This is the Conversation That Changed Everything
I’m not intense, and I’m definitely not assertive. Or so I thought. Until I took the PI Behavioral Assessment™ and got my results.
I’ve been connected to The Predictive Index in one way or another since 2010. First, as a user, puzzled by how its quick behavioral assessment explained so many truths about me. Then, as a customer who achieved impressive results by implementing PI at my organization (ExamSoft). And finally, as a member of PI’s executive team, a team that’s committed to achieving Better Work, Better World.
This is the story of a difficult conversation that ended up being foundational to my self-awareness—and my career.
Maribel, you’re a Scientific Professional
One Friday night, my then manager showed me my behavioral pattern and told me I was a “Scientific Professional.” As an engineer, the name resonated with me. But what didn’t resonate were the words he used to describe me: authoritative, impatient, intense, task-oriented, not socially-oriented.
The conversation instantly brought me back to my teenage days when my family often pointed out I was too private, too untrusting, and too direct with my words. I’d say things which could, at times, hurt others, and my high standards were too high for those around me to achieve.
So I swallowed down those memories and tried to reject the insights my manager shared with me.
Side note: What used to be known as a Scientific Professional is today called an Analyzer.
Learning to lean into strengths and minimize weaknesses
As Sir Francis Bacon said, “Knowledge is Power.” And as much as it hurt at first to hear myself described that way in a professional setting, that difficult conversation was foundational to building my self-awareness.
I eventually came to terms with the words that described me so well. I learned how to maximize my strengths and I created systems to prevent me from failing due to my weaknesses. I’m sharing my learnings with you now as I hope you’ll gain some fresh ideas for leaning into your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses.
High level of independence
My independence has helped me greatly when I’ve had to deliver on innovative ideas with limited resources and lots of roadblocks. However, I genuinely believe ideas born from diverse perspectives are more successful, so I tone down my independence to make space for teamwork.
I do this by sharing my ideas and giving those on my team the space they need to mature them and then execute. I have true respect for what each person brings to the table; they’re part of the team because of their unique expertise, so I allow them to lead in those areas.
Not socially-oriented
I die for intimate meaningful conversations. For me, extended periods of small-talk can be de-energizing. Small-talk, however, opens an infinite amount of doors, so I’ve worked on identifying conversation starters that are light but provide meaningful insights about others. I avoid asking people what they do for a living and instead ask “What are you passionate about?” I also get to know their children’s names, birthdays, anniversaries, and other personal details that are important to them. After all, they’re people first, team members second. After years of missing some special moments, I now write these details down and set up calendar reminders to ensure my team knows how much they mean to me.
Impatience for results
I hold myself to high standards and expect those around me to give each effort their best. A good friend helped me put things in perspective: “It is all about tennis balls and hand grenades.” Nowadays, excellence and urgency are reserved for hand grenades, while tennis balls can be managed on a more flexible timeline with well-thought out approaches.
Careful with commitments
I respect rules, timelines, and resource plans; I commit only once I’m at least 50% certain I can deliver. And in general, I avoid leaving things to luck. Over time, I’ve learned to think critically about commitments, and that’s allowed me to improve as a leader.
Here’s my internal checklist: Does this rule make sense? Is it still relevant to the situation? If not, should we revamp it or throw it away? Is this timeline self-imposed or is it real? What won’t get done if I commit to this timeline? Are these the right and best resources? Do I have the right knowledge? If not, where can I find help?
My team sets their own deadlines as much as they can, and I challenge them to avoid over-commitment. Because my expectations are high, I invest in educating my team and setting clear expectations. We’re motivated by achievement, so my role is to help the team be and feel successful.
A worthwhile challenge for every leader
Balancing the behaviors that energize us (our strengths) with those that require significant effort (our weaknesses) can be challenging, but doing so will make you a stronger and more self-aware leader.
1. The first step is clearly understanding which behavior fits under which category.
I’ve gained this knowledge by taking The Predictive Index’s behavioral assessment. Here’s my behavioral placard:
2. The second step is recognizing how you can be successful using the behaviors that energize you.
For example, as an Analyzer, I’m strong in execution, so I’m able to make the biggest contribution in Operations.
3. The third step is learning which of the behaviors that drain your energy are key for your success as a leader—and how to deliver on those.
In my case, being naturally assertive and authoritative means I can quickly lean into just telling people what to do; but because I believe in the power of teams, I invest time in sharing my vision with my team and ensuring their input is accounted for so they can engage with the goal.
4. Finally is the need to learn and respect the behavioral drivers of those around us.
It’s the other side of self-awareness: awareness of others. My team knows I am indeed intense and assertive, and they value my efforts to balance those needs with their own needs. Even better, they call me out when I disrupt that balance.