The Deliberative Strength

Ready for every scenario

Ever meet someone who seems to have exactly what you need for an unforeseen circumstance, almost like a magician? The Deliberative Strength has that kind of magic. It’s an Executing Strength, and people who have it are known for their ability to think through complex problems and come up with well-informed, logical solutions.

As someone with Deliberative in my top 10 Strengths, I like to be ready any time I leave the house, because you never know what could go wrong! If you travel with me, you’ll find that I always have the following items to ensure our comfort and enjoyment while we see the sights:

• Advil (in a labeled baggie!) in case anyone gets a headache
• Emergency snacks and water in case we get stranded
• Tailgate chairs and picnic blanket in the trunk in case we want to sit outside but there are no benches
• Toilet paper in case… well, you get the idea

Where does Deliberative thrive?

People with Deliberative really appreciate having time to think, observe, take things in, and then come up with a game plan. Planning time is key for us! We also like to have headspace to monitor a situation and jump in if things aren’t quite going according to the plan once we’ve gotten started.

Here’s an example of how I’ve used my Deliberative Strengths at work. Recently, I was responsible for creating and managing a spreadsheet for a group of 15 collaborators. We were tracking 70 jobs for which we received over 950 individual applications. (That’s a lot of different people to track!) As the owner and main editor of the spreadsheet, I knew it was important to think carefully about how to best complete this massive task. I used my Deliberative Strength to consider and plan for different scenarios. What stood out in my mind was ensuring that the spreadsheet was both user-friendly and protected from accidental edits to my meticulously created formulas. To achieve this, I activated the “lock” and “protect” features in the spreadsheet. My careful planning and the use of these features helped the process go smoothly. I was grateful to have the time to properly set up the spreadsheet before sharing it with the team – that’s where I thrive!

What drives Deliberative crazy?

When things move too fast in a project, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. The real world is messy, and when things don’t go as planned, I hate knowing that we could have prevented problems if we’d just had the time to think it through. I get frustrated by the frenetic energy involved with scrambling and panicking. It really drains me! When I see this type of pattern emerging with certain people, places, or projects, I start to check out and stop caring. This is how I protect my energy.

Additionally, it can take a while for people with Deliberative to warm up to new people. We like our privacy! We may feel uncomfortable when people try to become friends too quickly. For me, I have a hard time engaging when someone I just met wants to talk about deep topics or learn my entire life story. It’s extra annoying when they continue to pry even when I’m intentionally using body language that says, “Please go away now!” Usually I’m thinking something along the lines of, “We just met! Why are you asking me so many questions? Is this an interrogation? I didn’t consent to this!” In sum, please know that as someone with Deliberative, it takes me a while to let new people into my life. It’s just my process.

How do I benefit from working with Deliberative?

Need someone to help you plan ahead for something big on the horizon? No sweat, just call on your extremely trustworthy Deliberative friend! We are the masters of anticipating and conquering obstacles. We’re always one step ahead because we’ve already thought of every possible roadblock and have a plan in place to tackle it.

By Guest Blogger, Anna S.

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