Prompt #1:  With respect to self-assessment data – briefly discuss the “Self-Assessments & Reflective Writing” section of your e-portfolio (or equivalent), and what sorts of data were you able to pull together (beyond what was assigned).   

With respect to any additional self-assessment instruments that you included (beyond what was assigned), write briefly about what you learned about yourself (cite the new assessments you took, and briefly describe your findings, and how those findings relate to how you see yourself in the world). 

 

Throughout your personal or professional life, what have been the most useful self-assessments tools for you, and why?

 

I personally appreciate the value that each assessment provides as I work through the questions contained within. Assessments, though seemingly lackluster, provide an amazing amount of insight into who I am as an individual – both in a leadership role and otherwise. They are terrific indicators for continued opportunities and serve as a reminder of where my strengths are. Often times, I am able to create a link between the things I’m good at and the things I need to improve upon – leveraging one to support the other. My self-assessments in the Organizational Leadership program have been abundant. Good thing, too, because many of them have addressed topics I may not have considered otherwise. For the purpose of this week’s assignment, I tried to review some of the past assessments and consider their results with an enhanced perspective. I also worked to compare those with the more current assessments I have been taking. Many of my most recent evaluations indicate my desire to support the needs of others while maintaining a focus on my own development and personal growth. While these inclinations seem very clear to me now, that has not always been the case. Without assessment, I simply did what felt right to me – not really understanding why.

 

This week, I decided to take the Jung Personality Type test and compared those results to the Keirsey Temperment Report which evaluates many similar aspects of personality. I also took the Big 5 personality test which revealed a bit of information beyond that of the Jung and Kiersey Temperment Report. According to the Jung Personality Typology, my four letter type is INTJ. This type was distributed as follows: Introvert (33%), Intuitive (25%), Thinking (75%), Judging (89%). Though the process of answering questions was relatively straight forward, there were several times where I was faced with a question where either of two choices seemed appropriate. As a result, I would make a choice in the moment and wonder if it was my true response. The overall evaluation of my personality seems accurate, but I personally feel that my Introvert trait is often disguised in real life because my ability to interact with others makes me feel more like an extrovert. I understand, though, that the defining difference between being an Introvert and an Extrovert is in the source of energy. Introverts draw energy from being alone and that is, in fact, true for me.

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            The Keirsey Temperment Report, however, did not list me as an INTJ personality type. Though I am not certain which official letter assignment I would have received in this format, I was qualified as a “Guardian”. According to this report, Guardians “pride themselves on being dependable, helpful and hardworking.” Additionally, “working steadily within the system is the Guardian way, for in the long run loyalty, discipline, and teamwork get the job done right.” These statements seem like a natural fit for my approach to life and lead me to believe that the Keirsey Temperment Report is fairly accurate. For the sake of comparison, though, I looked at how the Keirsey Temperment described my Jung Personality Type of INTJ. This was classified as a category of Rational – more specifically a “Mastermind”. According to this description, “Rationals are even-tempered, they trust logic, yearn for achievement, seek knowledge, prize technology, and dream of understanding how the world works.” These statements are also very much in line with my personal beliefs and purpose in life. Maybe I’m a Rational Guardian – an undefined blend of the two.

 

In the results of my Big 5 Factors evaluation, I was surprised at a couple of the responses. I scored as Very Low in Openness to Experience (2) and in Natural Reactions (7), I scored Low in Agreeableness (21), Middle in Extraversion (42), and Very High in Conscientiousness (97). Though the general proportion of responses seems accurate, I don’t view myself at quite the level of extreme that these scores represent. To my own admission, I am not inclined to explore new ways of doing things – I like the expected results of tried and true methods. I do, however, try to maintain an open mind for new ideas and recognize the value that they provide. I would think this would put me a bit further on the scale (maybe near a 20 or 30). Additionally, I find myself to be far more agreeable than a (21) would indicate. I work tirelessly to meet the needs of others and maintain a happy and optimistic approach to life, but this score relates me as being more hard-headed and skeptical.

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Though the categories of evaluation are different, I think that each of these personality assessments consistently provide a guideline of who I am and how I react to different life situations. Some of the ratings are lower/higher than I would like or expect, but that doesn’t specifically indicate inaccuracy. Instead it just clarifies some parts of my being that I have not yet learned to utilize at full capacity. I think this relates to Maslow’s concept of being Self-Actualized – or in my case, not yet being actualized.

 

 

Prompt #2 Set-Up:

Download / print out and complete the Career Anchors Assessment (See instructions document included with these discussion topic instructions).  Actively review and consider your results.

Prompt #2:  Discuss your primary and secondary career anchors.  Any surprises?  Make some connections between your current work / life and your scores on the career anchors assessment.  What was your lowest scoring career anchor?  Comment on your perceptions about that (and the career anchors instrument, in general). 

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My primary career anchor is SENSE OF SERVICE/DEDICATION to a CAUSE

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I was pleased to see that this was my primary anchor in this review. This anchor naturally focuses on the aspect of individuals who are driven by dedicating their work to the service of others. While I do not specifically work in the field of healthcare or counseling, I do find that working in the service industry almost requires an outward focus – at least of you’re going to be good in the field. More than simply satisfying the needs of customers or company shareholders, though, I find my satisfaction driven by my ability to serve my peers and provide them with meaningful direction in their work and in their lives. I do also enjoy the sense of contribution I receive when I volunteer for organizations other than my own. My personal favorite group is “Friends of Trees” and I volunteer with them several times throughout each year – planting native plants and trees in order to support our local environment. I also participate in annual toy drives and book collections as a small way of giving back to others.

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My secondary career anchor is MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE

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At first, I read this anchor as a nearly negative attribute. After all, focus on climbing the corporate hierarchy seems counterintuitive given that I respond so heavily to the idea of serving others. While I am often ambitious and even competitive in my work efforts, I like to see myself as intrinsically motivated in my pursuits. Managerial competence seems to focus on developing achievement and “opportunity for high income and estate-building” and these things aren’t overly important for me (though I would not deny them). But, as I looked deeper into the value of managerial competence, I realized that being competent in my role allows me to better serve those people who surround me. And, with competence comes personal development, elevation of skill, and often promotion in the field. In that way, this seems like a very accurate and positive fit in my own attributes.

 

My lowest career anchor is ENTREPRENEURIAL CREATIVITY

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While I really do enjoy the idea of someday being able to start my own business, I must admit that the idea of being “on my own” is slightly unnerving. After all, much of my career has been based in a corporate structure where job stability is relatively secure and processes and procedures are well established. There is a very large part of me that yearns for logic and structured elements of control. In fact, I always performed well in math and science courses and almost pursued a career in engineering. It comes as no surprise, then, that the cloud of uncertainty that surrounds entrepreneurial endeavors intimidates me. I’ll definitely need to work on this aspect if I ever plan to move beyond my current corporate environment and especially if I ever want to start my own business.

Prompt #3 Set-up:

Relax your mind and consider all of your possible selves and possible futures…

Remember to answer all the following questions as if the date is 10 years from today!

 

 

Prompt #3:  Please respond to each of the following 12 questions.  Be sure to give the questions some deep thought, and demonstrate your engagement in the process by responding thoughtfully to each one.

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What is the date today? How old are you?  (Remember – 10 years from now!)
 

The date is July 17, 2026 and I have finally made it over the hill at age 45. Fortunately, my wife is the same age and neither of us acts as old as we really are.

 

Where and in what kind of environment are you living?
 

In an effort to support an easy going environment, my family has moved away from the ever growing population of Oregon and is, instead, living in Tennessee. My mother-in-law inherited 40 acres of land and has portioned much of it for our family to build homes near each other where we can easily spend time with one another. The land is a bit removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, but near enough that I am easily able to commute to my full-time job.
 

What is your family situation?

 

At this point, my wife and I have been together for nearly 27 years, and our son Sean has just turned 16 years old. Being the parents of a teenage boy has been full of challenges, but still proves to be a very rewarding part of my life. At this age, I can see how years of care, development, and mentoring have contributed to the man my son is becoming. Much like his father, Sean is self-driven in his educational pursuits, but unlike me, he has developed a love of athletics in the form of soccer. My parents still live in New Mexico, but come out to visit several times a year thanks to the roomy aspect of our property.
 

What kind of work are you doing?

 

Having graduated 10 years prior, I finally felt empowered to discover my ability to work in a field outside of retail management. While I always enjoyed my work, there was something missing over all those years of retail operations. A sense of meaningful contribution to the community around me inspired me to enter a more personal form of work.

 

Describe the institution/organization you work for.

 

I now work for a local organization that operates in a way similar to Habitat for Humanity. While we do not have the global recognition and financial support of a large organization, we are able to serve our local needs through a coordinated network of supportive businesses and individual contribution. Our group incorporates the passion of volunteers with the knowledge and ability of trained professionals in order to create housing solutions for those in need.

 

What does your work place look like? What kind of building do you work in? Where is it located? Is the environment urban, rural, etc.?

 

Our organization operates through a traditional office space located in Knoxville, but much of my work is done in the field. My years of corporate experience have made me a capable ambassador of our organization and I spend much of my time introducing sponsors to the work we do and the services we provide. I love that each day takes me to different sites around the neighboring communities and love the sense of connection I get from my daily interactions.
 

Describe a typical work week/day.

 

A traditional day for me begins around 6:30am when I log into my company email and look for items of immediate importance. By 7:00 am I’m on my way to the office and by 7:30 am, I am at my desk mapping out my agenda for that day. The first half of the day is spent meeting with prospective supporters and driving awareness of our organization. The second half of the day is spent connecting with team members working in the field. The greatest part of each day comes from meeting families and individuals that we have been able to help through our work. I often create a video clip of our encounter and share it with my team at the end of each week as a way of seeing the value of our efforts.

 

Do you work standard hours or is your schedule flexible?

 

Based upon my own need for systems and structure, my work days are typically structured around a 7:30 am – 4:00 pm schedule. I am not, however, held to this specifically. My team is comprised of individuals who gain personal value and satisfaction from our work and each of us does whatever is necessary to meets the needs of our people. Our office staff works a traditional Monday through Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm day in order to create consistent and reliable contact resource for our clients and supporters. We do, however, respect that importance of family time and provide weekends and holidays off for all of our employees.

 

Describe your lifestyle.

 

My lifestyle might be best described as basic yet comfortable. We don’t live in extraordinary or lavish ways, but we do well with what we have. Serving the community through my work has meant that I am driven to share the wealth, as it were, when it comes to lifestyle choices.
 

Do you have much leisure time and, if so, how do you spend it?

 

I spend evenings and weekends with my family, and look forward to family trips every three or four months. We often do something low-key like camping, but each year we make sure to visit at least one family member out of state. My sisters live in Oregon and New Mexico respectively and my wife’s brothers live in Florida and Pennsylvania. This gives us terrific opportunities to see family and experience a bit of adventure at the same time. And, as previously mentioned, my son participates in soccer which means driving out to tournaments and games on a weekly basis.

 

What is your current financial situation?
 

Many years of working through the corporate hierarchy provided my family with financial stability and moving to a quieter part of the country meant that we were able to build a large home for less money than our last house. Without a mortgage or other significant financial obligations, our family is able to save money and invest in worthy pursuits.

 

Are you as happy as you thought you would be? Why or why not?

 

While I always used to envision my life dictated by a never-ending progression through the corporate world, I have found a sense of inner peace and personal satisfaction with my life now. I have a rewarding job that contributes to the well-being of others, a loving family with whom I am able to spend quality time, and a stable overall environment. I’m not changing the entire world, but I am changing individual lives for the better on a daily basis. This is everything that I could have ever hoped for.