A. Self Reflection on Clifton Strengths Self Assessment

The Clifton Strengths Self-Assessment provided a rare opportunity I had yet to envision before taking the assessment. I have always been aware of assessment tests such as the International English Language Testing System, which tests individuals who want to pursue a career or education in a first or second world country but learn English as a second or third language. I always knew that such tests improve the taker's employment prospects, as they are proof of an excellent command of the English language. Other benefits to the test exist as well. Another test I was familiar with was the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, which I had seen my older siblings taking and recommending for the array of information it provided in psychology. I also understand that tests are necessary for different management roles in the modern workspace. I took the Clifton Strengths Self-Assessment test with a backdrop of these bits of information. 

The Clifton Strengths Assessment provides a credible test authenticated by Gallup for its credibility, personalized insights, action items, and feedback in management, schools, organizations, and businesses (Gallup, 2024). The assessment is an online personality test set on rating scales with unique strengths converted on evaluation and descriptions. The assessment aims to recognize a unique set of strengths based on an intricate set of questions I had to answer. The questions helped me to instigate fundamental changes that would build my career by unlocking strengths through a standardized test. This self-reflection describes my experiences, and what I learned based on the results, including how my strengths contribute to my thoughts, decisions, and behaviors. Additionally, this self-reflection will shed light on how the insights will add value to my current and future professional role. 

The self-assessment analyzed five themes, including the ability to identify and nurture other people's potential, my vision for the future, my ability to assist others in establishing common ground through practical solutions, the ability to establish fairness and create trust, and my ability to conjure some positivity through humor or other related qualities (Gallup, 2024). The themes included developer, futuristic, harmony, consistency, and positivity. The section below analyzes the five themes in the context of their contribution to my thoughts, decisions, and behaviors. Additionally, the section shall elaborate on how the insights can add value to my current and future professional roles. 

Based on the developer theme, I learned I could identify and nurture the potential of people I interacted with. The report stated that I could 'spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from evidence of progress (Gallup, 2024).' This means I can acknowledge other people's successes and embody immense patience by simplifying complex information into understandable chunks of knowledge. According to the assessment test, the developer theme empowers me to love helping others as I am known to make personal interactions whenever possible. This quality has made me good at tutoring others with different tasks in the class. The assessment also stated that I acknowledge and celebrate other people's successes; therefore, it gives me the ability to appreciate other people's accomplishments. Lastly, I embody great patience while teaching others. Therefore, I can simplify the most complex concepts into understandable chunks of knowledge.  

The insight encompassing the developer theme would enable me to tap into the creative potential of the people I interact with and drive innovation. Such a quality can help me to maintain the talents of individuals I work with. Starting my information technology practice will help me reduce employee turnover, create a positive work environment, and maintain a skilled pool of human resources for the organization.

Secondly, the Clifton Strengths Self-assessment revealed that I had futuristic strategic thinking. The report states, 'The future inspires me and what could be. Moreover, I can energize other people with my visions for the future (Gallup, 2024). According to Horwath, strategic thinking refers to progressively creating and instituting information technology insights to achieve competitive advantages. Futuristic strategic thinking in information technology is a quality that empowers me to think critically in creating intentional strategies, innovation, and effectiveness. This quality would enable me to sustain a competitive advantage in the market, especially regarding resource allocation and realizing company goals, missions, and visions. Additionally, the report highlighted that futuristic strategic thinking enables me to think about the future, envision long-term goals in correspondence with activities that should take place to achieve them, and the fact that I appreciate visibility. Futuristic strategic thinking enables me to schedule time, break down long-term goals into short-term ones while carrying out information technology projects, and give thought to my career prospects. 

Thirdly, the Clifton Strengths Self-assessment revealed that I embody harmony as a relationship-building quality. The report stated, 'I seek harmony by looking for areas of agreement and do not pleasure in conflict (Gallup, 2024).' According to the report, harmony in relationship building enables me to acknowledge qualities people have in common, seek agreement, and take pride in high-quality relationships. According to Robert Davidson, social harmony is the peaceful interaction between people in an organization that delivers positive messages (Davison, 2017). Harmony in information technology is a quality that would help me balance the physical and digital worlds in my career. Some qualities harmony can help me to inculcate include providing unparalleled convenience, connectivity, and growth. I would empower people I work with to maintain work-life balance by helping them regulate their emotional and mental well-being, try to advocate for physical activities to improve physical health, as sedentary living could cause a host of health problems, and create deep relationships. 

Fourthly, the Clifton Strengths Self-assessment revealed that I embody consistency in the execution domain. The report states, 'I am keenly aware of the need for people to be equal. I crave stable routines, clear rules, and procedures people can follow (Gallup, 2024).' I love the structure instituted through a syllabus as it elaborates content that is coming up, allowing me to approach tasks and projects similarly. Other people also acknowledge the predictability associated with working with me as I have specific ways of working. Consistency in the domain of information technology is an important quality. For example, it helps with data consistency. Data refers to a state where all the data in a database have the same qualities (Dixon et al., 2024). The quality of consistency would ensure that I update all bits of data to ensure accuracy and coherence in applications. Therefore, consistency would ensure that all the users of applications can easily trust the information available in a database. 

Lastly, the Clifton Strengths Self-Assessment revealed that I embody positivity in my interactions with others at school and work. According to the report, 'I have a contagious enthusiasm to get others excited about activities they would engage in (Gallup, 2024).' Positivity makes me an optimistic person who encourages others to achieve their best with the ability to improve the atmosphere in a hostile environment. My positive mindset enables me to navigate the world of information technology by helping me offset challenges that drive the dynamics of information technology. Positivity helps to create harmony in the work and school environment, faster workflow, and agility through a coordinated effort with work and school colleagues. 

 

Effective communication is a skill that demonstrates good leadership. Leaders at the organizational level have to communicate in numerous instances with stakeholders who comprise of customers, clients, human resources, owners, investors, competitors, government, suppliers, communities, and numerous other people. One SMART Goal I would like to develop is harmony (Gallup, 2024).

Specific- A weakness I have according to the Clifton Strengths Test is that I tone down viewpoints or opinions by restraining my excitement to make other people feel comfortable (Gallup, 2024). The test also revealed that conflict may stress me out and that I find myself constantly intervening which ultimately leads me to miss important opportunities for development (Gallup, 2024). Harmony would help me to resolve conflicts as a student and as a professional.

Measurable- I will achieve this goal by seeking areas of agreement during conflict. According to the Clifton test, I could achieve harmony during conflict by deciding my role in conflict, sharing my opinion, and focus on the learning outcomes of conflict, and asking people to share their viewpoints (Gallup, 2024).

Achievable- I will achieve harmony in my dealings as a student and a professional. According to the Clifton Test, harmony would help me to make everyone feel heard to create group consensus (Gallup, 2024). This will ultimately help me to resolve conflicts in my dealings as a IT professional.

Realistic- I will be more self-aware during conflicts so that I do not strive for stability at the expense of my viewpoints or what is right (Clifton Test). I will enact rationality during conflict so that I can see things clearly.

Timely- I will achieve this goal during the semester and in my dealings with fellow students.