Running head: CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

Character and Competency Strengths Reflection Paper

For Partial Fulfillment of the Leadership Comprehensive Examination

Azusa Pacific University

Allyn Decker

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

Know Thyself.
-Socrates

"Know Thyself" was written over the portal of the antique world.
Over the portal of the new world, "Be Thyself" shall be written.
-Oscar Wilde, (1854-1900)

Knowing and being oneself could be a leaders greatest challenge. Self-perceptions are
often influenced by factors other than objective facts or empirical evidence. Admittedly, how I
often see myself is colored by how I want to see myself and how I want others to see me; the
naked truth is difficult to see clearly when I choose to remain deluded by faulty feedback (which
reminds me of an old story about an emperor and his new clothes). And yet, I know that
authentic leadership flows from a clear and frank understanding of ones personality
characteristics and preferences, strengths and weaknesses, and core values. One way a leader
can acquire a more objective understanding of his or her true self is to gather feedback from
psychometric tools such as the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Clifton
StrengthsFinder assessment, and the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA). In this
reflection paper, I will synthesize my own results from these three instruments and attempt to
construct somewhat of a leadership playbook built upon the feedback from these self-report
inventories.
Inventory Results
The three inventories referenced in this reflection paper (MBTI, StrengthsFinder, and
VIA) have been widely used by people across a variety of disciplines and each of these
instruments has undergone careful scrutiny to determine its validity and reliability. No
psychometric, self-report inventory is completely comprehensive or absolutely immune from
data-skewing or mis-application. However, when a respondents intent is candid reflection,
when the instrument is used in the way it was intended, and when results are accurately

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

explained and interpreted, a respondent can be reasonably confident the results gleaned from
these tools are valid (Capraro and Capraro, 2002; Ruch, Proyer, Harzer, Park, Person, and
Seligman, 2010; Schreiner, 2006). I will discuss my results from each inventory and will then
synthesize the results to discuss my leadership strengths and some potential blindspots that may
lead to weaknesses.
Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
I have taken the MBTI many times and consistently score as an ENFJ, translated as
Extroversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging. According to Lawrence (2005), ENFJ individuals are
described as:
Imaginative harmonizers, workers with people; expressive, orderly, opinioned,
conscientious; curious about new ideas and possibilities. Having extraverted feeling as
their strongest mental process, they are at their best when responsible for winning
peoples cooperation with caring insight into their needs. They value:
Having a wide circle of relationships
Having a positive, enthusiastic view of life
Seeing subtleties in people and interactions
Understanding others needs and concerns
An active, energizing social life
Seeing possibilities in people
Thorough follow-through on important projects
Working on several projects at once
Caring and imaginative problem solving
Maintaining relationships to make things work

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

Shaping organizations to better serve members
Sociability and responsiveness
Structured learning in a humane setting
Caring, compassion, and tactfulness
Appreciation as the natural means of encouraging improvements (p. 7)
This description accurately portrays me, according to those who know type theory and know me
well, and I concur. As a leader, my ENFJ personality equips me to effectively facilitate groups,
enthusiastically encourage others to develop their potential, and manage others in a way that
fosters teamwork and a shared vision. I enjoy working with individuals and believe that I am at
my best when I am coaching and mentoring. I have a reputation for good execution of tasks and
timely follow up. I enjoy making decisions and getting things done. I am also able to connect
people with one another because my circles of influence are fairly wide and interconnected. I
have chosen to invest time and energy not only at my academic institution, but also in my
community at large, serving on several non-profit boards and moderating a local leadership
academy.
Clifton StrengthsFinder
Upon entering the PhD program in Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University in 2012,
my top five talent themes were Empathy, Strategic, Input, Individualization, and Arranger. This
top five list reflects the results from the last time I had taken the Strengthsfinder, which was in
2006. In March 2014, I took the inventory again and this time my results were: Maximizer,
Individualization, Strategic, Learner, and Communication. Maximizer, Learner, and
Communication were new top five themes for me; I believe that Discipline and Responsibility
most likely complete my list of top ten themes. This feedback coincides with the MBTI results

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

by again showing my proclivity to go out to the world of people and activities to interact
collegially, learn, teach, pursue growth opportunities for myself and others, and achieve my
goals. I really like getting things done and seeing others thrive. I have a plan of action for every
day, multi-task pretty well, and I am fairly good at enlisting others support and cooperation
when I need help along the way. I am also direct, but kind.
Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA)
The VIA indicator provides a respondent a list of 24 character strengths in order of most
to least prevalent. My VIA profile revealed these top five character strengths and corresponding
descriptions:
1. Judgment: Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important
aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid
evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.
2. Creativity: Thinking of new way to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You
are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is
possible.
3. Social Intelligence: You are aware of the motives and feelings of other people. You
know what to do to fit in to different social situation as, and you know what to do to
put others at ease.
4. Gratitude: You are aware of the good things that happen to you, and you never take
them for granted. Your friends and family members know that you are a grateful
person because you always take the time to express your thanks.

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

5. Love: You value close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and
caring are reciprocated. The people to whom you feel most close are the same people
who feel most close to you (VIA Institute on Character, 2014).
The bottom five character strengths on my profile were Humor, Appreciation of Beauty &
Excellence, Spirituality, Bravery, and Humility. I will incorporate the VIA profile with the
MBTI and the StrengthsFinder results to discuss leadership implications that will help me be
more conscious of my leadership style, assets, and potential blindspots.
Leadership Character and Competency Implications
According to these three instruments, I am an extroverted leader who uses intuition and
feeling to make strategic decisions in order to maximize relationships and opportunities for
growth. I enjoy developing individuals and learning alongside them, while using communication
and social intelligence to solve problems and pursue creative solutions to meet the unique needs
of individuals. I am mindful of and grateful for those closest to me and work hard to keep these
relationships intact and thriving. I prefer order and planning and am comfortable making
decisions and multi-tasking. I have a good deal of self-assurance and tend to use the resources
available to me to keep moving forward to meet goals and stay on task.
This leadership style seems to suit me well for the work I have been called to do and
enjoy doing. I feel I am well-equipped to teach and develop others and to come alongside adult
learners who want to enhance their own career and leadership potential. Because I have
relational skills and can sense pretty quickly how to make connections with other people, I do
not find it difficult to engender trust and goodwill. However, because I am also strategic, I am
aware that this asset could be used to manipulate others. I also know that valuing harmony and
cooperation can sometimes lead me to compromise my own values. Since Bravery and

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

Humiliation do not appear to be top character strengths (according to the VIA), I know I may
have to muster up courage to make unpopular decisions or fight battles that may alienate me
from others. In order to engage in confrontational leadership, I need to be convinced that the
cause is right and just and that I am the one called to enter the fray. Humility is something I
must choose to pursue, so surrounding myself with people who will give candid feedback will be
important for long term character development. Another potential blindspot relates to my need
for external activity and stimulation. I can become bored and drained of energy when I work
alone and on tasks that require a great deal of analysis. During these times, I know that I must
take breaks and find ways to relate the work back to important goals I want to pursue. Finally,
my enthusiasm can get me into trouble if I over-promise and under-deliver. I must realistically
help others assess the time, cost, and potential risks before enlisting them to join a project or
apply for an academic program I direct. Providing full disclosure is important for good decision
making and long term satisfaction, but sometimes feels like putting an obstacle in someones
path.
Reflecting on my leadership assets as measured by the MBTI, StrengthsFinder, and VIA
assessments has been helpful and reminds me again that knowing myself is critical to leadership
success and growth. Knowing each strength also has a potential dark side also helps illuminate
blindspots which could lead to weaknesses. Understanding my unique leadership and character
profile helps me lead authentically and with confidence as I move toward the work that God has
called me to do. I may never build kingdoms or govern throngs of people, but within the circles
of influence to which I have been entrusted, I can lead positive change one person at a time.

CHARACTER AND COMPETENCY STRENGTHS REFLECTION

References
Capraro, R. M. & Capraro, M.M, (2002). Myers-Briggs type indicator score reliability across
studies: A meta-analytic reliability generalization study. Educational and Psychological
Measurement, 62(4), 590-602.
Lawrence, G. (2004). Profile of your MBTI results. Center for Application of Psychological
Type.
Ruch, W., Proyer, R. T., Harzer, C. Park, N., Person, C., & Seligman M. E. P. (2010). Values in
action inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS): Adaptation and validation of the German version
and the development of a peer-rating form. Journal of Individual Differences, 31(3), 138149.
Schreiner, L. A. (2006). A technical report on the Clifton Strengthsfinder with college students.
VIA Institute on Character (2014). Personal Results Profile.