| |  This week Kathy and I are hosting our FOCUS International Student Ministry Leadership Team Planning Retreat. FOCUS is a service program for international students predominantly at Portland State University. We serve about 600-800 students each year from 60+ nations utilizing mostly community volunteers. Over 90 people from 30 area churches make FOCUS happen.
We opened our meetings with Organizational Team Building based on several personality assessments, then presenting a summary of how we best operate within organizations. We used these three assessments (my strength areas listed for each):
1) Strength Finders 2.0: Connectedness, Strategic, Adaptability, Empathy
2) Myers-Briggs: INFP— Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving—“The Healer”
3) DISC Assessment: Steadiness (43%), Conscientious (26%), Influence (19%), Dominance (12%)
Here's a snap shot of the 'real me'---
I believe everything happens for a reason especially in the sense of God directing our lives. We are a product of his Divine Destiny, an agent on his mission of service. Our stories are different but they often are entwined as strands in the master Weaver’s ultimate tapestry.
In a group I’m paying attention to everyone else including those that seem to be on the fringe or perhaps feeling uninvited or unworthy of the company they’re keeping. I want everyone to feel a part, a stakeholder, and with a full place at the table. I can easily put myself in their shoes, especially if they would traditionally be underrepresented for some reason. I may not even agree with their perspective, but it is important to me that they have a voice. Myers-Briggs calls me a “diplomat” and interestingly this was one of my career interests throughout my life.
Of course then, I also am most happy when invited to a full seat at the table in any organization I'm part of.
I pay attention to and try to anticipate people’s needs and love to serve them, especially if they are among those I strongly care for or am committed to.
I may appear quiet, but I actually have strong opinions and will speak persuasively on their behalf. My quietness is actually misleading because I will become very enthusiastic in promoting anything I’m committed to.
Usually I can envision the best path through a problem or issue. I am not afraid to throw out something (an idea, program etc) I view as obsolete or affecting the well being of our staff or workers.
I tend to live in the moment rather than make a plan and work a plan. One plan tends to spin off new ideas not necessarily related. I can be distracted by these especially if they seem more interesting to me. Because of that I can pretty flexible and I’m usually not offended to put down my idea for now in favor of the teams interests. Part of the dark side on this, I am susceptible to being compulsive at times.
I hate to disappoint those I work for or with. I have a strong sense of morality, propriety and “doing the right thing”. While I usually do not impose my sense of right and wrong on others, am usually am very willing to give my assessment when invited to.
I draw the line on intervention where the unity or integrity of a group or organization is concerned. I will not hesitate to act in order to preserve that, even if someone is hurt in the process.
Because I am content to sit in the #2 position in organizations, some people assume I am not interested in or very capable of directing leadership. That is far from the truth, however I much prefer to be called into leadership rather than asserting myself into it. Some consider this a weakness, but I look at it as strength, though at times I may lose out on an opportunity or two because of it. |
| | Posted 5/11/2009 5:18 PM - 68 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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