Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter)

(Part II is continued from Part I. Both posts are about the book Now, Discover your Strengths.)

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The chapters are short and segmented into mini-chapters, making a good mix for an easy and light, yet thought-provoking read. Combined, they all point to the authors’ philosophy that our talents, knowledge and skills combine to create our strengths.

One Chapter 5 segment is titled “Why Should I Focus on My Signature Themes?”*  Other segments are titled: “Not all of the phrases in the theme description apply to me. Why?” “Why am I different from other people with whom I share some of the same themes?” “Will I become too narrow if I focus on my signature themes?” “How can I manage around my weaknesses?” “Can my themes reveal whether I am in the right career?”

Back to my formal teaching career (mentioned in Part I) … Paula Lee was my first building principal in Ankeny (for years 1 and 2 out of my twelve years there). Marcy Sparks (pictured above) was my principal there for the next eight years (for my years 3-10). Their formal evaluations, notes in my mailbox, and verbal communication including genuine caring about ME (one of the signature themes for both of them just has to be “empathy”), had a way of focusing on my strengths. They made me want to keep on keepin’ on.

Don’t get me wrong. If I or others needed redirection, they gave it. But their overriding focus was on strengths. Although I didn’t realize it then to the degree that I do now, they (especially Marcy because I was on her teaching staff longer than I was on Paula’s) were both empowering influences on my teaching career, and therefore my life.

Am I glad I’m reading the book? Yes. Is everything it reveals news to me? No, but it does blow some dust off my brain and I think will help me (and those around me) get more out of my strengths. Will the book do my thinking for me? No. (Duh! But some people expect a book to do just that.) Do I recommend the book? Yes. However, I’d get the newer publication: Strengths Finder 2.0: A New and Updated Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths.

*I think of the authors’ meaning for the word “theme” to be similar to the meaning of “strength.”

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

The adults pictured here are (L to R) me, my dad (Deane Gunderson), and my sister Peggy with several students at Northwest Elementary in Ankeny, Iowa. I was the media specialist (now called teacher-librarian) there for twelve years. The photo was taken in the school's library* in 1998 during our "Rock 'n' Read" reading program, hence the 1960s and '70s attire. When NW Elementary was remodeled ~4 years later, including a new library, the room in this photo was enclosed and became a kindergarten classroom. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Four  years ago my oldest sister, Clara, gave to me the book Now, Discover Your Strengths. I had just left work (retired?) after 12 years with the Ankeny (Iowa) Community School District. At the time, I wasn’t really in the mood for something I perceived as serious … like that book.

Then I got busy spending so much time with Daddy and other family and friends. I had more time to spend at the lake. And, I was able to embark on raising funds for the Rolfe Public Library. These are perks, for which I am grateful, of leaving full-time employment.

With Daddy passing away in July, the cottage being closed for the winter, the holidays passing, and being caught up on most of my appointments, yesterday was an unscheduled day. I had a choice of either organizing my back-burner-to-do list or … read the “strengths” book Clara gave to me. Organize a list or read? I opted for reading the book.

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton, 2001. I recommend this book, but suggest getting the newer version which is Strengths Finder 2.0.

The theme of the book is helping people identify, focus on and capitalize on their strengths. Strengths, strengths, STRENGTHS. According to the book, each strength has at least one underlying talent. The authors of this book have the philosophy that it is a big no-no for us to focus on correcting our and others’ weaknesses. Positive results will not be obtained. When people focus on their strengths, positive results will be obtained.

On page 79 I was instructed to take the Internet-based “StrengthsFinder Profile” which I call the book’s “test” for identifying strengths.

It took about a half hour to complete the online test. (To access and take the test, I had to enter a unique code that accompanied my copy of the book.) Each of the “questions” was actually a pair of statements, of which I had to select the one that fit me most and indicate the degree to which it fit me; or I could just click on “neutral” which I bet I did for more than half of the pairs. One of the pairs of statements included something like, “You like to tell others about your life.” Um, how do you think I answered that!

(I just deleted from this post a long description of my test results. They are interesting to me; probably boring to you. Suffice it to say that I think three of my test-identified themes/strengths are 100% right-on for me. I think two of them are 50-to-75% right-on. Of course, that’s my subjective point of view!)

In Part II I’ll include a little bit about two people in my life who I believe share the philosophy of Now, Discover Your Strengths.

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*I believe it was 2002 when we moved into the new library/media center at Northwest Elementary. It was a palace compared to the library pictured, but each had its positive aspects.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

November 16, 2010: Newt Gingrich speaking in Iowa State University's Memorial Union about his most recent book.

Newt Gingrich was in Ames last night. In the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on Iowa State’s campus, Newt promoted his (written with William Forstchen) most recent book, Valley Forge.

Bill and I attended the approximately thirty-minute lecture in which Newt spoke illustratively about his and Forstchen’s research.

Valley Forge is a work of fiction, but so grounded in fact. If it is even half as interesting as listening to Newt speak, reading it will provide an understanding of the elements George Washington and his army endured, and the sacrifices they made to forge America.

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Although I realize Newt’s book tour may double as a litmus test for a potential continuation of his political career, Newt did not focus on present-day politics. I wish I could say that about the Q and A session following Newt’s speech. Before Newt needed to be elsewhere on campus by 8:00 PM for Fox’s Hannity show, approximately six people had the open-microphone opportunity to ask Newt questions. Hmmm…mostly bee-in-a-bonnet/attitude questions. At least the last question was about the novel.

Newt and me after his speech at the Memorial Union last night. There was so little time for signing before Newt had to get ready for the Hannity show. I literally had about five seconds to scurry behind the table and have some guy (accompanying Newt?) quickly snap this photo.

Three or four years ago, at a Barnes & Noble I attended Newt’s similar lecture and book signing for Pearl Harbor. (In at least one of his books, Newt intentionally puts a “what if” twist in the plot. I know that he did this with one of his Pearl Harbor books. Others of his books align closely, throughout their entirety, with his research. If you read any of his books, Google the titles to see which books have the “twist” and which ones don’t.)

So, where am I going with this?

When I was in high school I had the same history teacher for three year-long classes: American History, World History, and Government. For three years that teacher taught by reading aloud from the text books. Literally. Ask anyone who went to Rolfe high school during the early- and mid-’70s. Also, all three years, before every test and quiz, that teacher revealed to every class every quiz/test question AND (get this) all of the answers.

Three years of non-thinking high school history? Two alive 30-minute sessions with Newt? You get the picture. So…get his books.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)