason to buy the book. However two more things also need to be mentioned. First, why can't we work on building both our strengths AND our weaknesses? In other words, why do we have to necessarily pick just one? I feel that many weaknesses can be improved upon.
Secondly, discovering your talents and doing what you're good at may not necessarily improve your performance. Why? Because there are lots of things we're good at, but still hate to do nonetheless. For instance, I'm really good at cleaning houses and debating, but I don't like to really do either one. People really perform well when its something that they know how to do AND when there's something meaningful/important in it for them. Anyway, just some food for thought. Readers may also be interested in The Sixty-Second Motivator.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome book, specially if you are not sure about your skills
This book contains a test that identifies 5 biggest skills/qualities/strengths you have. I loved. After this book, I changed my posture in interviews. Read more
Published 2 months ago by mastermacgyver
5.0 out of 5 stars
Uplifting and inspiring
This book has made me think in a very positive way about my contribution to the world of work and has made me feel proud of the special skills that make me unique.
Published 4 months ago by Liz Elliman
1.0 out of 5 stars
Do not buy!
Please do not waste your time by buying this! Finding out yours and others strengths is not an effective way to manage people, this is a widely criticised method and the book... Read more
Published 6 months ago by JamieDay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strengths finder
Excellent book, focussing on the positives.
I have used this book with friends and colleagues and it throws up some interesting insights that are not obvious. Read more
I have used this book with friends and colleagues and it throws up some interesting insights that are not obvious. Read more
Published 10 months ago by livingstone
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
This is a really useful book, and doing the on-line questionnaire really is essential. It gives clear explanations of each of the strengths, and you find out your top 5. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Rphill
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tremendous value and very relevant
Many books of this type are written from a "because I am successful therefore I know what I am talking about" or "this or that writer thinks this and I agree" or "this is what I... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Stephen Green
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice and compact
Very useful book for a First Year Undergraduate Business student. Good level of detail inside, and ideal for a student like myself.
Published 18 months ago by Cameron123
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent book
This is an excellent book, to help you understand how you 'tick!' and why you behave the way you do, it is great for teams as you will understand your team members more when you... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Kate
2.0 out of 5 stars
Better alternatives out there...
Not a book I got much out of. With the exception of Chapter 2(?), which included a few interesting insights/discussion surrounding connectors and neurons in the brain, the book was... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ken
1.0 out of 5 stars
Do NOT buy this book second hand!
Do NOT buy this book second hand! There's a one time user code which can't be replaced. If you can't use it to take the test half the book is useless. Feel cheated when I realised.
Published 22 months ago by Claire
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