How I experience Maximizer®

This one is the most helpful, and gives me the most trouble. If you have noticed, each of the top 5 strengths themes I have talked about has two sides. There is a good thing the theme has and a side that will bite you. Inside strengths coaching we call this the balcony and the basement. Why wouldn’t you want to improve everything you see? That’s the balcony. The great side of Maximizer® gives me energy to move forward. It brings all of the other 4 dominant strengths together in a purpose for good. Here are my danger zones.

I can fall into getting things perfect rather than getting things done. I wrote about the idea rumination cycle I can get into in the post on Intellection®. If I get in that cycle and Maximizer® kicks in, it just adds to that cycle with the thought, “I can make that better…”. At some point, hopefully sooner now than I used to, I can catch that thought as a red flag and move what I’m doing to a close. And that brings me to my #1 trick for introverted intuitive thinkers like me: find a way to catch the thoughts in your mind that don’t serve you so you can break a pattern of of thought - feeling - result. Set a timer or something that calls your attention and write down what thought you’re having and whether it is serving you for good in the moment. Since I have been at this a while I have developed a habit of examining thoughts for their impact on a regular basis. If you have this issue find a way to break this cycle.

Other people might not want better because it’s MY better not theirs. I see better everywhere. I used to just blurt out what I saw and tell people how it could be better. Now at least I stop the rude behavior and think about a couple of things. First, is this person in my circle of influence? That is, are they likely to care about my suggestion. Second, I ask about the situation and if I can help? Since I have added “First, seek to understand” as a gate to helping others, I have been far more effective.

If a suggestion to maximize goes unheeded I want to walk away and not do anything. This problem was hidden from my awareness for a long time. I had a perverse little twist on passive aggressive behavior, “OK, I’ll just let you see how not taking me seriously works out for you…”. I have Relator® theme in my supporting themes, and I call on that often to remind me that my maximizing idea is MY idea, for me, on my path, and what the other person is doing is actually none of my business. I honor their boundaries as I would expect others to honor mine. As my friend John says, “Don’t say the first thing that comes to mind.”.

But here is the key. I know these things about myself because I have dedicated time and effort into understanding and integrating strengths awareness into who I am and what I do. And this is why you need a strengths coach. Someone apart from you who will observe and ask you questions to bring an awareness to you that will serve you better. You can find a coach here .

Note: I am not a Gallup, Inc. employee and I receive no compensation if you engage a coach from Gallup’s list.

The 34 CliftonStrengths® Theme names are Trademarks of Gallup, Inc.

The non-Gallup information you are receiving has not been approved and is not sanctioned or endorsed by Gallup in any way. Opinions, views and interpretations of CliftonStrengths® or BP10® results are solely the beliefs of David Jackson.