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StrengthsFinder 2.0: From the Author of the Bestseller Wellbeing |  | Author: Tom Rath
Publisher: Gallup Press
List Price: $24.95
Buy Used: $2.38
as of 9/4/2010 08:19 CDT details
You Save: $22.57 (90%)
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Seller: airportplacebooks
Rating:  397 reviews
Sales Rank: 20
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 192
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 11.6 x 10.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 159562015X
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.314
EAN: 9781595620156
ASIN: 159562015X
Publication Date: February 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| • | ISBN13: 9781595620156 | | • | Condition: New | | • | Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed |
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Product Description
StrengthsFinder 2.0: From the Author of the Bestseller Wellbeing [Hardcover]
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 397
 Mind blowing, yet simple August 24, 2010
El Duderino
I've been looking for ways to stoke the fires of the "what will I be when I grow up" conversation for a long time; this book was my answer. Although it's not a guide to finding a career, it's great brain food for figuring out not only what you're good at, but what you instinctively like to do as a professional. We all have a tendency to focus heavily on our deficiencies, whether consciously or subconsciously, but this book flips that idea on it's head and forces us to confront what we actually do instinctively well. I've become a believer and a convert that our strengths are the most important thing we can understand and develop in our professional lives if we truly want to be happy and successful.
 It's all about strengths, but not sharing August 19, 2010
Ryan McCallum (Buffalo, MN)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The 2.0 in Web 2.0 is more synonymous with "ease of sharing" than it is with "improved". Unfortunately, ease of sharing is the main drawback of Tom Rath's Strengths Finder 2.0, a powerful personal discovery tool that is hindered by the lack of a desperately needed social element.
The Good: In-depth analysis of personal strengths
Rath strives to equip readers with a detailed analysis of their strengths and how to maximize them. The results are incredibly deep and thorough and readers won't be disappointed with the analysis, even though other free inventories provide similar results. The first 40 pages of the book explain the importance of understanding and maximizing individual strengths rather than discovering and improving weaknesses. Rath justifies this with a simple formula.
Talent * Investment = Strength
Rath imagines that a person has a score of 1-5 in the areas of Talent and Investment. He says that a person with a lot of talent (5) but little investment in those talents (2) receives the same 10 score as a person with not much talent (2) but a lot of investment (5). Neither of these stories, according to Rath, are examples of a good way to maximize strengths. On the other hand, Rath argues that people should focus on the talents they score a perfect 5 on and work to invest as much as they can. Hence, Rudy scores a 10 in football and Joe Montana scores a perfect 25. We find a lot of inspiration in Rudy's story, but his extensive investment in football was probably a waste of time. If he would have invested more of himself in an area of natural talent, he could have had a bigger impact and a more satisfying life.
After using an access code sealed in the back of the book to unlock a 35-minute inventory, readers receive a deep examination of their top five strengths out of 35 possible areas. If a reader wants to get a further analysis or find out how they ranked on all 35 areas, they must pay $550 for a personal consultation.
I cannot imagine the $550 being a wise investment for anyone or any group, and it makes the book and inventory seem like hook instead of a stand-alone tool. However, reading the results is enjoyable and satisfying. There's much to be gained and the results seem personalized and accurate. At it's core, Strengths Finder 2.0 is really a book about you and finding simple ways to make yourself more happy at home and work. Rath succeeds at this in a number of ways and makes the book quite a satisfying personal reflective experience.
The Bad: 2.0 should mean sharing.
While the book and the Strengths Finder test that comes with it are insightful and based on over a decade of research on 10 million people by Gallop, the access code that comes from the book only allows one person to take the test one time. The results are made to be shared with others, but learning about someone else is not as interesting when others can't take the test as well. Very few people in my life are fascinating enough for me to invest 30 minutes of reading about them without wanting to see how I compare to their results. My first reaction upon taking the test was to see how my wife would score; however, if I wanted to see her results, I'd have to buy another $25 copy of the book. Since I didn't want to invest that, I decided not to even mention the results to her. I understand that the test is the book's big hook, but it leaves the feeling of taking the test a little empty when results can't be shared without a caveat. This was the same weakness of the online test included with The Survivor's Club. The impact of books like these (as well as the sales numbers) would be increased if the tests allowed one or two extra people to share in the results.
Over 3/4 of the book is analysis of the different strength types, so without the ability to share results easily with those who are close to you, the book is pretty empty.
Application
This book is a good choice for a Professional Learning Committee or a small professional group to use as a discussion starter. I am fortunate enough to be using it in this way with a small group of colleagues. My boss is using this as a way to begin a discussion with a group of us in order for us to make work a more supportive, enjoyable place. This type of sharing of results is essential and appreciated. It makes the experience of the book more complete and the majority of the book seems useful this way. If the group of us are supportive of each other's strengths - while keeping in mind that we aren't defining ourselves as only proficient in five areas - it could lead to a better workplace environment, more motivation, and more happiness.
On the other hand, although the results of the inventory are intended to be deep, there could be a risk of pigeonholing people as one dimensional. For example, when looking at my results, I was a little disappointed to see that - although they resonated with me - they felt quite similar to each other. I apparently like learning new things and want to always learn more, I like ideas, I'm good at expressing my ideas with big words, I use knowledge to find patterns, and I value all people. This doesn't seem like an especially rich portrait of myself - so I would worry that co-workers would disregard how much I like making things happen and actually applying what I learn. I don't want my potential for leadership discounted by five strengths. Any group using this book should use it as a way to foster stronger awareness of the differences and strengths of everyone in an environment without discounting things that are not specifically mentioned in the top five formula.
Other personality inventories could be equally valid and should be used in conjunction with this tool in a PLC environment to continue the spirit of learning about others and appreciating differences.
Meat August 18, 2010
Jack
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is not very meaty, but because of the great price at Amazon, it's a good way to buy the voucher for the test, and then the book is sort of a guide to that test. If you discuss it with others, you can also read up on their strengths in this book. I found the test to be very enlightening, and helps me understand myself.
Strengths Finder Review August 10, 2010
Percy Jackson
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I found the book very insightful with the online materials. It's a great product!
Jo-Strength Finder 2.0 Review July 29, 2010
Jo Ann
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was happy with the book that I ordered. The thing that got me was that it showed the entire amount I needed were available, but there was a limit placed on the amount that I could buy. This meant that I had to go to other vendors to complete the purchase for my group. I will look at that first next time and probably choose to use a vendor who can complete my order amount and not buy from this vendor in those instances.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 397
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