Strength of Character

I am constantly on the lookout for online assessments or surveys designed to provide useful cognitive feedback I can use to enhance my self-awareness, discover areas for self-improvement, and boost my overall well-being. Of course, before committing time to any I perform my due diligence and as best as possible, scrutinize the legitimacy of both the assessment and the organization offering it up.

I recently came across the Values-in-Action (VIA) Institute on Character and its Character Strengths Survey. The VIA is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the science of character strengths to the world. The survey is a psychometrically validated personality test that measures an individual’s character strengths. The organization and the assessment nailed my screening criteria so I decided to give both a shot.

According to the VIA founders, Martin Seligman, Ph.D., and Neal Mayerson, Ph.D., there are 24 unique character strengths. Following broad acceptance of their assertion, a cadre of 50 social scientists identified six virtues, which are now used to classify the 24 varied character strengths:

1. Courage:

a. Honesty: Speaking the truth; being authentic and genuine

b. Bravery: Embracing challenges, difficulties, or pain; not shrinking from threat

c. Perseverance: Finishing things once they are started

d. Zest: Approaching all things in life with energy and excitement

2. Humanity:

a. Kindness: Doing favors and good deeds

b. Love: Valuing close relations with others

c. Social Intelligence: Being aware of other people's motives and feelings

3. Justice:

a. Fairness: Treating all people the same

b. Leadership: Organizing group activities and making sure they happen

c. Teamwork: Working well with others as a group or a team

4. Temperance:

a. Forgiveness: Forgiving others who have wronged them

b. Humility: Letting one's successes and accomplishments stand on their own

c. Prudence: Avoiding doing things they might regret; making good choices

d. Self-regulation: Being disciplined; controlling one's appetites and emotions

5. Transcendence:

a. Appreciation of Beauty: Noticing and appreciating beauty and excellence in everything

b. Gratitude: Being thankful for the good things; taking time to express thanks

c. Hope: Expecting the best; working to make it happen; believing good things are possible

d. Humor: Making other people smile or laugh; enjoying jokes

e. Spirituality: Having a solid belief about a higher purpose and meaning in life

6. Wisdom:

a. Creativity: Thinking of new ways to do things

b. Curiosity: Taking an interest in a wide variety of topics

c. Judgment: Examining things from all sides; thinking things through

d. Love of Learning: Mastering new topics, skills, and bodies of research

e. Perspective: Being able to provide wise counsel to others; looking at the world in a way that makes sense

As I discovered through researching the topic everyone possesses all 24 in different degrees, so each person has a truly unique character strengths profile. Never one to shy away from an opportunity to grow – and, ever curious - I decided to give the survey a try. I am very happy I did.

After completing the assessment – standard and straightforward – and while awaiting the results I jotted down my predictions of which character strengths would be my most dominant and those that would place on the lower end of the spectrum. To my surprise – and delight – I was very close to my guesstimate; especially regarding the Top Five. My assessment found in descending order: 1. Love, 2. Fairness, 3. Leadership, 4. Humor and 5. A three-way tie between Love of Learning, Humility, and Bravery. I predicted four of these as my most prominent.

Upon first glance my thought bubble comment was a very empathic: “This is SO me!” Basking in my hubristic glow for just a nanosecond, however, I decided an accuracy litmus test was in order so I asked three people who know me very well to have a look. The trio responded in kind ostensibly all stating my results resembled the “George” they knew. I found their responses a refreshing, yet humbling, affirmation of who I thought was and who I wanted to be.

The VIA Survey is free but they do offer a very detailed report – VIA Total 24 Character Strengths Report - at a fairly reasonable fee. So reasonable I had zero hesitation in pulling my credit card from my wallet. It was a prudent and fruitful purchase. Forty-eight pages of incredibly insightful info together with strategies to optimize your strength profile in relationships and professional endeavors delivers a bountiful return on investment.

Former slave, and later educator, author, orator, and adviser to several Presidents of the United States, Booker T. Washington, said “Character is power.” I agree with the esteemed American and add my own postscript: “Knowing one’s character strength profile if a powerful benefit.”

- George