The CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Theme is a unique theme in the Gallup CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) group of talent themes.
A guide to understanding the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical talent theme
You may either have the Analytical talent theme or you know someone with the talent theme of Analytical.
As the Gallup Organization defines it, people exceptionally talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect the situation.
The Power Of The CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Theme
For people with the talent theme of Analytical, the way they think, feel and behave is all about finding evidences and getting to the root cause of a situation, of an idea or even of a problem. They are logical and objective in their thought process. In the mind of a person with the Analytical talent theme, the data speaks for itself.
Often times, many people think that the Analytical talent theme loves numbers and figures. This is often a misconception. It is beyond just numbers. It is also about facts and data and how they can derive patterns, trends and connections to better understand and analyse the situation.
People with the talent theme of Analytical have the ability to take a big idea, and break it down into its essence. They are able boil the ideas into little nuggets of information. With these little nuggets, they are able to understand each component and simplify things for others to understand.
What The CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Theme Loves
CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Theme individuals love evidence and truth. They are constantly looking for proof and evidences to ensure that the information is right and accurate.
They are skeptical which means that they will do their research and look for credible and trusted sources before they can believe in something.
They won’t just accept everything as face value. Every decision or idea that they have is always backed up by proof, facts, figures and data. Most of the times, people consider their decision and ideas to be reliable.
People with the Analytical talent theme loves accuracy and precision. In order for them to be precise and accurate, they are able to deconstruct the information into smaller pieces so that they are able to catch facts and details within those information. Many people with the talent theme of Analytical are extremely detailed oriented.
Others look to this talent theme as a way to help them remove doubt because they are constantly aiming for the truth. They are rigorous and considered. They can be very fair in their judgement because their judgement and decisions are often supported by figures, data and evidences.
What The CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Theme Hates
Analytical hates assumptions. Every assumption made must be backed by statistics, hard facts or solid research. It drives them crazy when things are not proven or cannot be proven.
The Analytical talent theme hates it when things don’t make logical sense for them. It is in their nature to be logical and objective. When someone makes a decision with their heart instead of using facts and data, most people with the analytical talent theme will feel frustrated.
If you are working with someone with the analytical talent theme, give them permission to ask questions. This talent theme makes them critical and curious. When asking questions, they are not challenging you, they are just simply trying to gather more information to better understand things.
Analytical’s Basement Behaviours
When people with the Analytical talent theme push their talent too hard, the experience for others can be severe and worrying.
Here are 3 negative behaviours of the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Theme: –
- Paralysis by analysis – As mentioned above, CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Themed individuals have the ability to break things down into smaller blocks. There are times where they could be over analysing these smaller blocks that they are not able to piece everything together to form a big picture.
This might prevent them from making a decision because they are too busy nit picking on small details. They might also not be able to make a decision because they need all the facts in place before they can move forward.
- Too direct, rude and tough – People with the Analytical talent theme can sometimes be seen as being too direct or rude. They might be too focus on factual and data component of the situation that they drive others hard to get that information. They might ignore the feeling of others.
They can be very challenging and dismissive. They are very sharp and accurate when it comes to presenting their information that their replies can be seen as being too direct or rude.
- They ask too many questions – CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Themed individuals are constantly looking for patterns, they are trying to understand the cause and effects, in order for them to do that, they need to ask questions. Sometimes, they ask too many questions. This might drive the people around them crazy.
People working with them might feel that they are not being trusted because of the constant questioning. When in truth, the Analytical talent theme is just trying to gather information and data.
A good way to manage this is to share with them the reasons behind the need to ask all the questions. Prepare all the questions in advance and pre-empt others of these questions. This will manage people’s reaction when working with the Analytical talent theme.
Analytical’s Best Contributions
People with the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Theme have the innate ability to be objective and practical. They play a critical role in the team because they are able to deliver difficult news in a very practical way. This talent theme gives them the capability to provide compassion without getting distracted by emotions. They help the people around them focus on the reality of the situation.
If you have a team member who has the talent theme of Analytical and your team is planning to start a new project, ensure that they are involved in the planning stage of the project.
The best contribution of Analytical is to assess the feasibility and direction of the plan before it gets too far in the process.
CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Themed individuals bring innovative ways to solve a problem. When they break down the problem into smaller pieces, they are able to separate these pieces into different categories. They are able to look at the details of each category and find the most effective method and resources to solve the problem.
The power of the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Analytical Talent Theme truly comes in identifying the cause and effect relationship of a certain problem or idea. Searching for causes and thinking of all the factors will not only give clarity to a certain decisions but can also uncover the facts needed for excellence.
StrengthsAsia has helped many individual and corporate clients all throughout the region in identifying and maximizing their talents, in driving engagement and increasing motivation in their work and life.
If you want to learn more about the 34 talent themes or discover how you can apply your talent themes in the areas of your work and your life, feel free to reach out to us here.
Dina is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach at StrengthsAsia. She is one of the principal architect and designer of StrengthsAsia’s wildly successful Strengths Engagement Programs. She is passionate about bringing strengths to the education sector, in helping educators and student leaders discover their natural talents, passions, interests, and building ‘strong’ foundations to do what they do best every day.