Those who follow my blog will know that I am a strong
advocate and believer of “Know Yourself” first before knowing what you really want
in life. In fact, my nickname Rolf Suey is actually derived from “Yourself”
when the letters are re-arranged.
advocate and believer of “Know Yourself” first before knowing what you really want
in life. In fact, my nickname Rolf Suey is actually derived from “Yourself”
when the letters are re-arranged.
The importance of
knowing yourself
knowing yourself
Understanding yourself is very important
in your life to achieve personal, interpersonal and professional fulfillment. Many of us will like to think that we know ourselves
very well, because we know what food we like to eat, what clothes we like to
wear, what songs we like to listen etc. It definitely goes beyond that! The understanding
of your own personality is greatly important to identify your strengths/likes
and even more importantly your weaknesses/dislikes. It is also about knowing
the PURPOSE of life with the right values, beliefs, priorities and dreams. Above
all, to know our body (health) and it’s limits as well. It is
only after you truly know yourself, when you can be truly yourself (most of the times!). This
is when you can define your own purpose and success in life, to attain true
happiness.
in your life to achieve personal, interpersonal and professional fulfillment. Many of us will like to think that we know ourselves
very well, because we know what food we like to eat, what clothes we like to
wear, what songs we like to listen etc. It definitely goes beyond that! The understanding
of your own personality is greatly important to identify your strengths/likes
and even more importantly your weaknesses/dislikes. It is also about knowing
the PURPOSE of life with the right values, beliefs, priorities and dreams. Above
all, to know our body (health) and it’s limits as well. It is
only after you truly know yourself, when you can be truly yourself (most of the times!). This
is when you can define your own purpose and success in life, to attain true
happiness.
For instance, do you frequently go on to be someone
else just to impress? Consider in work, you will try so hard to pacify your
boss or certain colleagues just to be politically
correct and without your own opinion? Or in a relationship, you will try
everything you could just to please your next half and totally forget who you
are and what exactly you want? If the above-mentioned are true, then you have not
found your true self. And you will not be truly happy, even though you think
you are!
else just to impress? Consider in work, you will try so hard to pacify your
boss or certain colleagues just to be politically
correct and without your own opinion? Or in a relationship, you will try
everything you could just to please your next half and totally forget who you
are and what exactly you want? If the above-mentioned are true, then you have not
found your true self. And you will not be truly happy, even though you think
you are!
That said, I am not saying that you need to be
extremely direct and start offending everyone around you, just to be yourself. To
be truly ourselves in an intelligent and tactful manner requires both IQ and
EQ, which are few prerequisites to be successful and yet happy. And of course there are certain circumstances that you must be smart enough not to be “too yourself!”.
extremely direct and start offending everyone around you, just to be yourself. To
be truly ourselves in an intelligent and tactful manner requires both IQ and
EQ, which are few prerequisites to be successful and yet happy. And of course there are certain circumstances that you must be smart enough not to be “too yourself!”.
The PEAKS Profiling Workshop
There are many ways to know ourselves better. One easy
way is by doing a personality assessment test. Just last month, I attended a ½
day psychology profiling workshop organized by my company together with my
colleagues. The workshop leader is a psychologist – Dr B. The psychometric technology used is called: PEAKS
(Purpose . Energy .
Affirmation . Knowledge . Sustainability).
way is by doing a personality assessment test. Just last month, I attended a ½
day psychology profiling workshop organized by my company together with my
colleagues. The workshop leader is a psychologist – Dr B. The psychometric technology used is called: PEAKS
(Purpose . Energy .
Affirmation . Knowledge . Sustainability).
- Purpose is a personality factor that describes a person’s focus and goal orientation.
- Energy is the factor that defines how people relate to others. It affects how people form, manage and maintain human relationships.
- Affirmation is a personality dimension associated with human relationships that measures how an individual demonstrates positive declarations of praise, encouragement and support to others.
- Knowledge expresses a person’s penchant to process ideas, create strategies and innovate.
- Sustainability is a measure of an individual’s propensity to handle stressful situations.
PEAKS is locally developed by Research Communication
International (RCI) founded by Dr Shirley
Lim to measure and optimize human potential. Refer here to understand more.
International (RCI) founded by Dr Shirley
Lim to measure and optimize human potential. Refer here to understand more.
Prior to the workshop, you will have to spend 45 minutes of time without distractions
to answer 270 statements. There will
be five selections to each statement – Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral (or
when you cannot decide), Agree and Strongly Agree.
to answer 270 statements. There will
be five selections to each statement – Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral (or
when you cannot decide), Agree and Strongly Agree.
A validated
prediction
prediction
Due to the number of questions and time constraint, we
were told by the Dr B that this is essentially a very accurate and validated
way of predicting our natural disposition if you are truthful in answering. Even if you answer inaccurately on few
questions, it does not matter, because many of the 270 statements are actually
repeated but phrased in a different manner, such that most of your answers will still capture your general trait.
were told by the Dr B that this is essentially a very accurate and validated
way of predicting our natural disposition if you are truthful in answering. Even if you answer inaccurately on few
questions, it does not matter, because many of the 270 statements are actually
repeated but phrased in a different manner, such that most of your answers will still capture your general trait.
Note also that the test is by no means trying to appraise an
individual to be more successful or more superior to another. The test is more
a strength-approach profiling helping us to understand ourselves better. Bear
in mind that for every characteristic “score” there is always a flipside story.
individual to be more successful or more superior to another. The test is more
a strength-approach profiling helping us to understand ourselves better. Bear
in mind that for every characteristic “score” there is always a flipside story.
There is a beauty and strength in every nature!
Different stages of life
During the workshop, we also asked if different stages
or experiences in life affect our personality.
or experiences in life affect our personality.
Personality is one’s characteristic way of feeling,
behaving and thinking. We were told by Dr B that, in essence, our personality
and behavior should not change very much due to environment and experiences.
For e.g. if our score is from 1 to 100, the score change should be within a
range of +/- 5.
behaving and thinking. We were told by Dr B that, in essence, our personality
and behavior should not change very much due to environment and experiences.
For e.g. if our score is from 1 to 100, the score change should be within a
range of +/- 5.
The only time the score should deviates significantly,
is when one go through a life-changing experiences.
is when one go through a life-changing experiences.
For e.g. Dr. B mentioned that one of the participants use to have high scores for “Energy”. Few years later when she did the test again, her
score deviated significantly. And later Dr. B found out that the demise of the
participant’s mother contributed to the extreme deviations in her natural
disposition.
score deviated significantly. And later Dr. B found out that the demise of the
participant’s mother contributed to the extreme deviations in her natural
disposition.
The Personality Report
A Personality Profile Report of approximately 20 pages was handed to each of us. The first part consists of my personality descriptors on each of the five factors (PEAKS) that distinguish personality (PEAKS). The second part of the report is an inventory of my personality-driven competency traits. There are 8 main traits which are further divided into 4 sub-traits, totaling 32 work competency traits. The 8 main traits are as follows:
- General work related traits
- Change related traits
- Emotion related traits
- Team related traits
- Administration related traits
- Management related traits
- Entrepreneurial and sales related traits
- Service traits.
Basically the five factors of PEAKS is sufficient to distinguish our personality. Within each factor, it is can be further divided into 3
segments depending on your scores. Refer below picture.
segments depending on your scores. Refer below picture.
E.g. for Energy, you
can have “Dynamic” and “Latent” at two ends. In the middle you will have “Ready”,
which means the person is generally more neutral and has the flexibility
to be dynamic or latent. .
can have “Dynamic” and “Latent” at two ends. In the middle you will have “Ready”,
which means the person is generally more neutral and has the flexibility
to be dynamic or latent. .
Please note copyright – RCI.
Then within each Factor, it is sub-divided into 5
different elements to measure our personality. For each element, there will be
scores in 5 different ranges; 0-35; 35-45; 45-55; 55-65; 65-100 which correspond to a particular trait. Refer below
for an example of my own score in “Energy”.
different elements to measure our personality. For each element, there will be
scores in 5 different ranges; 0-35; 35-45; 45-55; 55-65; 65-100 which correspond to a particular trait. Refer below
for an example of my own score in “Energy”.
Please note copyright – RCI.
Rolf’s Summary Profile
Please note copyright – RCI.
Highest score in “Purpose”
I scored the highest
in Purpose, and hence below is a glimpse of my Personality Driven potential
related to Purpose:
Related posts:
Hi Rolf
I am sure I am High Purpose also. lol
Hi FD,
I will have think so, judging from what I know u. Maybe we were brothers of last life! Haha…
Ps: The psychological test is meant to be positive. The flipside of purpose as I seen for myself is sometimes "too tight, cannot relax, and can offend many pple not on purpose but wo knowing (hence I take on meditation)!"
The flip side sounds like me too. except you are more hot tempted i guess. haha.
Haha… Used to be boiling. Nowadays more warm!