Finding The Strengths in Your Team

Strengths Finder 2.0

(This picture is taken from their website linked above)

I rolled off my previous engagement with ThoughtWorks in mid-August. I had a brilliant time on that team, which felt like one of the most well bonded team that I, and many others have come across in a while. (admittedly biased). We had gelled well and were pretty productive, but I think that we all also learned a great deal about ourselves and grew enormously throughout the 9 months we were together. On paper we were a pretty mixed bunch of people but I guess we all had a similar goal of work hard, deliver great software to our client and have fun doing it. I could harp on forever about some of the things that we took away from the project but I want to focus on a tool that really helped us work better together.

One of the exercises that we did do as a team was take the Strengths Finder test. Some co-workers had mentioned that they had done it and thought it was great and so one by one each of us gave it a go. At the time also I had started pairing more frequently with one of the others on the dev team, we were also down to 3 people now making pairing that bit harder. The two of us felt like we were worlds apart in our approach and were admittedly driving each other crazy with our dysfunctional pairing. One of the things that really helped was the results of the strengths finder test, once we understood where each others strengths were and where they were coming from it all suddenly seemed to make sense and we've since (through a lot of hard work and honest conversation) become very effective pairing partners and awesome friends.

How does it work?

This book summarizes that as a world we spend far too much time focusing on our own (and other peoples) shortcomings that we are seriously limiting out own growth. "What's more we had discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies". While I don't believe that you should stop working on your weaknesses, this is a great theory.

You have to buy the book (see below) and you get a code that you can take their online test with. You rate a hundred or so questions on how much you agree with the statement, and the strengths finder then comes out with your top 5 strengths, and a personalized action plan, among many other things. There are a total of 34 different themes. You can get a lot out of reading the whole book, but you can also get what you need by taking the test and referring to the sections that apply. 

What did the results show?

Well these were my top 5....

Empathy 

Harmony 

Arranger 

Responsibility 

Restorative

Go figure. I suppose those of you that know me won't be too surprised. Initially I was annoyed at how "fluffy" my strengths were, and was jealous that I didn't have things like Maximizer or Woo (self deprecation is my number one weakness...), but my team mates (and the book) helped me realize that I am lucky to have these strengths, that don't come as easily to a lot of people.

There is a chapter on each strength, there is a description, examples on things that a person which this strength might say or do, some ideas for action, and in my opinion, the most useful three bullet points of them all, "Working with others who have X". By each of us reading about how to work with the strengths that the rest of the team our understanding of each other went up exponentially. This is an extract of the "Working with Others who have" section from one of my strengths, "Responsibility", it certainly explains a lot...

•  This person defines himself by his ability to live up to his commitments. It will be intensely frustrating for him to work with people who don't. 

• This person dislikes sacrificing quality for speed, so be careful not to rush him. In discussing his work, talk about it's quality first.

•  Help this person avoid taking on too much, particularly if he is lacking in the Discipline talents. Help him see that one more burden may result in his dropping the ball - a notion that he will loathe.

This is just one example of the great things this book has to offer. It really helped out team and I help that it can help yours too. Or just for some self reflection.

I have also included a chart that shows all the different strengths across our small team. Quite a mixed bunch, but we almost all shared at least one strength with someone else, which I think is what really helped us gel and gave us such a rounded team.

Canada Vacation - Edmonton, Nelson and Calgary

During the last week of August Tim and I ventured back to Canada for what felt like a well earned week long vacation. The project that I was on at work since coming to Chicago had just finished and I was definitely in need of a break. In classic Anne and Tim vacation style, it involved lots of flying, good friends and hanging out with family. But this time it was Tim's!

We spent the first weekend in Edmonton, attending one of Tim's university friend's weddings. Theres a pretty large group of them that have been friends since collage and still meet up at each others weddings. They're a nice crowd and have been pretty friendly to me as the newcomer to the bunch. Some of them I've met a few times now and so that made it easier :-S. It was a lovely wedding and it was nice wandering round Edmonton seeing all the places that Tim used to hang out and work in during University and for a year or two afterwards. It was also blissfully cold in comparison to the boiling Chicago summer that we had been having.

Next stop was Nelson, which is in British Colombia where Tim's sister and parents are now living. To get there we had to fly Edmonton to Vancouver (which looks lovely must actually go there one time...), and then take a little plane to Castlegar which is in the heart of the southern BC Canadian Rockies. Tim's parents picked us up and then took us back to his sister Kim's gorgeous house. Kim and her Yorkshire husband Wes moved to Nelson from Alberta and picked an amazing spot. They have done their house up themselves (helps that Wes is an electrician) from what sounded like a dump initially, and now have a 3 story house with a wrap around deck, and a self contained basement that Tim's folks now live in. Tim's mum has done an amazing job on the garden which has a massive veg patch and loads of fruit trees, which, as this is serious bear country, get ravaged every night, much to their annoyance.

The house is located just up and across the road from the West Arm of the Kootenay Lake, a huge freshwater lake that runs down the middle of this part of the Rockies. They have an enviously slow paced, outdoorsy life. You can't help but be relaxed the minute that you get there. I could of quite happily stayed. Tim and I spent most of the week lying in the hammock on the deck, enjoying the sun and reading books. Fantastically self indulgent. We also ventured into Nelson itself to see the Farmer's Market, which turned into marvelling at how Nelson seems to have an awful lot of Hippies per square inch, possibly only challenged by Glastonbury Festival. As there have been lots of bears this summer Tim and I were too chicken to go out hiking, which would of been fun, but actually relaxing, and admittedly napping for an hour or two every day, seemed like a pretty good alternative. We also managed to go Kayaking one morning too. It was super hot while we were there so we dragged ourselves out of bed early enough that it was still cool. It was pretty windy and the lake was pretty choppy, I loved it, made me think I was at sea, Tim, not so much!

Tim's Mum also mothered us well, it was lovely to have some "mum cooking". It was really great getting to see Tim's family. He hasn't seen them much for a few years so it was good to just hang out. Wes and I had a lovely time bantering over the north/south English divide, and Kim and I are frighteningly similar despite the 12 or so years between us. It was just what we both needed.

Next stop was Calgary for the final weekend. I desperately wanted to catch up with old friends there on our way home. We had a pub night in my honour (hurrah!), organised by the awesome Miss Patricia, and a great turnout, it was amazing to see you all, I miss you all very much. It felt like a long long time ago that I lived there, despite the fact that it's only been 9 months. Lot's of life changes in that time I guess! Talking of which we had a great time catching up with the newly Canadianified JJ and his gorgeous fiancee Sara, seeing their new pad, eating at the Farm and catching up with Sara's little critters. Also the soon to be parents Jason and Andree (they had their gorgeous little boy just a few days after we left).

A lovely week away and great to see so many friends.

Today in New York...

Funny things from today in NYC ....

• Saw my first NYC drag queens! In awesome flouresecent tutus walking down Park Avenue.
• Ventured into the Abercrombie & Fitch store on 5th Avenue to be greeted by topless guy A&F models. Seriously... who employees models as shop assistants?!
• While creating my login credentials at my new client site the dev manager, as he didn't know my middle initial just used the first letter of my last name instead. I am no longer AJS I am ASS. The jokes just write themselves. Goes without saying that my new team love my new name...

When I get a chance I will make some posts about my time in the UK, Canada, the end of my old project and as you may have gathered how I am now working in NYC!

Vegas Baby!

My first trip to Las Vegas...

Tim won a place in the World Series of Poker Main Event, so I went out to visit while he was playing... 

Tim playing next to the Player of the Year, Frank Kasella. Courtesy of World Series of Poker website.

I flew in Friday evening, met Tim at our hotel, we were staying at the Rio, which is where the poker tournemant was. We pretty much headed straight out onto The Strip and settled on dinner in the mall attached to Planet Hollywood. I was in serious sensory overload, my eyes were like saucepans that whole first night, everywhere you look bright lights and noises. Most people seemed drunk and oddly tall. All was a bit much. Thankfully the next day I was "meh, another load of slot machines, another casino...".

The next day Tim was playing in Day 2. Our friends Suzie and Ian had also come to join us in Vegas to see Tim playing so they met us at the Rio down where the tournament was. I'm not sure what I was expecting of a poker tournament, maybe silent concentration, restricted access... It was pretty different. Huge rooms of thousands of people playing poker, the constant clinking of people fiddling with their chips. Most people were chatting with friends who were watching, playing on their iPhones, most looked pretty bored. I guess 12 hours of poker a day is a lot.... Suzie and Ian and I stayed for an hour or so marvelling at the madness of the whole thing and then decided to venture off, not knowing whether Tim would bust out and join us or not... 

The New York, New York.

It's seriously hot in Las Vegas. 42 degrees celsius during the day and not a lot cooler during the evening. Like being in an oven. We wondered around the malls, and looked at the famous Bellagio Lake. Tim and I had watched the fountain show the night before. It's pretty cool, apart from all the cheesy music. We then headed into the Bellagio, a spectacle in itself, and tried our hand at some gambling. Turns out Suzie has some freaky good luck and the roulette wheel. So that was pretty fun.

Ian and Suzie looking out over The Strip

The Paris Hotel

The botanic garden inside the Bellagio.

In the evening we went to see the Cirque de Soleil show, Zumanity at the New York, New York hotel..... It was, erm, interesting! Some impressively flexible and daringly crazy people thats for sure. Definitly adults only. ;-) Then we went to a lovely dinner at the Venetian. Tim was still in at this point, so I went back and met him afterwards to celebrate his successful day!

It was a flying visit to Las Vegas. Next time I definitly want to go to the "Old Vegas" part of town and see some random people getting married in an Elvis chapel and hunt down that famous Vegas Sign. Loved it though!

Mad few weeks coming up.

I have a crazy few weeks coming up.

We are in the last half of what looks to be our last release with our current client. We have had the luxury of being in the ThoughtWorks Chicago office for most of the engagement since February. So we're taking a trip to Kansas City tomorrow to show our faces and then most likely will be spending the first week of August there too. Goodness knows what project and in what city I will be working out of after mid August!

Tim is playing the the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this weekend, (so proud....). He is leaving for there on Wednesday night. I'll be following him on Friday, once I've got back form KCMO on Thursday. I
I've never been to Vegas, so I'm pretty excited. Although not so much about the heat down there. 40 degrees celsius on a a good day. We have some friends joining us down there, so if Tim's still playing at least I'll have some people to keep me company.

I'll be heading back to Chicago on Sunday, Tim may or may not be with me depending if he's still in the tournament or not.

Then on Wednesday night we fly out to the UK!!!! So so so very excited. It's the first time i've attempted a long weekend to the UK, so we'll see how I survive! It's my cousin Amy's wedding on the Saturday, so it'll be great to see all my family at once. Unsurprisingly I already have my eating itinerary all planned out. Fish and Chips, BBQ and surfing on the beach, roast dinner and a good few pints down in the local pub. Can't wait to be back!

The rest of the summer is shaping up to be pretty cool too. In mid August Tim and I are going back to Canada to visit his family, go to one of this friends' wedding and dropping in on everyone in Calgary. then in September I'll be catching up with Miss Danielle Topping in NYC for a girly weekend. It's a tough life ;-), no really it is......

It feels weird posting without any pictures so here are some that I took last night at a friends house for their 4th July celebration up on the roof of their place, and some others from this summer.

San Francisco - Anne's Birthday Trip May 2010

For my birthday this year Tim and I headed out to the west coast, to San Francisco. 

We flew out during the day on Friday, it was actually quite nice not to just rush from work to the airport on Thursday night like we normally would for a long weekend, but its does mean you lose most of that day, however we were much more relaxed!

We were staying at The Clift, a hotel that I had found on my latest obsession www.jetsetter.com. Turned out well. We were a few block from Union Square and the Trolleys. Once we got in we set off in hunt of some food for a picnic lunch the next day. We used the Trolleys, which although are a tourist trap and actually pretty handy to get around. We bought 3 day passes which turned out to be pretty worth the money. 

Those trolleys are mad, there is a poor brake guy with and actual giant lever on the back of the trolley, and is the only thing stopping you from flying down the super steep San Francisco hills. Rather him than me. We hopped off near China Town and wandered towards the Italian area, where we found lunch for the next day and a lovely bistro/cafe to sit in the sun and watch the world go by. Good espresso too.

Saturday (birthday day) was jam packed. We took the trolley down to Fisherman's wharf. I love being down by the sea, hanging out with boats and seafood is one of my favourite pastimes. We watched them turn around the trolley at the end of the track, amazing that they still just do it by hand, and then headed off towards the Golden Gate bridge for our picnic. It was an irritatingly hazy day (as I'm told it often is in San Fran), so we couldn't quite see the top of the bridge, but it was awesome to see it anyways.

After the trek there and back we went for a quick walk through Fisherman's wharf, lots of yummy looking crab and seafood stands. And of course the pier 39 Sealions.

We then jumped on the Ferry to Alcatraz Island. There is a great audio tour around the old prison island. It's amazing to imagine what it would of been like to of been there, both as a prisoner or as a guard or their family. You can even hear to sounds from the city from the Island, must of been tortuous on its own. There's a great view of the city from the ferry and from the island. We returned back to the hotel to discover we both were seriously sunburnt.... you would of thought we'd learnt by now. We met a bunch of Thoughtworkers that Tim and I are friends with for a birthday dinner. Awesome to see everyone again, and also to meet new people that I'd heard an awful lot about.

On Sunday I decided that I hadn't eaten enough of the seafood at Fisherman's Wharf so we headed back there for lunch in the Ferry Building. Really good fresh crab cakes and shrimp sandwiches. We then met up with Ian and Suzi and headed towards the Haight district. Forgetting that it was the Bay to Breakers fun run that day, the place was a mad house. Definitely a time to see the more erm eccentric side of San Francisco.

 We had a lovely time in San Francisco. A great place for eating! We didn't go to the Wine Country on this trip as we thought it would be too rushed, so I'm definitely looking forwards to that someday in the not too distant future hopefully.

Baconfest Chicago 2010

See the main website for Baconfest Chicago 2010 here.

Tickets were sold out within the first day of sale, the very first Baconfest came to Chicago in April. I was sat in Atlanta airport waiting for my flight back to Chicago in February and I got a text from Tim saying "Fancy going to a Baconfest in April?" my reply was "You really need to ask?! I'm in." We love bacon.

Our friend Steve had been to a preliminary  run in the Fall at The Publican. They asked a bunch of guest chefs to cooks a bacon-oriented dish and it was up to the audience to taste and judge the best. It was such a success they organised a fully fledged Baconfest for the spring.

For $45, you could choose from the morning shift (11am to 2pm) or the afternoon shift (3pm to 6pm). There would be 12 chefs from local restaurants, with their bacon-inspired dishes. You also got a goody bag, drink tickets and access to the downstairs vendor area.

Some sample dishes:
Bacon Tacos with Ramp salsa and truffle cabbage - The Primehouse.

Vanilla Bacon Icecream with Ahi Amarillo caramel and a Curry Bacon Crumble (YES! Bacon icecream!) - Chalkboard

Spring Pea Bacon and Pecorino Salad - The Purple Pig  (one of my favourites)

Pork Belly Frisee Salad with Soft Boiled Quail Egg - Balsan (this WAS my favourite)

Bacon snickers Bar and Bacon Cappuccino - Atwood Cafe. (By all accounts this was really good, but they'd run out by the time we got there :()

At the bar there was:

Bloody Mary - with bacon in it...

And... Bacon Vodka Milkshake...

There was a vendor selling area downstairs. I never realised that Bacon could be put into so many things...
Bacon flavoured popcorn, chocolate covered bacon, bacon cupcakes.... to name just a few. There was also an awesome array of bacon-inspired board games, jewelry (?!) and action figures.

There were a few die-hard bacon fans sporting some awesome t-shirts too:

For the first few dishes I said "This is genius, and a bargain.....". Tell you what, after all of that I was feeling pretty yuk. When you walked into the room there was literally a wall of bacon fat air that hit you... So lack of air was a bit of a downfall. It would be awesome if it was outside next year in a street vendor style. Also, I didn't even get to try everything as lots of the chefs had run out of their dish pretty quickly. But, for the first year, it was an awesome experience. Sign me up for next year!