Think for a minute...
What’s your LEAST favorite type of communication?
For example, do you dislike networking events?
Or speaking in front of a crowd?
Or explaining the same exact process, over and over?
We all have certain types of conversations that exhaust us. These interactions require so much energy that we leave them feeling drained. Yet we’re not all the same. An interaction that exhausts you will energize someone else on your team.
There’s a reason why.
Your personal brand has a primary Advantage: the type of communication that leaves you feeling energized.
You also have a dormant Advantage: the type of communication that leaves you feeling drained.
(You can find your dormant Advantage on the overview page of your Fascinate profile. Haven't taken the Fascinate test? Find out your highest value in five minutes right here!)
It’s crucial to understand the difference. You do not have to “fix” your dormant Advantage. But you probably want to minimize these tasks, or delegate them, or outsource them.You are perfect for some things, and not for others.
So what is YOUR least effective form of communication?
- Dormant Innovation: You dislike new and unproven ideas over time. Your predictability is why people depend on you.
- Dormant Passion: Instead of connecting with others based upon feelings, you usually connect based upon ideas, discussions and debates.
- Dormant Power: You build consensus in a group, and don’t like to force your opinions on others.
- Dormant Prestige: Rather than intimidating or pushing others to reach the next level, you communicate with a grounded, peer-to-peer attitude.
- Dormant Trust: You love to explore new ideas and invent fresh solutions. You’re frustrated by rigid procedures. (I have a dormant Trust, too.)
- Dormant Mystique: You are expressive, open, and candid. People know where they stand with you.
- Dormant Alert: Details exhaust you. Instead of meticulously reading the instructions, you’d rather figure it out yourself. You want to focus on the bigger picture, and avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
My dormant Advantage is Alert. I’m exhausted by tasks that are highly regimented and strictly controlled. I can do these types of things, of course, but they’re not my highest value. Yet it’s unrealistic to think I’ll never have to review meticulous details in my work.
Let’s say you have dormant Alert, too. How could you maximize your strong suit, and minimize your pitfalls?
3 ways to avoid feeling drained by your dormant Advantage
- DISCIPLINE: Set aside time to accomplish these tasks, knowing you’ll need extra energy to finish them.
- DELEGATE: Find a partner who excels in the areas that exhaust you.
- DELETE: Reduce these types of interactions, so you’re not put in a position to spend your energy here.
Follow this simple formula, and you can be seen at your best, and reduce your dreaded zones.
Discipline, delegate, or delete. One final word:
The goal is not to “fix” yourself, but to do more of what you’re already doing right.
This is spot on - I have a dormant of Passion, and when people start wanting to connect on feelings, I tend to start to zone out; but if we talk about an idea or a process, I connect.
What are you reading? I don't see any of the wording you're referring to (e.g. " you then went right out and said 'your Dormant Advantages are like disadvantages' - making a positive straight back into a negative!" OR "At the end, you say 'You are perfect for certain things' - which very nice - but this is immediately followed by 'you are wrong for others'!")
Did Sally rewrite the post in reference to your message?
Trust too! But I don't understand the connection between the word Trust and the issue. What am I missing?
Hi Vito,
Like you, I was a bit confused. The question was answered very well under Dr. Stephen's comment. You may get your answer there. I did. I am a dormant mystique as well.
Hi Melody! When I was a teenager (I'm a pensioner now!) I had shoulder-length hair, and played and sang in a local band called the Reflections. I tried to introduce my songs and my music but everyone only wanted to hear the hits at the time. The money came in handy, but there was no job satisfaction. Then I got a short-haired job, shaved off the beard and worked for various companies and did my 48 years at the grindstone. Now I can do as I wish, play the music that I like, when I like. I'm probably the oldest rock'n'roller in town.
You gotta never let go of your dream. Never sell the guitar, and keep practicing the vocals so that inwardly you are dancing to your own turn, marching to your own drum.
The incredible thing is that everyone you know and meet will know that you have this amazing talent within, just waiting for the opportunity to emerge. You are the lowly caterpillar waiting for the moment to become a beautiful butterfly.
Whether this means pushing a pen all day, or selling stuff to your customers, don't allow yourself to forget - even for a moment - who you are. Otherwise you will go crazy, possibly embittered, even mad trying to meet someone else's targets and objectives.
Now I sing old rock'n'roll songs with fellow veterans from the 50s and 60s. Roll Over Beethoven! Look out Jerry Lee Lewis! Rock around the Clock. The Reflections are back and are here to stay.
I thought the same thing- and am unsure how to interpret this as well. I think that I am open, expressive and candid, and people usually do know where they stand with me. Does this mean I am not as good at making this a strength, or this is not a strength, and try harder to be more open, etc?
Let me know if you get some more insight. I feel rather confused!
Best,
Kari
I am like you, a Dormant Trust. Always thought this was short coming not doing well with tedious tasks and schedules. Thanks to you I now realize I just need a personality in my life who thrives in that area so I can focus more on areas where I do shine.
I am told I'm dormant Mystique but unlike the other dormant traits, it lists my strengths which I already knew, and didn't list the type of tasks or activities or interactions that I most likely dread and should delegate or eliminate. Can you please enlighten me on those? Thank you
My dormant advantage is Prestige. I'm much too easy-going to push-push-push for perfection. I'm more interested in done on time than done perfectly, which raises the blood pressure and causes a great deal of stress looking for every little crossed T and dotted I. That said, I work with several people who are very much that way. That sort of tension in methods forces me to up my game and--occasionally--helps those dominated by Prestige to take a more realistic approach.
I see now that this was answered above, under Dr. Stephen Kalaluhi's post.