Harry Potter StrengthsQuest: Knowing Your Strengths in the Midst of Battle

By now, I hope that everyone has watched, if not read, the final Harry Potter installment "The Deathly Hallows." (If you haven't, small spoiler ahead!)

Remember when Harry, Ron, and Hermione reach Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and realize that Voldemort has come for Harry? The professors hasten to protect the castle and its students with charms and enchantments that reflect their personal strengths.

Snape made his escape in order to try and save Harry from Voldemort's grasp. McGonagall contacted the other heads of houses to organize the students in the Great Hall and enchanted the statues and suits of armor in the castle to defend Hogwarts. Even Filch summoned Peeves to help! Each character knew their strengths and were able to fight better as a result.

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I love learning more about my own strengths and values, so I decided to take the StrengthsQuest test for the first time. Here are my results:

1. Strategic

2. Achiever

3. Responsibility

4. Input

5. Learner

Strategic

I typically refer to myself as organized and analytical, but I like that this strength seems to create a powerful combination between the two. It's an enjoyment to challenge myself by solving a puzzle or considering alternatives solutions in any situation. I intuitively see patterns and possible outcomes, which has always helped me choose the logical path and move forward. However, it also means that I can learn from my mistakes by understanding where I went wrong and how to respond better in the future. Changing complexities into simplicities.

Achiever

Driven, dedicated, motivated, achiever. I love hard work and get a thrill out of a full day of completed tasks. Not only at work, but in my personal time as well. I love setting goals for myself: Update the website's design, earn 100 points on Duolingo, call one friend or family member per day, or read that book about my newest interest. Others might not understand why I like to pack so many items into my checklist for one day. It seems not to be logical, but it keeps me energized and happy.

Responsibility

At work and at home, I take ownership for any commitments I make. In fact, I feel guilty if I even think about not following through on a task after promising to complete it. My strong personal belief is that a task must be completed on time and be of high quality. My name depends on it. I like having many responsibilities; it makes me feel valued.

Input

Collecting information and inputing these resources into my brain (or, really, into my Pinterest boards) is really fun for me. I like finding information to add to my personal archives; whether it be pictures of inspirational quotes or books and articles that provide me with a new perspective. I listen to podcasts about history, politics, social media and technology, personal and professional development without any real strategy for its future application. This essentially means that I know a little about many random topics so I tend to be a person providing resources to others. I like sharing my collections.

Learner

Part of what attracted me to higher education was the possibility for lifelong learning. I love learning: research, reading, new experiences, new perspectives. It is exciting to me, the process of intellectual growth. From learning small facts to practicing a new skill to feeling competent in its mastery, the entire experience is exhilarating for me.

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With this new knowledge, I think that I could incorporate my strengths into a battle in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Of course, my strengths here seem to indicate I might have been Hermione Granger and ventured down to the girls' bathroom to find a weapon that would kill the remaining Horcruxes....

Have you ever taken the StrengthsQuest test? What are your top strengths? Do you think you're similar to one of the characters in Harry Potter too? Let me know in the comment section below!

#Leadership #PersonalEthicalFoundations #ValuesPhilosophyHistory #Communication