Running head: THEMATIC ANALYSIS

Thematic Analysis
Ryan Hall
OGL 498
Arizona State University
April 16, 2016

Thematic Analysis

For my Qualitative Thematic Self-Analysis Research Project, I began by going

through each of my previous assignments from the other classes I have taken AT
ASU to find any pertinent information. Though there were many assignments and
activities that were not relevant, I did manage to find quite a few that provided
valuable insights and great supports for my final themes. I created a folder on my
computer and named it assessments from other courses. Here I would copy all
documents I felt would enable a more thorough analysis for this project. In a second
folder, I saved all of the results from the assessments I have taken over the course
of this course as I completed them for easy reference.
Now that I had all of my data organized, I read through each of them to
determine any possible themes I may find. In doing this, I found some really solid
themes, but surprisingly I didnt find as many as I hoped. I am a fairly simple person
and one thing that was revealed to me through this process is that I may need to
add a little depth to my life. I like things simple, but I believe it is through
exploration that I will truly find out who I am (which is the purpose of this
assignment) and I learned that I am actually a little too simple. I was able to come
up with 9 solid themes with great supporting data and 1 theme that I actually know
to be true about myself, but couldnt really find a lot of evidence to support it.
For the purpose of this assignment, I used an array of data that I compiled
from the many courses I have taken at ASU. See Exhibit A below for a list of the
data sources, a brief description and the corresponding coding that will be used as a
reference throughout this paper.
Once I nailed down the themes, I began the arduous task of sorting through
the data to find supporting information. The process that I found worked best for me
was to assign a color to each theme. As I went through each artifact, I would
highlight any relevant data with the corresponding color to the theme it supported.
This made it very easy to go back through these documents to review the data and
filter out the best supporting data. I found the most difficult part of this process was
sifting through all the previous coursework I completed finding the most relevant
information. The coding process in and of itself was actually a lot less painful than I

Thematic Analysis

anticipated. My color coding concept really worked well for me and provided a visual
relationship of the data to the themes.
The themes I decided upon are very relevant to who I am and also who I want
to be. As I mentioned previously, 9 of the themes were pretty clear from my review
of the data and were very easily supported. In short, my themes are Faith, Family,
Geographical Location and Quality of Life, Business Ownership, Loyalty, Integrity,
Variety in Work, Getting My Hands Dirty, Autonomy, Research and Analytics, and
Helping Others. The theme that I found the least supporting data for was Variety in
Work. Though I know this so very well about myself, I found it interesting that it
didnt show up more in the various assignments and exercises I completed. The
theme that I found the most supporting data for was Faith. While this didnt really
surprise me, it definitely put into perspective just how important my faith is to me
and my family.

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Exhibit A

Artifact

Code

Description

AzCIS Assessments
Interest Profiler

(AzCIS IP)

SKILLS

(AzCIS S)

Work Importance Locator

(AzCIS WIL)

Occupational Cluster

(AzCIS OC)

Career Cluster Inventory

(AzCIS C)

Top 30 Occupations

(AzCIS 30)

Three Questions

(3Qs)

Identities Exercise

(IE)

Holland Personality Types

(HOL)

Values, Desires, Purpose, Vision

(VDVP)

Life Story Personal Narrative

(LSPN)

Personality Characteristics

(PC)

DISC Styles Assessment

(DISC)

Assessment to measure personal

interests and how they relate to
certain work activities.
Assessment of rating a list of skills
into three categories, Very,
Moderately, and Somewhat
satisfying to determine which skills
one values.
Assessment which measures the
work values one finds important.
Assessment which determines how
well ones skills fit into various
occupational groupings.
Assessment which determines the
level of ones interest within various
career categories.
Assessment which determines how
well ones skills fit within more
specific occupations under the
occupational groupings.
Exercise to answer the questions:
What gives me joy, What am I good
at, and What does the world need
me to do.
Exercise in understanding how
various aspects of ones life impact
their self views and priorities.
Assessment which matches skills
with various personality types.
Exercise to help determines what
one truly values and desires in life.
Also enable one to contemplate how
they relate to others and how they
would view their perfect life.
An exercise in reflecting upon
impactful people and events in ones
life which have influenced the
person they have become.
An exercise in taking various
personality assessments and
comparing the results to gain a
better understanding of oneself.
A personality assessment which
provides the portion of the following

Thematic Analysis

Career Anchor Assessment

(CAA)

Ten-Years-Out

(10YO)

Interviews With Significant

Others

(ISO)

Blake Mountain Leadership Style

Survey BIS 300

(BML)

Jung Personality Typology OGL

220

(JPT)

Conflict Styles Inventory OGL

220

(CSI)

Keirsey Temperament OGL 220

(KT)

categories in which one personality

aligns with. Dominance, Steadiness,
Influence, and Compliance.
An assessment in which one rates
how important various factors are in
their work life and provides how
strong the results are in 8 different
categories.
An exercise in visualizing what ones
lie will be like in 10 years from the
present considering all possible
selves and possible futures.
An interview process with people
who know you very well to gain
perspective of how others may see
you and your strengths and
weaknesses.
A survey presenting areas of
leadership where one excels and
where one may need improvement.
A personality assessment which
provides a result in the four
categories one falls into. For
example, my result was ISFJ
(Introverted Sensing Feeling
Judging)
An assessment to determine how
one handles and resolves conflict.
A personality assessment which
provides a categorical view of ones
personality. For example, my
assessment resulted in me being a
Guardian.

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Themes

My faith is the single most important aspect of my life.

My faith has literally become the foundation upon which I have built the rest
of my life. (LSPN)

When I was in my early 30s and still was not married I began to wonder if
that was even in the cards for me. It was at this point that I stopped
searching and just allowed God to take over. It was not too long after I made
this adjustment that I met my beautiful wife Erika at church of all places.
(LSPN)

the lesson I learned from this is that God has a plan for your life and when
you trust in his plan, things work out even better than you could have ever
planned for yourself. (LSPN)

Looking back I can vividly see the difference of how different an experience is
when you allow God to work as opposed to taking control and forcing a
situation. (LSPN)

It was going through the struggles with him and witnessing this amazing little
guy on a daily basis that has taught me to keep my faith in God, even
through the most trying times because it is often the biggest challenges in
life that lead to the greatest of lifes experiences. (LSPN)

Instead of feeling frustrated we are not getting ahead, I am thankful we have

enough to cover our needs!(LSPN)

I am definitely most content and happy when my wife and I are deeply
connected with each other and with God. (3Qs)

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My self concept from a religious standpoint is based upon my faith in Jesus

Christ which drives the standard to which I want to live my life. My values,
morals and way I treat those around me are all defined from my faith. (IE)

My roles are currently prioritized as follows: Husband, Father, Faith, Employee

and conservative. The role that is most attended to is my role as a Father and
the role that is least attended to is my role as a conservative. The only
change I would like to make is to make my Faith my number on priority. This
has been difficult to do in the busy life I lead, but I know is extremely
important. (IE)

Religion was my top selected values from the Values Worksheet. (VDPV)

Religion must be my number one value because this is what God calls us to
do and in turn enables every other aspect of my life to function highly. (VDPV)

My role as husband has really made me think about my self concept and just
how important of a role it is. I strive to be the rock for my family and provide
the stability needed. I am here to serve my wife and make sure she has the
support and love she needs in order to reach her individual goals and dreams.
I am also striving to be the spiritual leader of the family. (VDPV)

I also try to walk with Christ in every aspect of my life and, as most anyone of
us does, I fail on a daily basis. (VDPV)

I want badly to lead by example and live a life Christ would be proud of, but I
have to say I am not living up to these values. But I do wake up again
tomorrow and give it my best effort yet again. (VDPV)

I am as happy as I thought I would be because I have achieved everything I

set out to. Owning my own company and giving back to the community,
working hand in hand with my wife to build a business which provides
financial freedom, providing my family with a wholesome and slow paced

Thematic Analysis

lifestyle where the simpler aspects of life are able to be focused on, being
deeply involved within our community and church, and having the ability to
spend ample amounts of quality time with my family. (10YO)

Above all, your faith is probably your single strongest quality. It is your
ability to give things up to the Lord which provides a sense of strength and
calm in our family during difficult times. Erika (ISO)

I have always known how important my faith was to me, but this exercise really put
it into perspective. My faith has been my strength in overcoming obstacles and
working though hard times in life. Probably the event where faith had the most
impact on my life was in the long process of waiting for and finding my wife. It was a
very long time in the making and it worked out exactly as it needed to. My wife is
absolutely my perfect match in this world and this experience just solidifies my faith
even further.

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Being a great Husband and father and providing a high quality upbringing
to my children is paramount.

In my opinion, support and encouragement are two fundamental things every

child needs. (LSPN)

I intend to repay each of these individuals by paying it forward and providing

my children and others that I am fortunate enough to lead the same belief,
encouragement and sacrifice. (LSPN)

Most everything that was a priority prior to having children takes a back seat.
My childrens well being is priority number one and I will do whatever is
needed to make sure they have every thing they need and every opportunity
to succeed in life. (IE)

From my role as a Father, I see the world as an extremely scary place for my
children to grow up which makes me take my roles as protector and teacher
very seriously. (IE)

I see my role as a father changing in the future as my children grow. I will

hopefully transform from the protector and teacher to a mentor and leader.
(IE)

My role as husband has really made me think about my self concept and just
how important of a role it is. I strive to be the rock for my family and provide
the stability needed. I am here to serve my wife and make sure she has the
support and love she needs in order to reach her individual goals and dreams.
I am also striving to be the spiritual leader of the family. (IE)

My core values that are underlying within most of my areas of identity are
my commitment to being a great father and husband and living life by the
Christian values I hold dear. (VDPV)

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My wife and my children are my focus and providing them with a high quality
of life is my biggest dream. (VDPV)

A great alternative in which my wife and I are exploring is to relocate to

another place where the culture is more suited to the lifestyle we want to live
and raise our children in. (VDPV)

I have realized that the legacy I want to leave behind is not my

accomplishments at work, but the life I have provided for my family. (VDPV)

A typical work day for me begins in the office catching up on email and other
correspondence. I then spend the day at the various projects we have
overseeing the construction and getting my hands dirty as well. I begin my
day early around 6:00 and am home by 2:30 to make sure I can be around
when my kids get home from school. (10YO)

I am as happy as I thought I would be because I have achieved everything I

set out to. Owning my own company and giving back to the community,
working hand in hand with my wife to build a business which provides
financial freedom, providing my family with a wholesome and slow paced
lifestyle where the simpler aspects of life are able to be focused on, being
deeply involved within our community and church, and having the ability to
spend ample amounts of quality time with my family. (10YO)

Above all you are a great husband and father and your love for your family is
so evident and strong. Erika (ISO)

I have learned through this class and this exercise just how much of a priority my
family and the environment I provide for them truly is to me. They have become my
entire focus on life, which is a great thing. I also realized I do need to find a balance
with my personal aspirations as well.

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Living in the Southern United States to embrace a slower paced life and a
focus on the simple yet important things like spending time with family is
an ultimate goal.

Spending time with my family is definitely when I am my happiest. (3Qs)

Family was my second choice from the Values Worksheet. (VDPV)

I made a conscious decision to sell my shares of the organization and return

to being an employee of the company for many reason, but one of the most
important reasons was the amount and quality of time this allowed me to
spend with my family. As an owner, I not only worked long hours but was also
burdened with the stress of ownership. This impacted any time I was able to
spend with my family because I was stressed. (VDPV)

For example, my wife and I both dream of moving to the South in search of a
different life for our family. We long for a slower pace of life where Jesus and
family are the focus and time passes more slowly. This desire along with the
desire to gain financial freedom is directly connected to providing my family
with a high quality of life. (VDPV)

This geographical location and the beliefs about others are definitely
structures under the surface that have a great impact on me. I have spent
time in the Sothern United States on various occasions and know many
people who reside there. Each experience has been very refreshing as the
culture feels like what I experienced growing up. People are friendly and
caring and the overall pace of life is much slower. I have learned that life
passes us by way to quickly on its own, the last thing I need to do is reside in
a place that contributes to an even faster pace. (VDPV)

A great alternative in which my wife and I are exploring is to relocate to

another place where the culture is more suited to the lifestyle we want to live
and raise our children in. (VDPV)

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If my perfect world, my family, both immediate and extended would live in

the South in a time similar to that of the 1940s and 1950s. If any of you
have seen the movie The Notebook, this is pretty much the era and location I
would choose. The values that once made America great, like the pride of
being American, a faith centered life and community, and a strong focus on
family and the time spent together is what I see. (VDPV)

The underlying values that are satisfied in this life for me are the desire to
spend time with family which is what matters most in life to me and provide a
wholesome and safe upbringing for my children. (VDPV)

My primary career anchor was Life-Style Integration, though I actually did not
score the highest in this category. In reading through the descriptions of the
various anchors, I found this anchor to be most relative to what I find most
important. As much as I value my career, it reality it exists as a means to
provide for my family. Spending quality time with my family and be present in
their lives in priority number one. If my career is keeping me from this, in my
opinion it is counterproductive for what I value. (CAA)

I live with my wife and Children on our family farm. My parents live nearby
and visit often. We spend special occasions and holidays as well as many
other weekends and evening as a family, enjoying the simpler things of life.
(10YO)

My lifestyle is slow paced with the emphasis being on the time I spend with
my family. We are involved in our community and church and partake in
many of the local country activities. I spend at least a couple evenings a
week on the front porch with my wife, engaged in great conversation,
watching the children playing and drinking sweet tea. (10YO)

I do have a decent amount of leisure time and I spend it with my family. Our
children are involved in both sports and the arts. We also enjoy travelling to

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new areas of the country and world. We also enjoy the occasional movie and
even go bowling as a family every now and again. (10YO)

I am as happy as I thought I would be because I have achieved everything I

set out to. Owning my own company and giving back to the community,
working hand in hand with my wife to build a business which provides
financial freedom, providing my family with a wholesome and slow paced
lifestyle where the simpler aspects of life are able to be focused on, being
deeply involved within our community and church, and having the ability to
spend ample amounts of quality time with my family. (10YO)

Your greatest strengths are your passion for your family, your character and
your faith in Jesus Christ. Your family has become your priority in life and the
team we have formed together is amazing. Erika (ISO)

Everyday that passes I realize more and more just how much a simpler life appeals
to me. This exercise provided great insight as to just how important to me it really
is. This will ultimately affect both my personal and professional lives as it will more
than likely take me and my family to different geographical location. I do not see us
finding what we are looking for here and thus a move will impact not only personal
relationships we have and roots we have put down, but also careers we have
established.

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I would enjoy owning my own company where I could be my own boss.

I really never liked the feeling of being forced to do anything without having a
say in the matterand this experience engrained that in me for life. If given
the opportunity to make the decision myself, the vast majority of the time I
will make best decision. (LSPN)

People for whom recognition is important like to work in jobs which have
opportunities for them to advance, be recognized for their work, and direct
and instruct others. They usually prefer jobs in which they are looked up to by
others. (AzCIS WIL)

People for whom achievement is important like to see the results of their
work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of
accomplishment from their work. (AzCIS WIL)

DISC High Dominance - aim high, want authority and are generally
resourceful and adaptable. (DISC)

Me secondary career anchor was a toss up between Entrepreneurial

Creativity and Sense of Service and Dedication to a Cause. I find both of
these anchors very important and would love to start my own company
where I can make a difference in the lives of those around me on a daily
basis.. (CAA)

I took the Conflict Styles Inventory test where I scored highest in the
Integrating category which means I have a strong interest in pursuing my
own goals and supporting others in the pursuit of theirs. (CSI)

I own my own small business and employ a number of family and friends who
all share a passion to help others by breathing new life into an old home for
someone to make their family memories. (10YO)

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I am as happy as I thought I would be because I have achieved everything I

set out to. Owning my own company and giving back to the community,
working hand in hand with my wife to build a business which provides
financial freedom, providing my family with a wholesome and slow paced
lifestyle where the simpler aspects of life are able to be focused on, being
deeply involved within our community and church, and having the ability to
spend ample amounts of quality time with my family. (10YO)

We actually share many of the same goals and ambitions. For example, we
both desire to move our family to the southern United States in search of a
slower paced life where the daily focus is not about keeping up with the
Joness but about the meaningful time spent with family and friends. Another
thing we share in common is to become financially independent which
provides the time to spend with family and friends, and to be able to give
back to the community. We both long to live on a farm with various animals
that we can raise and teach the children important, wholesome values and
work ethic. Erika (ISO)

Being my own boss is something I have thought about for quite a long time. After
completing this exercise I have a new found desire to make this happen. I believe
this would have a huge impact on my personal and professional lives as well as the
life of my family. Being my own boss to me means the ability to make my own
schedule and determine my own priorities.

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Loyalty is one of my greatest strengths, but one I need to be selective

about giving it out.

Through all Matts experiences with baseball, I was by his side. I never missed
a high school game or a home game while he was in college. (LSPN)

I believe one of my most important qualities is my sense of loyalty when it is

placed in the right hands, and the owner of this company has proven time
and again he is worthy of my loyalty. (LSPN)

The transition between the role of owner and employee has had a big
influence on my priorities and actions. I am less concerned with the bottom
line and more concerned about the quality of my individual projects and the
relationships I can now have with my coworkers. I am also able to feel freer to
leave on time and focus on things outside of work. (IE)

The Jung Personaly Typology revealed that I am loyal and although this
describes me very well, one thing I disagreed with was that people under this
type can be treated like doormats and taken advantage of. What is interesting
is that in interviewing my wife for this weeks assignment, I learned that my
loyalty actually can at times allow me to be taken advantage of. (JPT)

Loyalty, discipline and teamwork are all qualities I pride myself in and are all
described in the Guardian category within the Keirsey Temperament. (KT)

There were some surprising answers from both interviews that I really didnt
expect. My wife, Erika, pointed out that one of my biggest weaknesses was

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something I always thought of as one of my greatest strengths. My sense of

loyalty has always been important to me and I am loyal as the day is long. I
was always proud of this quality and viewed it as solely a positive trait. Erika
pointed out that this sense of loyalty can actually be a hindrance. Now that I
think about this from her perspective, I can see that she is right. There are
times where those I am loyal to can take advantage of this for their personal
gain. I have had friends that would always call me when ever they needed
something and I was always there. The problem with this is that the loyalty
was not reciprocated and thus I would end up feeling taken advantage of.
What I learned is that I still will be loyal, I just need to consider the source
and the situation. (ISO)

From both interviews I learned that I do not take enough time for myself. This
actually could be a huge contributing factor as to why I have a difficult time
figuring out what I am truly passionate about. I think I need to get out and
take time to explore different hobbies and areas of interest I have to see what
really gets me excited. I dont do this naturally because of my loyalty to my
family and the time I feel I should be spending either with them or doing
things to improve their lives. (ISO)

When I think about you a lot of phrases and adjectives come to mind. You
are hard working and loyal to a fault. Erika (ISO)

Your greatest weakness may just be one of your greatest strengths as well.
The loyalty you have is incredible, but there are times where people can take
advantage of the loyalty. Though you have made progress with this, there are
still times where your loyalty to your boss and company cause you great
stress over making a decision that is right for you and one that is right for the
company. You tend to put the company first in a lot of occasions and though
these occasions seem important at the time, what you are giving up for this
loyalty are times and memories that are everlasting. Erika (ISO)

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I have always viewed loyalty as a purely positive trait and one I was very proud of.
While I still see the positivity, I now also understand how loyalty can also provide an
open door for people to take advantage. I will be much more cautious about who I
provide my loyalty too and also make sure I understand the costs associated with
this loyalty.

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Integrity is a quality that any organization I work for must strive to have.

Upon receipt of my paychecks I noticed that I was only being paid straight
time. I brought to the owners attention that I should have been compensated
at time and a half for any hours over 40 in a week and he refused. I then
called and requested the information on the Fair Labor Standard Act. (LSPN)

What I learned from this experience is that there are people out there who
will lie, cheat, and steal at anyones expense as long as it serves their best
interest. I felt very taken advantage of and mislead, but the lesson learned
was very valuable. I now always try to make sure I know who and what I am
getting involved with prior to making any major sacrifices. (LSPN)

He then proceeded to tell me that he needed me to meet him in the

bathroom in 10 minutes and that he would give me a cup to urinate in for
him. He told me he had smoked marijuana recently and would fail the test. I
was in shock and didnt know what to say. This is not something I would ever
agree to, but before I could say anything, he got up and walked out of the
office. I was left to ponder my options and ramifications if I didnt do what he
told me. So I ended up meeting him in the bathroom and to this day I regret
my decision. This was a very valuable lesson for me in that I now know a job
is not worth compromising my values. (LSPN)

Integrity was chosen as one of my top satisfying skills. (AzCIS S)

Integrity is something I hold very dear, but defaulted to third place behind
family and religion. (VDPV)

Integrity was my third choice from the Values Worksheet. (VDPV)

You are a man of integrity and when you say you are going to do something,
you follow through. Erika (ISO)

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Integrity is a defining characteristic of success in my opinion. Anyone or

organization that has achieved success in spite of their integrity has lost all value of
what true success really is. I found it interesting to see just how important it is to
me to either own my own company so that I am able to ensure the integrity I am
associated with, or make certain that the organization I work for is one who holds
the value of its integrity extremely high.

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I like a job that offers a variety of tasks which help to keep me engaged.

The work in this department was very different in that projects were typically
very short in duration and usually had a pretty quick turnaround time. I found
this environment refreshing and it definitely kept me engaged in my work.
(LSPN)

DISC High Dominance - may lose interest in projects once the challenge has
gone and they tend to be impatient and dissatisfied with minor detail. (DISC)

A typical work day for me begins in the office catching up on email and other
correspondence. I then spend the day at the various projects we have
overseeing the construction and getting my hands dirty as well. I begin my
day early around 6:00 and am home by 2:30 to make sure I can be around
when my kids get home from school. (10YO)

While I was not able to find overwhelming data in support of this theme, this is one
theme that I know to be very true of myself. As much as I like to spend time
mastering a skill, I also can get bored in doing the same thing over and over again. I
have found this to be recently true in my current profession as well. I see new
projects every few days, and while they are all different in some way, the same
skills go into preparing the deliverables. A variety in my work life would be
something I will seek in any future endeavors I pursue.

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I enjoy working with my hands and using tools and machinery to construct
things.

People with realistic interests like work activities that include practical, hands
on problems and solutions. They enjoy dealing with plants, animals, and real
world materials, like wood, tools, and machinery. They enjoy outside work.
Often people with realistic interests do not like occupations that mainly
involve doing paperwork or working closely with others. (AzCIS IP)

Operating Vehicles was chosen as one of my somewhat satisfying skills.

(AzCIS S)

Architecture and Construction was a top rated occupational area my top 30

occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources was a top rated occupational area
my top 30 occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Manufacturing was a top rated career cluster. (AzCIS C)

Architecture and Construction a top rated career cluster. (AzCIS C)

I also enjoy constructing and repairing things around the house. I recently
became interested in wood working and have completed several projects
around the house. I built a custom vent hood, resurfaced and trimmed the
soffits above our kitchen cabinets, installed crown molding in our kitchen,
constructed wainscoting in our dining room, and rebuilt our fireplace mantel
and surround. The difference each of these projects made to the overall look
and feel of the rooms is incredible, and to know that I personally created and
built each one on my own is such a great feeling. (3Qs)

I definitely learn by doing. I need to get my hands dirty and engage in the
problem. (3Qs)

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DISC Low Influence - quite frequently have an afinity for things, machinery
and equipment. (DISC)

I am working as a homebuilder, remodeler as this fulfills my desire to help

others. (10YO)

A typical work day for me begins in the office catching up on email and other
correspondence. I then spend the day at the various projects we have
overseeing the construction and getting my hands dirty as well. I begin my
day early around 6:00 and am home by 2:30 to make sure I can be around
when my kids get home from school. (10YO)

This theme provided a lot of validation to something I knew very well about myself. I
love working with my hands and creating something beautiful out of raw materials. I
have found a love for woodworking and using this skill in home improvement
projects. I can see my self using this theme and skills in my future as I would love to
start a company renovating homes.

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I prefer to work in small groups or by myself on projects

They like to search for facts and figure out problems mentally rather than to
persuade or lead people. (AzCIS IP)

Independent Work was chosen as one of my top satisfying skills. (AzCIS S)

People for whom independence is important like to make decisions and try
out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with
little supervision. (AzCIS WIL)

Business Management and Administration was a lowest rated career cluster.

(AzCIS C)

I work very well with people in most situations, but I am most efficient when I
am working by myself. It really depends on the situation and people involved.
I do expect a high quality end product in any project I am involved with,
whether it be at work or at home. There are times where I feel as though I
have to take the reigns or the project will not be completed to the degree I
expect. This is something I am working diligently on though, as I know that a
leader is only as good as their followers. Responsibility and ownership must
be entrusted to them in order for them to grow and gain respect for their
leader. (3Qs)

DISC High Dominance - are usually self-sufficient and individualistic. (DISC)

DISC Low Influence - are generally comfortable working alone. (DISC)

In BIS 300 I took the Blake Mountain Leadership Style Survey which revealed
that I scored slightly higher on the task portion than the people portion. I
find this to be accurate as I would many times prefer to perform the task
myself rather than work with others to complete it. (BML)

Thematic Analysis
Autonomy is something I have always enjoyed to some degree, but it appears this
has grown stronger over the years. While I do enjoy working with others, many
times I would prefer doing a task on my own. I learn best in working through
obstacles myself and learning from my mistakes as opposed to having someone
always show me their way of doing the task. The results in this theme really have
impressed upon me the importance of one day being my own boss where I can
determine my work environment.

25

Thematic Analysis

26

I enjoy researching, troubleshooting and analyzing data.

They like to search for facts and figure out problems mentally rather than to
persuade or lead people. (AzCIS IP)

Analyzing was chosen as one of my top satisfying skills. (AzCIS S)

Troubleshooting was chosen as one of my top satisfying skills. (AzCIS S)

Information Gathering was chosen as one of my somewhat satisfying skills.

(AzCIS S)

Information Security Analysts was a top rated occupational area my top 30

occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Private Detectives and Investigators was a top rated occupational area my

top 30 occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Market Research Analysts was a top rated occupational area my top 30

occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

I am really good at analyzing information and researching. I have a high

attention to detail and can be very focused. I am very good with the
computer software I use at work and technical problem solving. (3Qs)

When analyzing my talents and ambitions, one idea that came to mind was a
private investigator or detective. This may sound funny, as it does to me as
well, but I think I could be very good at this. My analytical nature, eye for
detail, and research ability seems to play right into this role. One of the big
benefits to this type of job is that, again, it is making some sort of difference
in the lives of those around us. (3Qs)

Thematic Analysis

27

DISC Low Influence - frequently have a tendency to be analytical and once

they have sorted the facts out they communicate them in a straightforward
direct way. (DISC)

I am analytical by nature and sometimes to a faultjust ask my wife. I love

researching and troubleshooting and find this challenge very rewarding. I currently
use this analytical nature in both my personal life and professional life and it has
served me very well. I could see myself being a private investigator as I could apply
this analytical nature, enjoy to the thrill of that type of job, and help others which
ultimately may be very rewarding for me.

Thematic Analysis

28

I would enjoy an occupation where I would be able to help others in some

way.

I took his advice, only to regret the decision some 15 years later and began
pursuing a career as a firefighter. (LSPN)

Assisting/Caring was chosen as one of my somewhat satisfying skills. (AzCIS

S)

People with social interests like work activities that assist othersThey like to
teach, to give advice, to help, or otherwise be of service to people. (AzCIS IP)

Human Services was a top rated occupational area my top 30 occupations

assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Private Detectives and Investigators was a top rated occupational area my

top 30 occupations assessment. (AzCIS 30)

Human Services was a top rated occupational cluster. (AzCIS OC)

Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security was a top rated occupational
cluster. (AzCIS OC)

You like helping, understanding, and teaching others. You are friendly and you
care about the feelings of others. (HOL)

Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security was a top rated career cluster.
(AzCIS C)

I also enjoy making a difference in the lives of people. I have not had much
free time lately, but I would love to one day be able to spend time with my
family volunteering to help make a difference in the lives of those that have
fallen on hard times. On occasion, my wife and I will be at dinner and notice
an older couple or someone that seems could use a little bit of joy

Thematic Analysis

29

themselves, so we will anonymously pick up their tab. It is a great feeling to

know that you just may have made a persons day and that there we no
strings attached! (3Qs)

I believe being a firefighter would have been the perfect role for me in life. I
would be exercising many of my talents and gifts and helping those around
me. I feel this profession would have provided me with the satisfaction I
desire from making a difference in my community. (3Qs)

When analyzing my talents and ambitions, one idea that came to mind was a
private investigator or detective. This may sound funny, as it does to me as
well, but I think I could be very good at this. My analytical nature, eye for
detail, and research ability seems to play right into this role. One of the big
benefits to this type of job is that, again, it is making some sort of difference
in the lives of those around us. (3Qs)

I also see my role as employee changing from that of an individual that

completes projects that makes little difference in the world to one that works
in projects that are very impactful. (IE)

DISC High Steadiness - have a high willingness to help others particularly

those they consider as friends. (DISC)

Me secondary career anchor was a toss up between Entrepreneurial

Creativity and Sense of Service and Dedication to a Cause. I find both of
these anchors very important and would love to start my own company
where I can make a difference in the lives of those around me on a daily
basis. (CAA)

I own my own small business and employ a number of family and friends who
all share a passion to help others by breathing new life into an old home for
someone to make their family memories. (10YO)

Thematic Analysis

30

I am working as a homebuilder, remodeler as this fulfills my desire to help

others. (10YO)

My construction company also brings in a decent income, but we chose to

donate a lot of this to the families we are helping with the houses we
remodel. (10YO)

I am as happy as I thought I would be because I have achieved everything I

set out to. Owning my own company and giving back to the community,
working hand in hand with my wife to build a business which provides
financial freedom, providing my family with a wholesome and slow paced
lifestyle where the simpler aspects of life are able to be focused on, being
deeply involved within our community and church, and having the ability to
spend ample amounts of quality time with my family. (10YO)

I believe I found the most evidence for this theme and this was a little surprising to
me. I have always cared about others and enjoyed helping, but I didnt know that it
was to this degree. My dream of being a firefighter probably should have been a
good indicator to me, but I never really dissected why that profession appealed to
me so much. I thought it was more related to the fact my father was a firefighter
and the pride I had has a child. Or even the thrill of the danger the job provides. I
think the largest underlying reason this appealed to me now is my desire to help
others. I am going to take this knowledge and apply it to any future endeavors I
seek. I believe finding a career that involves helping others would ultimately be very
rewarding for me as well.