People with strong Achiever talents are at their best when they are pushing themselves and others toward milestones and finish lines.
Achiever®
A theme in the Executing domain of CliftonStrengths
People exceptionally talented in the Achiever theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.
Full Theme Description
Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for attainment. You feel as if each day starts at zero. By the day's end you must achieve something tangible to feel good about yourself. And by "every day" you mean every single day — workdays, weekends, and vacations.
No matter how much you may feel you deserve a day of rest, if the day passes without some form of achievement, no matter how small, you will feel dissatisfied. You have an internal fire burning inside you. It pushes you to do more, to achieve more.
After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dwindles for a moment, but very soon it rekindles itself, forcing you toward the next accomplishment. Your relentless need for achievement might not be logical. It might not even be focused. But it will always be with you.
As an Achiever, you must learn to live with this whisper of discontent. It does have its benefits. It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. It is the jolt you can always count on to get you started on new tasks and challenges. It is the power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your workgroup. It is the theme that keeps you moving.
This Theme’s Power and Edge
Achievers love to complete tasks, deriving fulfilment from their accomplishments. People with high Achiever talents have a strong inner drive — an innate source of intensity, energy and power that enables them to push hard to get things done. As a result, they often set the pace and define productivity levels for the people around them.
How People with Strong Achiever Talents Describe Themselves
"I am a hard worker."
"I need freedom to work at my own pace."
"I love completing tasks."
"I hate a lack of diligence."
"I bring the intensity and stamina of effort."
Theme Contrast
| Achiever | I want to get it done. |
| Activator | I want to get it started. |
| Achiever | Intense diligence. |
| Intellection | Intense thinking. |
Achiever: Helps and Hinders
Helps
You likely have an innate intensity and drive that enables you to get a lot done and set the pace for your team.
You are dependable — others can count on you to get the job done and reach your goals.
Breaking a large project down into manageable tasks likely comes naturally to you. As such, you can help others see big jobs as less daunting.
You have stamina — not only do you like to work hard, you derive a lot of energy from working hard; the harder you work, the more capacity you find you have.
Hinders
Your Achiever talents push you, so you might tend to push others — sometimes too hard.
Because you work hard, you may become frustrated with those whom you perceive as not working as hard as you do; as such, peers may see you as too demanding, inflexible and judgmental of others.
Your confidence in your ability to get things done may cause you to jump in and get started on a project before understanding all the details, nuances and demands of the project -- and that can get you into trouble.
With your focus on task completion, you might overlook or underestimate the value of people and relationships. If you are a manager or team leader, you may need to remind yourself that managing is not only about getting work done through people, but as importantly it's about getting people done through work.
If Achiever is a Dominant Theme for You, Take Action to Maximise Your Potential
Take advantage of your self-motivation by setting challenging goals. Set a more ambitious goal every time you finish a project.
Partner with someone with strong Discipline or Focus talents. This person can help you use your energy as efficiently as possible.
Take time to celebrate each success before moving on to the next item or task, even if for just a few minutes.
Although you might be naturally equipped to work harder and longer than others, be sure to take regular breaks.
When possible, limit your commitments to tasks aligned with your highest priorities.
Make sure your to-do lists include things beyond work.
Select jobs in which you have the leeway to work as hard as you want and in which you are encouraged to measure your own productivity. You will feel stretched and alive in these environments.
Count personal achievements in your scoring “system.” This will help you direct your Achiever theme toward your personal life as well as work.
Choose to work with other hard workers. Share your goals with them so they can help you achieve them. The right relationships can help you get more done.
Communicate with friends and colleagues regularly. Add this to your daily to-do list. Finding time to nurture those relationships might be challenging, but the shared aim of achieving something will add strength to the relationships.
Potential Blind Spots to Watch Out for
People with strong Achiever talents may get frustrated when others don’t work as hard as they do. Others may see them as too demanding. They need to remember that not everyone has the same high expectations for themselves or is driven to work as hard as they are.
Their pressing need to get things done might cause them to take on projects or agree to deadlines before they know everything that’s involved. Before they commit to something, high Achievers should make sure they have the time and resources they need to do it right.
If Achiever Is a Lesser Theme for You
Think about how you get things done. Even if you lack the intensity or drive of the Achiever theme, you no doubt accomplish meaningful outcomes.
Find those among your top themes that provide you with energy and motivation. Focus, Maximizer or Responsibility talents may be the fuel that can fire your endeavours in the same way that the Achiever talents do for others.
If you have a smartphone or other mobile device, find an app that can help you keep track of the important tasks you need to accomplish each day. Use this technology to push you toward completing your goals.
Look for collaborative roles. Others’ drive to get things done often can be contagious. Gravitate toward high producers, and their energy will often rub off on you.
Manage others’ expectations by helping them understand that though you are not afraid of hard work, your primary motivation is more about quality, commitment or service.
Source: Gallup®
“I never see what has been done; I see only what remains to be done.”
— Marie Curie, chemist