March 13, 2014

Exploring the StrengthsFinder Theme of Competition®

Brian Schubring Strengths Competition, The 34 1

Which is better… this one or that one? Which man is the fastest? Who is the smartest? Who is the best in her field? These questions can spin in the mind of someone with the Strength of Competition® whose main objective is to make comparisons.

Defining the StrengthsFinder Theme of Competition®

The person with the StrengthsFinder Theme of Competition® wants to know how they are doing. These people actually enjoy having their performance measured; they want to know their grades or where they place among others.

In fact, many people with the StrengthsFinder Theme of Competition® have said that they need to know how they are doing. This type of measurement is how they gain meaning from what they are doing and even proves to be a determining factor in whether or not they will do something at all.

People with the Strength of Competition® see the world around them in comparison. They often compare one thing to another, compare people with other people, or compare their thoughts and ideas. They have an amazing energy and drive to be engaged and to succeed. This need to succeed, and the ability to predetermine success, is what usually energizes this person.

People with the Strength of Competition® feel they can succeed at something, because they have the ability to assess a given situation, compare the elements at hand, and know with some certainty that they can win.

It is key to know that the Strength of Competition® motivates people to be involved and to invite others to give them meaningful feedback. Feedback is a form of measurement. They want to know, “How am I doing?” or, “Can I do better?” They often ask these questions in the midst of doing something. This is the way the Strength of Competition® can facilitate useful comparison and measurement.

Competition® is primarily a way of thinking long before it ever becomes a way of doing. Most often, the Strength of Competition® is seen when someone is actually competing to win. Yet, with the Strength of Competition®, there is typically a long process of thought, experience, and preparation that occurs before the actual “competing” takes place.

How Competition® can be Generative

Competition® is generative when it inspires oneself to do their best with a positive impact on others. Competition® is also generative when it inspires others to do their best, through motivation or offering constructive forms of measurement. People with the Strength of Competition® capture others’ attention because of their drive to succeed and their achievements. This raises the level of other’s engagement, then everyone benefits.

People with Competition® respond to;

High performance
High productivity
High inspiration

Behavioral Examples of Competition®

Here is an example of Competition® “in parallel”:

Think of a running race on an 8 lane track or a swimming event in an 8 lane pool. In these races, the competitors are able to immediately measure and calculate their performance in parallel with the competitors right next to them. With the person with the Strength of Competition®, this action of “in parallel” can happen physically, intellectually or practically.

One woman with Competition® remarked that for her, it wasn’t necessarily a drive to win, but the act of comparison that helps her gain her bearings. Then she knew where she stood, and then came the drive to excel beyond those standings.