DISCOVERING & DISCOVERING & PUTTING PUTTING OUR OUR STRENGTHS STRENGTHS TO WORKTO WORK

2008 Cabinet RetreatDivision of Student AffairsNorthern Illinois University

What is Strengthfinder?What is Strengthfinder?

Strengthfinder is a tool to seek out your dominant strengths and a program to focus on capitalizing on these strengths.

Two books: Now, Discover Your StrengthsGo Put Your Strengths to Work

Wh

at is a

stren

gth

?Consistent, near perfect performance in an activity

What is his strength?

What is his strength?

Conventional wisdom…Conventional wisdom…tells us that we learn from our mistakes.

The strength movement says that all we learn from mistakes are the characteristics of mistakes. If we want to learn about our successes, we must study success.

Putting the Themes to Putting the Themes to WorkWork

We need to learn how to take our existing job and reshape it around our themes; make our jobs play to our strengths.

Make the best of our jobs the most of our jobs.

Establish a new framework for work:1.) Pinpoint what invigorates & what depletes you2.) Stay in control of your hours3.) Explain what you are doing 4.) Address change with a clear head

6 Step Process6 Step Process

Bust the MythsGet ClearFree Your StrengthsStop Your WeaknessesSpeak UpBuild Strong Habits

The MYTHSThe MYTHS

As you grow, personality changes.

You will grow the most in your areas of greatest weakness.

POOF… The myths are gone!

Time to Get Clear…Time to Get Clear…

Strengthfinder gives you themes… not strengths; help you discern strengths

Strengths are the things you do consistently & near perfectly

Strengths have three ingredients:

Talents, skills & knowledge

Sig

ns o

f a S

tren

gth

SuccessInstinctGrowthNeeds

Sig

ns o

f a W

eakn

ess

Lack of…

SuccessInstinctGrowthNeeds

Questions…Questions…Are there any obstacles to

building my strengths?Why focus on these themes?Is there significance to the order?What if I don’t feel they apply?Are there theme “opposites”?Will I become too narrow if I

focus on just my signature themes?

GETTING CLEAR GETTING CLEAR EXERCISEEXERCISE

STRENGHTSFINDERSTRENGHTSFINDER THEMESTHEMESAchieverActivatorAdaptabilityAnalyticalArrangerBeliefCommandCommunicatio

nCompetitionConnectednes

sContext

DeliberativeDeveloperDisciplineEmpathyFairnessFocusFuturisticHarmonyIdeationInclusivenessIndividualizati

onInput

IntellectionLearnerMaximizerPositivityRelatorResponsibil

ityRestorativeSelf-

AssuranceSignificanc

eStrategicWoo

Exploring our Strengths Exploring our Strengths ExercisesExercises

Gather in groups of 3-4 individuals;

Avoid gathering with too many fellow

COPers… we will work later as COPs

Complete the two-part exercise:• Sharing your Reaction & Reflections

• Feedback from Others

STRENGHTSFINDERSTRENGHTSFINDER THEMESTHEMESAchieverActivatorAdaptabilityAnalyticalArrangerBeliefCommandCommunicatio

nCompetitionConnectednes

sContext

DeliberativeDeveloperDisciplineEmpathyFairnessFocusFuturisticHarmonyIdeationInclusivenessIndividualizati

onInput

IntellectionLearnerMaximizerPositivityRelatorResponsibil

ityRestorativeSelf-

AssuranceSignificanc

eStrategicWoo

Now, Discover Your Now, Discover Your StrengthsStrengthsReactions & Reflection Reactions & Reflection ExerciseExercise First Reactions? Agree/Disagree?

Surprises? Which themes fit you best? Which themes hold the strengths

you use most? How does each theme help you in

your work role?Which themes do you most want to

develop?

Now, Discover Your Now, Discover Your StrengthsStrengthsFeedback ExerciseFeedback Exercise

Do you see this theme in me?Provide an example…

What surprises you? Which of the five themes do you notice most in me?

Are there any additional themes of talent that you see in me?

Free Your Strengths Free Your Strengths FOCUS

Identify how this strength/theme helps you in your current role

RELEASEFind missed opportunities in your role

EDUCATELearn new skills related to this strength

EXPANDBuild your job around this strength

Stop Your WeaknessesStop Your WeaknessesSTOP

Simply eliminate the activityTEAM UP

Partner with others who are strengthened by the activity

OFFER UPVolunteer your strength and steer your job toward it

PERCEIVELook at your weaknesses from a different perspective

Speak UpSpeak UpThis discipline presents the concept of

frequent dialogue in the workplace about strengths and weaknesses

Continually voicing the concept of strength-based leadership will lead to greater utilization of the principles

Discuss strengths when assigning roles & responsibilities

REMEMBER: The goal is to approach your work the majority of the time from a strength perspective; attempting this all of the time is likely unattainable

SPEAK UPSPEAK UPEXERCISEEXERCISE

Giving Voice to our Giving Voice to our StrengthsStrengths

Gather with the members of your COP.

Complete the worksheet provided and discuss the questions at the end.

Please be prepared to summarize your discussion of the questions with the larger group.

Building Strong HabitsBuilding Strong Habits

• Go Put Your Strengths to Work, provides daily, weekly, and annual exercises you can use to build the habit

• Apply these themes throughout the year as we interact with one another

• Explore your themes & further define your strengths before taking this further

A Visual for the 6 Step Process

Moving beyond YOUR Moving beyond YOUR Strengths…Strengths…

• Now, Discover Your Strengths offers great ideas about managing strengths in your department (this section may even give you better insight into yourself!)

• Models for Strength-based Organizations

Managing StrengthsManaging StrengthsWhat is the difference between

checkers & chess?

“Mediocre managers play checkers with their people. They assume (or hope) that their employees will be motivated by the same things, driven by the same goals, desire the same kinds of relationships, and learn in roughly the same ways.”

What percentage of the USworkforce is actively engaged atwork and believe they are doing

what they do best?

16%What about your staff?

Remember… our people’s strengths are our greatest

asset!

Teaching StrengthsTeaching StrengthsModels for student-centered

programs – common reading, advising/retention purposes, mentoring programs, employment programs, etc.

Students possess groups of talents before they enter our hallways

These talents form the basis of how they learn, achieve, and persist

Potential to enhance person-environment interaction, as well as cognitive & affective development

QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?COMMENTS?