You are impatient for action.
You may 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.
“When can we start?” This is a recurring question in your life. Only action can make things happen. Only action leads to performance. Once a decision is made, you cannot not act. Others may worry that “there are still some things we don’t know,” but this doesn’t seem to slow you. 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. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. This learning informs 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. 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.
Activator is going to kick off our Influencing themes. It is all about getting started. Activator is confidence with action. It is a whisper of continuous progress. In an individual it may look like you’re the first person off the starting line in a race.
Theme Thursday Podcast brings thought leaders to deep dive on each StrengthsFinder theme.
The time invested is worth it - learn about Activator with a leader lens.
BALCONIES
When Activator is soaring...
Self-starter
Fire-starter
Energy source
Fearless
In a leader it may look like you’re the starting clerk. It is that leader’s job to get everybody to the starting line, and start the race off with a bang.
BASEMENTS
When Activator is on over-drive...
Ready-fire-aim
Loose cannon
Speak before you think
In left field (because others haven't caught up)
Ways to invest as a leader are by aligning your skills with the opportunities you see. What do you care about? What can you begin? Position yourself for powerful starting. Activator and Achiever can sometimes be confused with each other. Achiever is about completion and finishing what you started, whereas Activator is about beginning things. You can have one without having the other. In that way it is important to help communicate the value of beginning things. In a world where we place more value on completing things, help others see that blasting through hurdles and starting something can be valuable.
Become exceptionally effective at helping your followers all start in a way that resonates with them on an individual level. This will expand your influence as a leader with Activator. Pay attention to the phrases, gestures and cultural influence that you have which can really cause someone to take action.
A leader with Activator...
Builds trust by asking, how can you communicate your talent to help start things? How can you get people to trust you?
Builds compassion by asking, where can you make the first move in building a relationship?
Creates stability by asking, how can you position yourself to blast through those hurdles? How can you be the person who helps remove obstacles?
Builds hope by asking, how can you help launch things off the ground?
