People with the Activator talent can make things happen. They are a catalyst, ready to jump in, and get things moving. In fact, we could summarize this talent with the word Now. They prefer to get things started, instead of talking about it. They are excellent at turning thoughts into action with their innate sense of urgency. When teams are stalled and stuck in endless debate, an Activator will initiate movement. They excel at mobilizing their teams.
The activator strength is in the Influencing Leadership style. Influencers are good at starting things and bringing others along. Sometimes this style can be confused with the Executing Leadership style which also likes to get things done. Executors, however, find the most energy in finishing things and Influencers are great at beginning. To compare Activator with a few of the other influencing strengths:
- Those with the Activator strength are unafraid to begin.
- Those with the Communication strength are unafraid to speak up.
- Those with the Woo strength (winning others over) are unafraid to meet new people.
As with all strengths, there are blind spots to Activator. Impatience is a frequent indicator that the Activator talent is dialed too high. It may be hard for activators to listen for long periods of time. In fact, sometimes they will stop listening to instructions or needed information in their drive to get started. If this sounds like you, look for others with the Deliberative or Strategic Thinking strengths to complement your innate urge to charge ahead. Those strengths will counterbalance you, helping you weigh all the options before moving forward.
A second potential blind spot is that the Activator’s push to action may make team members feel unjustly pressured. Be sure to pause and listen to team members’ concerns if your push isn’t moving the group forward. Take time to address any resistance you encounter.
In summary, there is a magic to an Activator’s quickness to commit and love of starting. It brings a contagious energy and enthusiasm, a confidence that believes we can figure things out as we go along. If you have this wonderful strength, get something started today!
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