Bring in the Puppets and Crayons

I am a Maximizer.

I used to think that meant I made the best out of a situation.

And, I suppose that’s still true.

But, according to Now Discover Your Strengths, (by the dreamy-blue-eyed Marcus Buckingham) a Maximizer is someone that develops already performing folks to the best potential.

While they CAN work with newbies, Maximizers do best when working with someone that already has an inkling or basic performance.

To translate: I don’t do too well with obtuse.

After the first five or six tries at explaining something the Little Person in My Head starts to whimper.

• I begin repeating things in a slightly different tone.
• I use more and more word pictures.
• I start to relate it to a common interest or past experience.
• My hand gestures become more broad.
• I sit straighter and lean closer.
• I close my eyes before I speak to bring things (in my own head)
• into sharper focus.

I start wishing for the crayons and puppets.

In fact, once upon a time- after the umpteenth meeting where I said “Yes, but they don’t have email in the stores, so we need to reach them a different way...” I went out and bought a puppet kit. And white socks. At our next team meeting we made hand puppets.

Did I use them after that day? No.

But it was a good way to let off steam while we brainstormed other ways to communicate and resolve the issue. There’s something about colored pipe cleaners and googly eyes on a white sock that makes a grim Maximizer realize that we need to start at the beginning.

Over and Over, until it works. And, you know; being open to doing something the umpteenth-plus-one time might just do the trick.

So, if you, too are a Maximizer, take the time. Buy the crayons. Make a puppet.

You can take what you do seriously. But don’t take yourself so seriously.

If it's important, if it's worth communicating; it’s always worth another attempt.

~~~

This is the book that let me know I am a Maximizer.

One of the interesting things about the book is that it doesn't try to make you improve on your weaknesses. It doesn't give you things to improve where you aren't outperforming others.

Nope. It helps you understand your top FIVE strengths, the things that come naturally to you, and shows the reader ways to use those strengths MORE.

The link above is for the book on the online Bookshop.org site. (I am not an affiliate and will not get anything if you use the link!) Bookshop is the alternative to using Am@$on for online book purchases. The reason I link to them is that they give a portion of the online sales BACK to independent bookstores every year. To date they have given over $31 MILLION dollars to local US bookstores.

If you are interested but don't want to buy the book, check out your local library. It's National Library week, and although bookselling is in my blood I can't get by without access to our library (HEY there Ann Arbor District Library!)

And, to get a taste of the strengths assessment, here's a free version you might want to try.

I just took it as a test and can confirm there is no payment, no credit card, etc. And there results are available in seconds (no paywall or email dilly-dallying coyness!)

Even if you've taken the assessment before, I encourage you to do it again. People grow, develop, and change. My most recent results on this assessment are:

1. Believer
2. Empathizer
3. Coach
4. Maximizer
5. Storyteller

I think that these are pretty accurate. They reflect my current work responsibilities, my decision to work in a non-profit, and my love of writing.

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If you take the assessment, feel free to share your results in a comment. Also, let me know: have you ever felt the need to make hand puppets at work in order to bring across a point?