In case of amnesia...

So, for work we had to take one of those personality/strengths assessments as part of a larger strategic planning process (just go with it). I'm always a little bit of a skeptic when it comes to these kinds of assessments, not because they aren't accurate at all. The results actually do give a very general description of my personality. For example, with this assessment, my number one strength was context (and here you will see one of the reasons why I'm a bit skeptical with this particular assessment. Context? What on earth does that even mean? Also, they were making up words. Very jargony. Which makes me suspicious.) Implying that I like to know the whole story. Which is true. Even while taking the test, I was thinking, "Well, in my current situation, I think X, but if the situation changed, I would probably say Y." Or "I don't know! Tell me the situation, and then I can answer the question." Yes, I do like me a bit of context.

That being said, I would hardly use the word "context" to describe myself to someone. I wouldn't even list it as one of my qualities. Yes, I know that I think a certain way, but that is not the only way I think. Which is what bugs me about these types of assessments. I have never EVER met anyone that could be so neatly categorized and labeled. Especially by a series of questions that you have to answer based on a rating scale along the lines of "strongly describes me". I think I chafe at the idea that someone thinks I am so non-unique that I can be stuck in a box like that. Call it my pride, but I really don't think that these assessments can get at the soul of a person. They boil you down to a list of characteristics, tell you what you should and shouldn't do in your career and how to adapt to the world, but always, always describing a mold. People are not molds.

I think I also feel a bit of chagrin that they think they know me better than I know myself. I know what I am capable of, and while their little test tells me that I should look for X opportunities at work, I know what I need. I have spent many many years learning about me, and do not need some assessment or algorithm to tell me who I am. If you want to know what I think I need in a job, ask me. Don't ask some dumb assessment written by a guy trying to sell a product (and this one is a HUGE sell). Especially when of all the strengths in the world, this person boiled them down to 34. Really? There are only 34 strengths? Come on. I'm definitely not sold.

So, seeing as I don't have amnesia, and I know myself fairly well (having spent every waking moment and non-waking moment of my life with myself!) I intend to take all of this with an enormous salt lick.

So there.