The Fascination Advantage & THE MASTERMIND

The Fascination Advantage

Sally Hogshead's Fascination Advantage Test allows people to discover the ways in which they fascinate others.  Through a series of questions, one can find out which two of the 7 Triggers of Fascination are their primary traits used to fascinate people and which trait might be perceived as dormant. After answering the questions and determining their triggers, people fall into one of 49 different personality archetypes, each of which has their own strengths and weaknesses.

 The 7 Triggers

Upon signing up for the Fascination Advantage, I didn't know what to expect.  With all of the different scenarios we face as humans and all the choices we have to make, I didn't think 28 questions would be enough to really determine useful information about ones personality.  However, after finishing the questions, I was amazed to find that it confirmed a couple things that I have known about myself but have often had a hard time analyzing and putting into words. 

The greatest part of the Fascination Advantage was the opportunity to read how what I've often perceived as a weakness can actually be used as a strength. While it's not the first time it's been brought to my attention that I can come across as "mysterious", I've never thought of that as a trigger. In fact, I've often tried to fight it. 

The Fascination Advantage was a great reminder that one should be conscious about which of their traits are most visible when making a first impression.  While one might not care what other people think, it can be beneficial to know if what other people are seeing is perhaps misleading.  After all, perception is a reality.

The Archetype: The Mastermind

At the end of 28 questions, I came to the exciting moment of finding out how it is that I fascinate others.  It turns out, people are fascinated by me because I am . . . The Mastermind! 

My two primary triggers are Power and Mystique.  I wasn't surprised by these results.  The interesting part was thinking about how the two triggers work in a combination. I've always thought the Mystique factor would hide the Power factor or vice versa. Learning how they can work in conjunction and how the combination can be beneficial in team situations was eye opening and I'd like to think that, if Mark Zuckerberg can succeed as "The Mastermind", so can I!  

According to the Fascination Advantage report, The Mastermind has "a complex mind and reserved demeanor" which is fairly accurate way to sum up how many people might describe me.  I have been called an enigma more than once, I've had people ask me what exactly it is that "makes me tick" and comment on my "brave" and "independent" operating fashion.  I've also been told that people listen to me because I feel the need to talk all the time. 

The Dormant Trait

Upon seeing Passion come up as my dormant trait, my first reaction was that this is in no way true. I then remembered perhaps the most important aspect of the test:

"This test doesn't measure how you see the world. This test measures how the world sees you."

In that case, my results wre very accurate. It was no surprise to read that I am known to approach challenges "rationally and methodically" and that my style of interaction tends to be "more intellectual than 'warm and fuzzy'".  I've often let this dormant trigger haunt me. I can think of numerous times in which people have mistaken me as "shy" or thought that I didn't care about something when I actually cared more than anyone.  Those who know me know that I am very passionate but that I just don't have a natural "cheerleader" personality. However, if someone only knows what they see in 20 minutes, showing lack of passion might not benefit me. 

Recognizing ones primary triggers as well as their dormant trigger is a way to prevent their pitfalls.  For example,  I have had multiple sales jobs at which I have excelled. How could someone with traits like The Mastermind excel in sales? They make a conscious effort to show their passion (the dormant trigger) and they use the fact that they are astute, confident and driven to their advantage.  

Fascinating Through Digital Marketing

In the digital age, people are no longer just introduced to each other in person. People are also being introduced to each other every day via email as well as through sites such as Google+, Facebook, About.me, and Linkedin. These sites present another space for people to command attention and build their personal brand.  For example, I supposed the fact that this blog is written on a simple template with Times font as opposed to a magenta colored template with Comic Sans font is reflective of the clear and methodical Mastermind behind it. 

Knowing ones fascination triggers gives them insight into how they can amplify their primary triggers, work on their dormant trigger and truly fascinate people, not only upon meeting in person, but also through digital media.