We all believe to know our skills, talents and strengths. When filling out a personality test, it is this what we answer to the questions. But how truthful are these answers? How well do we really know ourselves? To what extent do our self-perceptions involve wishful thinking? And to what extend do they follow negative biases?
In fact, we are often wrong: what we consider to be our strengths or weaknesses is often shaped by distortions in perception and decision-making. There are too many of these distortions to list them all here, but just one or two examples illustrate the problem.
Ask a person about their weaknesses, and they will quickly provide a long list. Ask them about their strengths, and their answers will be hesitant — if they come at all. Our brains have been trained over thousands of years to react swiftly to dangers and negative stimuli. It takes between three and ten positive messages to counteract the effect of a single negative one. We have a strong bias toward negativity. One only has to look at media coverage to see this in action: bad news sells, good news doesn’t.
At the same time, people tend to sugarcoat their behavior. If you ask students whether cheating on class tests is acceptable, the vast majority will say that it is wrong. Yet around 95% admit to having cheated at least once. When asked to explain, students often justify their actions with statements like, “That wasn’t really cheating,” or “Everyone does that.” In this way, they still perceive themselves as honest and moral individuals.
Yet there would be tools that could help us with our self-assessment. Imagine a game where you see a bunch of images and have to react quickly. This simple task, called an Implicit Association Test (IAT), can actually reveal your unconscious preferences and how you make decisions without even thinking about it!
Our subconscious mind is way more powerful than we realise. It constantly processes information, shapes how we see the world, and influences our choices. As mentionned, most people have a good grip of their weaknesses. Therefore, focus your energy on understanding your implicit strengths and unlock a hidden treasure chest of potential. Discover natural talents you did not know you had and effortless behaviours that will contribute to your success.
Behavioural science is catching on to such tools, realising how important our unconscious mind is. By analysing these hidden patterns, researchers can understand things like consumer behaviour, employee engagement, personal grit and even leadership styles.
And, isn’t it fantastic to discover that there’s a whole other side to you waiting to be explored?
So, we talked about these hidden strengths and the value of discovering them. But it’s not just about self-discovery, it’s about becoming a better version of yourself!
Imagine a salesperson who discovers they’re a natural at building rapport. By understanding this strength, they can hone their interpersonal skills and connect with clients on a deeper level, leading to more sales wins. Pretty powerful, right?
Here’s where implicit methods come in. These methods use tools like visuals to bypass your conscious mind and tap into your automatic way of processing information. It’s based on the idea that our brains make snap judgments about a visual input before we even realise it. This allows to understand people’s preferences with regards to perception (detail or big picture) and to decision-making (rather rationally or intuitively).
But beware, caution is advised! “Measuring” the unconscious is as tricky as capturing the conscious as we always tend to categorise what we measure. But people are complex! We’re not always one simple type or category. Someone might have a blend of different strengths, and rigid categories might not reflect that. It can be frustrating if you don’t see yourself fitting neatly into any one box.
So, what’s the alternative? Instead of analysis, let’s focus on synthesis. This means combining different aspects of the implicit findings on your strengths with real life experiences to create a richer picture.
Before starting a Mission Team workshop, each team member takes just 5 minutes to fill out the Visual Implicit Profiler (VIP) by clicking on simple graphic symbols. This state-of-the-art implicit tool helps people understand their own unconscious perception, decision-making, and communication styles.
But Mission Team does not simply rely on the measurement of your preferences with regards to perception and decision-making. During the workshop you connect these findings with your own story, relationships, and preferences, always keeping it positive. This synthesis approach paints a richer picture of who you are and what makes you tick. It’s a more personal and nuanced way to understand yourself. And the same applies to each of the team members, fostering mutual understanding and cohesion.
The bottom line? Implicit methods like the VIP are a powerful tool to understand yourself better. They can reveal hidden strengths, preferences, and how you make decisions. This self-awareness is key to personal growth, career success. Including these findings in a constructive and motivating journey to discover the strengths, experiences and values of the other team members will make your whole team stronger in the process.
Curious about Mission Team and have a few questions?
Excited to dive deeper into what we offer?
Ready to transform your team with an incredible workshop?
