People with strong Intellection talents are at their best when they are offering perspectives others may have missed.
Intellection®
A theme in the Strategic Thinking domain of CliftonStrengths
People exceptionally talented in the Intellection theme are characterised by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
Full Theme Description
You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the "muscles" of your brain, stretching them in multiple directions. This need for mental activity may be focused; for example, you may be trying to solve a problem or develop an idea or understand another person's feelings. The exact focus will depend on your other strengths.
On the other hand, this mental activity may very well lack focus. The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection.
You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound. This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives. Or this introspection may tend toward more pragmatic matters such as the events of the day or a conversation that you plan to have later. Wherever it leads you, this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.
This Theme’s Power and Edge
The particular genius of people with especially strong Intellection talents stems from the processing that occurs when they think. When they have time to ponder and process, wisdom and clarity result. They can serve as a sounding board that helps others stretch to discover new ways to solve problems or enhance the quality of their work.
How People with Strong Intellection Talents Describe Themselves
"I am conceptual, deep and solitary."
"I need time for reflection and meditation."
"I love the theoretical because it is the precursor to the practical."
"I hate a thoughtless approach to anything."
"I bring depth of understanding and wisdom."
Theme Contrast
| Intellection | An inquiring approach to growth and learning. |
| Input | An acquiring approach to growth and learning. |
| Intellection | Thinks about concepts that need to be understood. |
| Restorative | Thinks about problems that need to be solved. |
Intellection Helps and Hinders
Helps
You are a ponderer; you turn ideas over in your head, examining them from all perspectives. This gives you an ability to answer difficult questions about a particular subject you have explored — provided you have enough time to do your requisite thinking.
Through your intellectual exploration, you build credibility and respect. People know you give considerable thought to decisions, and they are more likely to trust your perspective as a result.
Your Intellection can make you a credible and compelling public speaker, because you mentally rehearse your presentation. So when it's time to deliver in public, you've already "delivered" it multiple times in your mind.
There is a power in ideas — you know that instinctively. When you communicate a powerful idea about which you've thought deeply, you can be very persuasive.
Hinders
You can tend to get lost in your thoughts, and others may perceive you as disinterested or distracted. Let others know you are "just thinking."
You are not at your best with spur-of-the-moment brainstorming sessions. Let others know that if they want your best thinking, you need some advance notice so you have time to ponder and reflect.
When you do speak, remember to bring others along in your thought process. You play things out to their logical conclusion, and if you are to convince others, they need to know the route you took to get there.
You tend to like — even need — solitude. Remember, you can use your Intellection to build relationships by sharing and discussing ideas. You may find some partners who can help you turn your thinking into action.
If Intellection is a Dominant Theme for You, Take Action to Maximise Your Potential
Set aside a few minutes every day to collect your thoughts. Doing this will make your thinking sharper and more effective.
Think about the details of big projects before starting them. Your timely insights will move the project forward intelligently and without backtracking.
Find peers to have thought-provoking conversations with.
List your ideas somewhere to reference when you need insights into something.
Take time to write down your thoughts. Writing might be the best way to define your ideas.
Ask for topics before meetings. Explain to others why you need time for introspection. While others might see you as slow to act, contemplation allows you to refine your ideas; thus, for you, it is productive behaviour.
Build relationships with people you consider important thinkers. Their example will inspire you to focus your own thinking.
Give others time to think through your new idea after you have presented it for the first time. Realise that they might not immediately understand this new idea because they have not spent as much time pondering it as you have.
Try to meet people who share the same interests as you, and create intellectual conversations with them.
Potential Blind Spots to Watch Out for
Because you are comfortable with silence and solitude, others might view you as isolated, disinterested or disengaged. Be prepared to tell them that solitary thinking is just your natural process and not necessarily a reflection of how much you care.
Some people might think you create needless complexity during discussions and may want you to make decisions faster than you do. Consider tailoring your approach; sometimes it’s better to keep it simple and go more in-depth later.
If Intellection Is a Lesser Theme for You
Think about how you process information and make decisions. Even if you lack the intensity of the talents of the Intellection theme, you no doubt think — even think deeply — about the things that are important to you or that interest you.
You might think better when talking with others. If you need to clarify or think more in-depth about a particular subject, invite others to help you discuss and analyse the topic.
Before you implement your plan or idea, have a conversation with trusted friends and colleagues to help you challenge your perspective and explore new ideas. These people can be a sounding board to test your ideas.
Help others understand that you might be more willing to rely on intuition or make decisions based on limited processing time. Build complementary partnerships that help you evaluate your decisions before implementing them.
Source: Gallup®
“I think, therefore I am.”
— Rene Descartes; philosopher, mathematician and scientist