What is an Activator?

A while back I wrote a blog on what is a Maximizer (February 26, 2013). Maximizer was one of the skills and strengths listed in a series of assessment and evaluation tests* I had taken. Included was an in-depth report of my skills and strengths in leadership and management. Along with the Maximizer description was Activator, which again I had never seen before so it also peaked my interest. Therefore, I decided to delve further into this description and here’s what I learned.

Activator

Short Description Version

People who are strong in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are result oriented and often impatient … strive for success and excellence in their management style. They make great leaders and want others to be successful.

Longer Description Version

“When can we start?” This is the recurring theme or question in an Activator’s life. You want action. You prefer experience and results to theory every time. You concede that analysis has its uses or that debate and discussion can occasionally yield some valuable insights, but deep down you know that only action is real, gets results, and it the best teacher. Only action can make things happen. Only action leads to performance … and results. Once a decision is made, you cannot not act. Others may suggest that “there are still some things we don’t know,” but this doesn’t seem to defer or slow you down. If the decision has been made to go across town, you know that the fastest way to get there is to go stoplight to stoplight. You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green or there is less traffic before you start out. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best teacher, therefore, the best means for learning. When you make a decision, you take action, you look for the result, and you learn (and teach). This learning helps form your next action and your next. How can you grow if you have nothing to react to? Well, you believe you can’t. You must put yourself out there. You must take the next step. It is the only way to keep your thinking fresh and informed … encouraging innovation. The bottom line is this: You know you will be judged not by what you say, not by what you think, but by what you get done. This does not frighten you. It pleases you, because you enjoy challenges and making progress.

Examples:

Mary C., Prioress or head nun of an abbey: In the 1970’s when we were struggling with the energy shortage, and costs were increasing constantly. We had 150+ acres and I would walk the grounds everyday thinking about what we should do about the energy shortage. One day it came to me that we had to do something and I decided that with as much acreage as we had that we should be drilling our own gas … and we did. We had to spend $100,000 to drill a gas well. If you haven’t drilled for gas before, you probably don’t know what I didn’t know either … you have to spend $70,000 just to drill to see IF you have any gas underground. So we had them drill with a special vibrating camera type piece of equipment and they said there was gas down there. Whew! But they didn’t know how much and didn’t know if there was enough pressure to bring it up. So they advised me that for another $30,000 they could try to release the well … but if you don’t want us to, we’ll just cap the drill hole and go home (with $70,000). So Sister Mary agreed to give them another $30,000 and, thank the good Lord, gas came spewing out. That was over 20 years ago and it is still pumping gas today.

John H., Entrepreneur: Some see me as impatient and not wanting to listen to the problems or potential roadblocks. What I keep saying is “I want to know when I’m going to hit the wall … I want to get in front of problems, and I need you to tell me what the result might be … and if it is going to hurt, how much. But if I choose to bump into the wall anyway, then don’t worry, you’ve done your job … I want to experience it for myself so I can learn the ramifications for myself.”

* The Gallup Organization

Are you a Activator? What are your thoughts on theme or style of an Activator?

© Phil Hoffman 2013. All rights reserved

What is a Maximizer?

A while back, I took a series of assessment and evaluation tests to glean some insight and self-analysis. Included was an in-depth report of my skills and strengths in leadership and management. One of the descriptions that appeared in the final analysis and report was Maximizer, which I had never seen before. With my interest peaked I decided to delve further into this description and here’s what I learned.

Short Version

People who are strong in the Maximizer field focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

Longer Version

Persons who grade high in Maximizer seek excellence – not average – in many areas of their lives but especially business. While a Maximizer is capable of taking something from below average to slightly above average and will find that rewarding, they much prefer to spend the same time and effort taking something strong and transforming it into something superb or outstanding. Much like Jim Collins’ book on Good to Great suggests, the Maximizer intuitively seeks excellence and finds it to be thrilling. In fact, a Maximizer is always interested in strengths, whether theirs’ or someone else’s. Like a coach looking for that natural superstar, a Maximizer searches out the signs and indicators of strengths in other people. It is not unusual for a Maximizer to be the first to spot raw or untrained excellence, ease of learning, skill(s) mastered without going through all the training steps to groom an employee in the process. As soon as a Maximizer spots or senses an unrefined strength, they feel compelled to nurture it, to refine it, and to edge, push or pull it toward excellence. While they want to be the best they can be at what they do, they also want those working for them to do their best. They also want to take that undiscovered superstar and work on their strengths. The Maximizer chooses to spend time with people who appreciate their strengths, while at the same time are attracted to others who seem to have discovered their own strengths and seek to develop them further. A Maximizer tends to avoid those who want to fix them and make them feel average … they avoid those who want to work on weaknesses because they desire to maximize their strengths. In essence, they find improving their strengths is more fun … more productive … more stimulating … and actually more demanding than working on weaknesses.

Examples:

Allison, editor: “There is nothing more difficult for me than taking a poorly written book or piece and trying to ‘fix it.” I feel that if a writer has a clear focus to start and they come back with something that is totally off target, I simply hate to write corrective comments on it. I am much more inclined to return it and simply say, “Please, just start over.” On the other hand, I think it is exhilarating to take an article or book that is close to being right and then refining it whereby it is almost perfect … or is perfect. Being able to add just the right word or inflection here, cutout a little there, and all of a sudden it’s a masterpiece.”

Jonathan, sales and marketing executive: “My strength is establishing focus for people and bringing them together as a team working as a team or unit to accomplish our goals. At the same time, I am not very good at tactical planning. I have been blessed with bosses who understand me and let me build things my way and use someone else to do the tactical side of planning. This has enabled me to be stretched to be even more successful at staying focused on the objective and team-building for accomplishing the company’s mission/vision.”

Are you a Maximizer?

© Phil Hoffman 2013. All rights reserved