I am capable of dealing very effectively with routine and even occasional high levels of stress.

I demonstrate the emotional control and optimism to sustain strong performance in spite of daily stresses.

I tend to recover from setbacks and sustain consistent work performance under stressful conditions, while remaining open to change that others often resist.

Even when discouraged by setbacks, my self-confidence and optimism will enable a fairly quick recovery.

The bulk of this text was imported from an online career and personality assessment, as an addendum to the human resource application process.

For many, change itself can be a significant stress. My underlying optimism and confidence is not threatened by change and enables me to expect most changes to produce positive results.

This feedback was particularly interesting, for me.

I find it easy to cooperate and share accountability with others and I enjoy working in the company of others, adapting where necessary to avoid conflict.

Is such feedback actually relevant to me, a self-proclaimed narcissist? Or could this data-driven, quantitative test just as easily have been a cold reading technique, applicable to almost anyone?

I prefer to take ownership of my work and I am very confident in my ability to get work done well without relying on others for direction or support.

*In this context, I’ve also been exploring the relationship between values and compensation, how things like self-awareness, empathy, and emotional intelligence translate into personal, career, and financial success.

Given a choice, I am very likely to choose to work as an individual contributor rather than in formal teams or interactive group settings. This does not necessarily mean I lack the interpersonal skills to work effectively with others, but rather that I am comfortable cooperating with others and am willing to make some effort to see others’ points of view. In difficult service relationships, however, negative outcomes may discourage me because I can’t always control the reactions of other people.

So, I’m beginning to realize how Donald Trump is not so much a caricature of himself as he is a caricature of a media culture which thrives upon controversy in absentia to bloodshed only when it will further divide people among imaginary lines.

I enjoy being successful and achieving strong results at work, though competition with others is not a major motivation for me. I am motivated to do the work necessary to achieve results.

Politics merely supports the illusion that “we’re all in this together.” In reality, cut-throat conflicts occur just as readily in an apparently more civil, market-based values system in which the rule of law has supposedly transcended the law of the jungle.

I am not driven to outperform others. I don’t see work as a competition between me and others. While I am reasonably confident and willing to be assertive, I do things not so much to finish ahead of others but to be sure the work gets done.

Whatever the logos or the teams represented in an hegelian dialectic (in politics, a “D” or an “R” next to their name… though in Trump’s case, irrelevant), our primary responsibility is to annihilate the perceived threat of competition, right?

My steady success stems in part from an appreciation for the benefits of planning and organizing, which is not one of my greater strengths, but I understand the importance of careful plans and am willing to invest time in creating such plans. I am conscientious about getting the details right in these plans and will ask for help from others, if necessary.

Yet even Hillary Clinton, who bears the profound responsibility of the public’s expectation that she will succeed is not above collusion, chicanery, and class warfare for personal and professional gain (though arguable more subtle than Trump).

I show every indication of being a smart worker who is a quick study when problems arise. This ability to recognize when problems occur and quickly determine solutions enables me to keep work going forward with little or no interruption in spite of obstacles. In part, this is because I am confident in my own abilities.

As Pamela Reeves, a former Senior Advisor in Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Office of Women and Girls at the Department of State, who now advises companies, foundations, and non-profit organizations on public-private partnerships and on methods of developing a gender focus to achieve both business and public purpose results noted:

“The good news is that, in the aggregate, we have more women leading local and national governments, global companies, universities, and philanthropic foundations than ever before. And we’ve got more money in the hands of female consumers and female philanthropists. We know statistically that when we get financial resources into the hands of women, we see better outcomes in health, education, and economic prosperity, at all levels, all around the world.”

I am optimistic about being able to influence people. My style is not overly aggressive and I don’t always seek out leadership roles. However, I have the confidence and desire to succeed that occasionally results in taking on a leadership role where it is a good fit for me, in part, because I am open to feedback from others in most cases and seek opportunities to learn about the issues at hand.

Without discounting what the movement to elect Hillary Clinton truly represents (probably equally Planned Parenthood pink and Good Ol’ Boy blue), we’re all biased to a certain extent to follow the crowd because we’re insensitive to the norms of the culture we’re immersed in, more oblivious to the influence of the people we most regularly associate with.

I have shown people that they can depend on me to do what I say I will do, an important attribute for successful leadership. Also, I am open to understanding the perspectives of others and I am willing to place the collective wellbeing of others at work above my own interests, demonstrating empathy and consideration for others even when not in a leadership role.

I have the subtle skills needed to successfully influence others. These include the unusual combination of being strong minded and willing to be assertive while also being adaptable and willing to change approaches, if necessary.

“And, as with any absolutist narrative, calling attention to the inherent injustice and destructiveness of the system is understood as an attempt to undermine our collective welfare. The whistle-blower is worse than just a spoilsport; he is an enemy of the people.

My strengths regarding personal development and contributions to my work place are based on a strong willingness to accept personal accountability for my actions at work. This accountability extends to my work achievements, the help I provide to people in my work place, and for my own ongoing personal development at work.

So whether you find yourself on team pink or team blue next November, remember no one likes a bitch (regardless of gender).

At the core of this accountability is my strong dependability and self control. I feel a strong obligation to do the right thing and to be a positive influence. This strength will serve me well in virtually any type of work environment.

Yeah, this test is crap.

I have very high standards for work place behavior…