Personality and Strengths

At work, our team answered the questions to determine our personality types using the Myers Briggs formula. I am happy to report I am an ESTJ, which means,
I am an (E)xtrovert rather than an (I)ntrovert ;
I (S)ense rather than use i(N)tuition;
I (T)hink rather than (F)eel;
and, I (J)udge rather than (P)erceive.

The (E) and the (J) were the strongest and the (S) and the (T) almost could have gone the other way...  It was interesting to do this. I hope it answered a lot about why I am the way I am to my co-workers because it sure allowed me to do that with them.

The other activity we did was to determine our strengths by, again, answering a series of questions and from our answers we were provided our top 5 strengths. My strengths, per my answers, in order, are: 1. Input; 2. Responsibility; 3. Arranger; 4. Relator; 5. Restorative.

What do these mean? Well, the book that goes with the questions provides detail so here is a summary.

Input - I am inquisitive and I store information. It allows me to keep my mind fresh.

• Strength - Is this why I enjoy listening to NPR and finding new books and articles to read. I can't get enough. PBS with NOVA and Nature - so interesting.  And I store little known and seldom used facts that I spit out at the oddest times.
• Downside - I can't remember where I set my watch, glasses, car keys down. What was it I needed from the grocery store? Is my mind to full of the other stuff to keep up with this?

Responsibility - I take psychological ownership of things I commit to. I feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion.

• Strength - I am the volunteer who will do it all even though I'm not the leader. My team members know I will get it done to the best of my ability because I just have to.
• Downside - I keep going until I'm positive it can't be done - sometimes called "beating a dead horse". Instead of helping get the job done, I sometimes take over. I don't mean to do it and it takes lot of effort to stop. 

Arranger - I enjoy managing all the variables of a project by aligning and realigning until they are arranged in the most productive configuration possible.

• Strength - this is what managing projects is all about. What did we forget? What has to happen before something else can happen? It's ideal when putting together a GANTT chart. 
• Downside - I can get caught up in the details that someone else should be minding. It also drives my husband nuts when I try to outline home improvement projects for him.

Relator - I pull people toward me. I enjoy turning people into friends and I am comfortable with intimacy.

• Strength - since I work with "customers", I am good at making small talk and remembering details of previous conversations so they know they are important. I like having a few really good friends and a lot of acquaintances.
• Downside - Did I really just say that? Sorry I offered TOO MUCH INFORMATION.... Did I ask too many questions so instead of feeling like I'm interested you felt like it was the inquisition? It happens...

Restorative - I enjoy the challenge of solving problems.

• Strength - I am optimistic it can be fixed. It may take years, but we will get it done.
• Downside - Some problems can be really taxing - physically and emotionally and shouldn't be fixed.

I know I shouldn't be looking at the downside when reviewing my top strengths. But, I don't believe you can improve unless you look at those strengths and understand they can also be your weakest link. It's knowing when to use them and when to pull back. 

Ultimately, these two activities confirmed that I'm still a work in progress.