What are your Top 5?
Woo
Relator
Communication
Positivity
Includer

How do you see them playing out in your life?
The primary focus in my life and business is to have meaningful conversations and develop trust-ful relationships with others.  My Woo helps to connect with others easily no matter who they are.  I try to see the best in others and what they have to contribute to their workplaces and lives.  I am always excited and positive about the potential impact others may have on their world.

What is your favorite theme?
My favorite is the Woo.  I truly love connecting with people in authentic ways.  I feel fulfilled when after I meet with someone and then collectively unlock the courage to take action together.

What one theme that gets in your way?
My Includer sometimes gets in the way of me executing tasks and moving projects forward as I am constantly concerned if we’ve addressed all the potential issues with an initiative.  It takes time to hold everyone’s perspectives, and it can slow down the process of delivering the fun work we do.


How has knowing your Top 5 empowered you to live a more authentic life?
Knowing my strengths has empowered me to be more of who I am and not work on being better at what’s ‘unnatural’ to me.  I admit openly to needing other people to help me execute projects since I tend to focus on relationships and influencing groups.  I also talk about my strengths and others’ strengths so that I know HOW to work with others in order to raise engagement as well as do our best work as humans.

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-Erin Passons is the president and founder of Passons Consulting.  Her goal is to help people do what they do best, at work and in life.  -


For more than a decade, I’ve had the unique opportunity of helping business leaders, managers, and employees improve their effectiveness using the StrengthsFinder assessment as part of professional development workshops and coaching.  As a leadership development consultant and coach, one of the most common questions I’m asked from my clients is, “How do I use this information about Strengths to create a more effective team?”

While StrengthsFinder provides significant value to an individual by helping them identify their own natural talents, one of the more powerful applications of the tool (and a Strengths-based approach in general) is to help people work more effectively with others, both at work and in their personal life.  The interpersonal dynamics that can be explored, explained, and improved within a team is one of the most fulfilling (and fun!) parts of my job. 

It’s easy to find research from Gallup and others enumerating all the ways that a Strengths-based approach increases engagement, performance, and overall productivity; the data is extensive.  But what does that look like in action, especially with teams?  How can highlighting Strengths promote increased team communication, camaraderie, and ultimately, performance?

A real-life case study from a client can help bring this into focus.  In the example that follows, an information technology team within a large high-tech company was having some communication troubles that affected their performance and effectiveness, and a few simple insights about their Strengths helped them to become more productive. 

When we brought the team together for the StrengthsFinder workshop, the issue of less-than-effective meetings came up during a discussion of “Team Challenges and Opportunities.”  Nearly everyone agreed that they all had the best of intentions at the start, but about halfway through most of their meetings, the conversations derailed into an often-heated and frustrating dialogue.  I asked a few team members to share their perspectives with the group, and heard very different responses:

From Joe’s perspective: “Our meetings are horribly unproductive.  We start out with a clear agenda of what we want to accomplish, and as soon as we start to check off an item on our list and make an action plan, someone brings up another opinion or idea, and we veer off into an unnecessary debate about the merits of that new idea.  We talk in circles for the rest of the meeting and it takes us forever to actually get anything done.  It’s endlessly frustrating!  We need to just commit to one idea and figure out how to make it happen.”

From Rajesh’s perspective: “I disagree completely!  I think the problem is that we don’t dedicate enough time to fleshing out all the ideas we generate, and we try to jump too quickly to making a plan.  How can you make a plan when we don’t yet know exactly what we’re talking about?  We need to debate, discuss, explore and then maybe the right idea will come about.  But too many of the Type A people are jumping in with the to-do list before we’re ready!  It just doesn’t make any sense!”

Clearly this was a textbook case of seeing the world through different Strength lenses, leading this team to miscommunication and disagreement.  Worse, the team dynamics were beginning to lean toward mistrust, negative judgment and even anger.

I started to work toward a solution by asking a simple question of the group - “based on your unique talent combination, what do you need from the meeting experience for it to feel productive to you?”  We heard a variety of responses, but most of them fell into two camps:

1)    I call this first group the “Executors,” people who, like Joe, were primarily driven to accomplish a specific deliverable, make a plan, and check it off their list.  They were action oriented and felt most productive when they had some clear takeaways and to-dos after the meeting.  Their StrengthsFinder talents included themes such as Achiever, Arranger, Responsibility, Discipline, and Focus.


2)    The second group I dubbed the “Ideators,” team members who, like Rajesh, really enjoy the process of brainstorming and watching the connections happen between one idea and the next.  Some of these folks enjoyed the research process, of looking into the viability of each idea, whereas others felt most productive by being part of the energy created by bouncing ideas off of one another until the “right” one made itself known in an organic, free-form way.  Their StrengthsFinder talents included themes such as Ideation, Strategic, Futuristic, Connectedness, Adaptability, Input, and Learner.

Once we agreed that most people could identify with one camp or another (based on their StrengthsFinder Top 5 and their own instinct), I offered a suggestion to the group to help improve their meetings.  I encouraged them to think differently about the way their meetings are set up.  I asked them to think about what would happen if the only other people in their meetings were in their same “camp”?  While the initial response was “heck yeah, I’d love it!” after some chuckling they realized that they needed each other: the Ideators would come up with some amazing ideas but not necessarily know how to implement them, and the Executors could come up with an amazing plan of action, but…based on what? 

So we decided to make some basic modifications to the meetings’ structure:  The Ideators would meet first, and spend the first hour (or more if needed) in the brainstorming phase, moving closer to the right idea toward the end of their time together.  Then the Executors would join the group, hear about the idea finalists, and help the group move to action from there.  The team felt good about this strategy and committed to trying it out, but a few Analyticals remained skeptical. 

Three months after the workshop, I checked in with the Manager to see how things were going.  “You wouldn’t believe it!” he enthused.  “It’s like we’re a whole new team!  This one simple change has improved our productivity by at least 50%, not to mention the morale of the team has changed dramatically for the better.”

This straightforward example highlights the value of thinking through the specific Strengths of each person on your team – or on the team that you coach – as an essential step in improving real-world outcomes.  Leveraging each team member’s unique talent profile can be a powerful way to build cohesion and help your employees see the value of a Strengths-based approach.

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Love Strengths?  Want to become a coach?  Interested in knowing how the ladies of reCreate got started? Where they're heading?  Best practices they can share?

Called to Coach is where Gallup experts and outside contributors share tactics, insights, and strategies to help strengths coaches maximize the talent of individuals, teams, and organizations everywhere.

By: Jamie Librot, Gallup Senior Learning Solutions Consultant 


Affluent 20-somethings in America are in crisis. Most are struggling to find a job, and many who are employed are grappling to find meaning and fulfillment. This Millennial Generation yearns for self-discovery and a connection to a greater good. Social scientists have called this phenomena the “quarter-life crisis.” In previous generations, the angst associated with finding meaning in one’s life happened much later — near the age of 50. As such, it was called the mid-life crisis.

As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, organizational psychologist, and Millennial myself, I have been fascinated by this issue. Why is this crisis happening at a significantly younger age, and how can the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment be used to persist through this difficult time?

History of the Quarter-Life Crisis

The period of adolescence (age 18-29) was not defined until after World War II. Prior to that time, children had to work at very early ages. By the time they were 18, they typically had at least five years of work experience and were considered to be adults. At this age they were getting married and starting a family. Their jobs were something that paid their bills. By 50, their children were grown and their mortgages were paid. The chaotic frenzy of their day-to-day lives (e.g., paying bills and taking care of children) dissipated and became an unnerving silence. In that quiet recess, they found they no longer had purpose in their lives and they didn’t really know themselves.

Today there is a strong middle class in America who has access to free public school until the age of 18. And 60% of all Americans enroll in four-year colleges. Marriage typically does not happen until much later. These circumstances have allowed the current generation to postpone their careers and family lives, and instead spend time focusing on themselves, their needs, and their aspirations. Many of them understand the privilege of their position and feel a fervent need to give back to the community.

What earlier generations had experienced in their 50s, today’s generation is experiencing in their 20s. Many well-known social scientists have verified the phenomena of the quarter-life crisis and have published numerous articles in countless family therapy and psychology journals. Social scientists agree that the 27% of Americans who fall within the 18-29 age range are largely in pain. This crisis is real.

Manifestations of the Quarter-Life Crisis

Today a job is more than something that just pays the bills. Many young job seekers consider the purpose, values, and global impact of companies when making employment decisions. They want a company that donates half its profits to charity, and has team outings that are community service events. They want flexible hours, a non-traditional work space, and the ability to work from home. They expect their entry-level job to directly link to achieving the company’s mission. And they expect to advance quickly through the ranks, just as young billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg promote young people to executive roles. Unfortunately no company can live up to these unrealistic expectations.

My Advice

My advice to escape from the quarter-life crisis is to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment. Then pick a job and find meaning in it yourself, rather than hold out for a job that already has the meaning you’re looking for. For example, you may have achieved an engineering degree and your first job is to answer the phone at a medical device company. If you have Futuristic, think about the direction the company is going and be sure your interaction with customers reflects that brand. If you have Analytical, take note of which customers are frequently calling and whether you can extract data from the pattern.

Be realistic and understand that not everyone can work for Google or Apple. I don’t think that any company can live up to the standards our generation wants them to meet. As the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song goes, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” A mentor once told me that any company that has created good jobs for its employees is a company that is doing a good thing. Additionally, if the company you work for doesn’t donate to charity or run community service activities, take the initiative yourself and start leading such activities. Your efforts can make the work place better for yourself and everyone you work with.

Also realize that you will most likely need to start in an entry level job. I have used the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment to coach several Millennials through the frustration they feel in not advancing as quickly as they would like. My best advice for them is to see this period of their life as a gift. If their current job is too easy, then they will have time to learn about the next role above them. When you eventually get promoted, the time you took to learn the higher level role will help you quickly succeed. You can also ask your manager for clear performance objectives that you need to achieve to get promoted. Then work with a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach to help you use your strengths to meet and exceed those objectives.

Lastly, talk about your frustration. Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner, coauthors of “Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties,” advise those who are experiencing the frustration associated with this time to talk about their feelings. They have found that many Millennials do not believe that they have a right to be upset, so they do not talk about it. This leads them to feel like they are the only ones with this problem, which leads to a feeling of isolation, and more reason to not reach out to others for help. This is a real problem, and you will probably need to reach out to your peers or a strengths coach to get help. Otherwise a quarter-life crisis can loom until it becomes a mid-life crisis.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in working with a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. Sarah Davis and Jennifer Fore are also highly-qualified Gallup-Certified Strengths coaches who can help you escape the quarter-life crisis. 



SOURCES
Atwood, J. D., & Scholtz, C. (2008). The quarter-life time period: An age of indulgence, crisis or both?. Contemporary Family Therapy, 30(4), 233-250.

Robbins, A., & Wilner, A. (2001). Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties. Penguin.



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For all those who know the webcast, Call to Coach, produced by Gallup-meet the brains behind this incredible program...Mr. Jim Collison!  The creation of Call to Coach is a prime example of Strengths at its finest.  We are honored Jim took time to sit down and talk with reCreate!  Enjoy!

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Becky JB Hammond | Isogo | Producer. Integrator. Seeker.

Achiever*Arranger*Learner*Belief*Connectedness


I have the dream-gift to be on a professional adventure in which I get to do what I love to do every day. In my work with teams, groups, and Individuals, I use the concept of directing our natural Talents at achieving the outcomes we dream of. And, over the past 7 years since I was first introduced, I have seen the power and beauty of Strengths impact lives, outcomes, and relationships. I love sharing this tool, this gift.

For me, though, before the professional commitment came the personal connection. And really, the inceptional and exceptional impact of “Strengths” in my life has to start with a story.  So, here is the scenario...

It is 6:30PM on a Monday evening in late 2006. I have been home just a few moments before David, my husband, walks in the door. I am already busy at work, and we find ourselves with different perspectives on the same moment in time.

My perspective:

I am working happily and steadily, both at my computer and in the kitchen. Closing out a day of work, while doing dishes, making dinner, and prepping lunch for the next day. I am focused on my tasks and David, who is leaning against the counter behind me, is not doing…anything. I’m engaged in the conversation—I rattle off the to-dos of the evening and ask him about his day. He doesn’t get up to help when he sees dishes are piled high. Instead, he tells me while I work. We could get a lot more done if he stepped in to help.

David’s perspective:

I am excited to finally be home and be with the one I love. Glad to fill a glass of water and stop in the kitchen to chat. It is hard to talk to the back of a head…but I try anyway. Becky is working on dinner, so her silence allows me the time to debrief and process my day. I walk over for a kiss and she barely looks me in the eye before returning to her work. We could connect so much deeper if she just slowed down for a few minutes.

Same situation, huge disconnect.

We did not feel that different from each other—both were adventurers, God-followers, committed to the same values. Both professionals working in careers. We both could not see why we would each ask for such unreasonable things from each other. We could not see that we really were not all that similar. It was as if we were both silently singing a song in our own heads—belting it out dramatically even—expecting the other person to guess or just know the tune. 

Our differences were the internal and the invisible Talents that filter our view of the world.

Then, in early 2007, we providentially stumbled upon a new language—the language of Strengths through the Gallup(R) StrengthsFinder(R). And this language—as we studied and learned to navigate it—it changed that scenario standing in our kitchen.

So for us, one of my strongest Talent Themes is ACHIEVER and one of his strongest is RELATOR.

An ACHIEVER has stamina, an internal drive and enjoys lists and getting things done. A RELATOR enjoys close relationships and deep one-on-one connections. With this insanely simple yet new and enlightening understanding of my husband, all of a sudden I was able to hear his internal song—the one he had been singing in his head all along. And, something amazing happened—that understanding opened me to making space for grace in my interaction with him. And now, he hears my song too, and I’m understood by him. I understand now—he is not wired like me, but he is wired intentionally and innately, with so much talent that I just did not understand.


So now (and not without failing of course!)...

...instead of getting frustrated by him not helping get things done, I can ask him, knowing that it is not natural for him to notice the “tasks” that need to be done.

...instead of ignoring his need for deep connection, I can add that to my list and stop and be with him.

...instead of standing there and not engaging in the work, he can take note to ask the best way to help, since he knows that speaks to me and gets time with me at the same time.

...instead of missing my need to get things done and getting frustrated in the process, he can ask when it would be a good time to connect since I might not see that as a to-do in the day.


I know what I bring and he knows what I bring. Stamina, lists, drive, getting things done.

He knows what he brings and I know what he brings. Deeper level of intimacy, time to connect and grow together. 

And that was the beginning, the impact, the way it all started for me. With a personal story of Talent and Strength and the opening for grace.

And that is where there is power in Strengths in impacting all lives, personal and professional. They provide a common language to bring that song inside your head, out in the open—to be blasted over loudspeakers or into the ear buds of the ones you hold closest. It turns that internal and invisible Talent that you are wired with into something that is palpable, external, and visceral; something that others around you can hear and understand and appreciate—the unique, successful, strong you.

Becky Hammond is an consultant, coach, speaker, and advocate for talent. To learn more about Becky and her company Click here. 

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What are your Top 5?
Woo
Responsibility
Significance
Activator
Arranger

How do you see them playing out in your life?
In my business I can really see where my Woo plays out.  I love talking to every single customer that comes into the restaurant.  I never meet a stranger. With activator I'm always getting projects, orders, schedules started and my arranger is constantly figuring out the best and most efficient way to coordinate all pieces to make our days in the brewery/restaurant run as smoothly as possible.  

What is your favorite theme?
Woo, I love the challenge of meeting new customers and winning them over.  It brings me a lot of energy to go from table to table chatting with the "regulars" and seeing how their days are going or meeting our first-timers as well!

What one theme that gets in your way?
Definitely my activator because my impatience can cause issues. I can make quick decisions that may not always be the best choice.

How has knowing your Top 5 empowered you to live a more authentic life?
It was great to see that I'm truly living in my strengths.  I'm constantly thinking of new ways to continue to sharpen my Top 5 and leverage them for continued success. I can understand why I make certain decisions and do things the way I do because of my strengths.  I work through these strengths without even thinking about it.


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In an exciting change of events, we've decided to take a break from our current blog series in order to explore the many ways Strengths are being use around the country! 

We all know that Strengths are exceptionally beneficial for the individual, but did you know that StrengthsFinder is also a universal tool used in a complete array of industries, including Education, Relationship Coaching, Government & Military, as well as many facets of Corporate America? 

In order to HIGHLIGHT some of the creative ways Strengths are being utilized and to INSPIRE you to bring Strengths more centered into your world, we have asked some amazing Strengths Enthusiasts around the country to share with us their involvement with Strengths and why they believe it's so important for future generations!

Today, we hear from Dr. Brad Johnson and his experience with Strengths and how he is using it in our education system.


Dr. Brad Johnson:

I am an author, speaker, and educator.  For the past two years, I have taught a graduate course called Ethics in Leadership. It was in this course where I was first introduced to StrengthsFinders. Before I taught the course, I first took the test to determine my own top 5 strengths, which are Maximizer, Achiever, Relator, Responsibility, and Competition.  None of the strengths came as a surprise because by this point in my life, I had a pretty good idea of where my strengths lied.  However, I wish I had taken the test back in my early 20’s when I was trying to find myself!

However, I knew this would be a great assessment for my graduate students to take since they were just beginning their leadership program. Since the first course I taught, I have been surprised at just how much the assessment and the course have impacted my students.  I regularly receive emails from students after the course letting me know just how much they learned and how they had never realized they had leadership strengths which would help them become more effective leaders.  Some students remark that they had never thought about having strengths themselves or if they did possess strengths then they must not be that important. Fortunately through my class they realize that they possess many of the same strengths as other effective leaders.  It gives them confidence to realize their potential as leaders.    

Unfortunately in our culture, we always focus on “weaknesses” or “areas of growth” and never give any thought to what people actually do well.  Many students will explain that the only feedback they get from teacher observations for example, that it is only what they can improve upon. They have never had an administrator tell them about the talents or strengths they possess which have benefited the school.  What a sad commentary on how we view ourselves in our culture.  We are constantly looking for “defects” in others, almost to the point that we “fear failure” rather than focusing upon strengths, which would motivate people to “pursue excellence” instead.   

One of the reasons I knew the assessment would be beneficial to my student is that after 20 years in education, I knew that leadership was not a focus in k-12 curriculum.  Students are taught to follow: follow class rules, follow schedules, follow instructions, but they are never taught to be leaders.  In fact the point I made earlier is the foundation of learning in school.  We are quick to point out the defects in students and areas in which they need to improve. This creates a culture of fear where they are afraid to try anything because if they fail, then it is just another defect!  But imagine if instead, schools were to focus on developing student strengths. Students would have confidence and feel a sense of security in taking risks, because they know it would be seen as negative but as part of developing their strengths.

When planning my latest book, What Schools Don’t Teach: 20 Ways to Help Students Excel in School and Life (Routledge), I knew I had to have a section on developing talents and strengths of students. Fortunately, I was able to draw from the expertise of Sarah, Jennifer, and Amanda, and create a chapter on developing leadership in students.  They shared many stories, and activities for me to include in the book.  Their passion for helping others develop their own strengths and to reach their potential is both refreshing and admirable. 

Dr. Brad Johnson is an author, speaker, and educator. To learn more about Dr. Brad Click here. 

To check out his book Click here. 

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