Download Self Assessment - UO Blogs

Self Assessment
Strengths





I am extremely driven and clear on the standards that I set for myself and my team
I get the job done and exceed standards regardless of how long it will take to do so
I focus on listening to all opinions so that the best decision can be made and the best
work can be done
I lead others by listening to their desires and communicating what I have learned
I work to maintain a positive mental attitude regardless of the situation
Example
I am currently a sector leader in the University of Oregon Investment Group. This has given me a
huge opportunity to be surrounded by sharp kids, and it has given me the opportunity to lead and
teach others. Many of my strengths were exhibited when I participated in the CFA Investment
Research Challenge (IRC). While competing in the CFA IRC I knew exactly what I needed to do
for the team and I worked very hard to meet those expectations. I was tasked with the qualitative
analysis, written report, and presentation. The expectations of excellence were very clear within
the team, and I worked ten hours a day Thursday through Sunday for the first six weeks of the
term to reach those expectations. My strengths within the group were mainly defined by my own
personal drive and ability to work independently to reach the deadlines. Each team member was
like this, so it became very apparent to me that I needed to work harder to build consensus and
agreement among the team. I am strong in my listening skills and I greatly respect others by
making sure that all opinions are heard before decisions are made. This competition pushed my
limits of knowledge and work-ethic, and gave me a great opportunity to see my strengths play
out as listed above.
Weaknesses





I do not work to motivate others around me
I get focused so much on my own success that I do not stop to inspire others to be
successful and grow
I view too many people as competition rather than colleagues
I don’t focus enough on team collaboration for a greater performance
During team meetings I put my head down and get to work without focusing on team
growth first
Example
My greatest strength of independent drive and work ethic often leads to my greatest weakness. I
get so focused on my own growth that I often forget to focus on the growth of my teammates. I
am good at teaching others and congratulating them on good work, but I do not encourage them
to grow and reach for success. Specifically I know that a team is much stronger than the
individuals that make it up, but I often only focus on my own work and only trust myself to get it
done to my standards. This also played out in my work for the CFA IRC. My teammates and I
were all equally driven and independent. We all got so focused on our independent tasks that we
missed on possible growth as a team. I could have done much better to work alongside the team,
and together we could have had much more growth and success. Additionally, I am often tasked
with training junior analysts in the UOIG. I am successful at transferring my knowledge and
teaching others about the industry, but I get so focused on my own work at times that I do not
stop to encourage others to grow as leaders. My weakness boils down to my focus on my own
leadership growth. I compete so hard to be the best that I can be that I never stop to encourage
others to lead as well. I view too many people as competition rather than colleagues to help grow
into leaders alongside me. Again, this plays out within the UOIG. I always step up to lead
interviews and trainings to grow myself, but instead I should be teaching others how to conduct
interviews and train new analysts.