Well, besides my LinkedIn profile, which describes some of my experience, skills, abilities and so forth, what should you know about the soft skills of Davin Greenwell if you happen to find yourself working with him?
Well, I am him, so I’ll share some insight on that, based on a series of tests I took to determine my personality / talents etc. One of the tests is about strengths (why work all the time on weaknesses when you can, instead, leverage what you excel at?) and another is personality based (MBTI). You can use this information to figure out how to interact or collaborate best with me (hi boss), judge me, or otherwise attempt to manipulate me in some manner.
Strengths
These are themed by Gallup and the test is called StrengthsFinder; you can also see the full list of strength themes. As far as I know, there’s no free version of this test, so there is no link to one here.
- Individualization
People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. - Futuristic
People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future. - Activator
People who are especially talented in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient. - Learner
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. - Command
People who are especially talented in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.
Anyone who has worked with me will not be surprised by any of the above.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) test was first introduced to me as “a way for people to put other people into little boxes.” There are four dichotomies of personality in this test with a range in each; at the end of the test, you get four letters that describe your personality. For those of you keeping track at home, that is 16 possible combinations of letters, or 16 possible personality types.
So, my results (after multiple tests) are:
- E (Extraverted)
- N (iNtuitive)
- F (Feeling)
- P (Perceiving)
Some call the ENFP “champion,” “inspirer,” or other nicknames, which are no doubt chosen to make the test-taker feel good about taking the test and spread it to their friends. Nonsense aside, here’s a snippet of what that term approximately means:
“Like the other Idealists, Champions are rather rare, say three or four percent of the population, but even more than the others they consider intense emotional experiences as being vital to a full life. Champions have a wide range and variety of emotions, and a great passion for novelty. They see life as an exciting drama, pregnant with possibilities for both good and evil, and they want to experience all the meaningful events and fascinating people in the world. The most outgoing of the Idealists, Champions often can’t wait to tell others of their extraordinary experiences. Champions can be tireless in talking with others, like fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all out. And usually this is not simple storytelling; Champions often speak (or write) in the hope of revealing some truth about human experience, or of motivating others with their powerful convictions.” – Dr. David Keirsey
You can read the full ENFP description on Keirsey’s site and then analyze me. It is somewhat accurate.
Some psychologist friends of mine think this test is mostly rubbish, so perhaps keep that in mind. Also, if you get one letter or another, that does not mean you are just that one thing, rather you may sway in that direction most of the time. For example: I have introverted times, which nobody believes happen because they don’t see me (imagine that) when I am spending time by myself. Anyway, there are a few free versions of this test online; here is the MBTI test I’ve been using the last several years.