Seeking to understand one’s place in life is a noble endeavor. Yet it is not a project to be defined by action plans and steps. It comes from focused effort yet is not the direct product. Let me explain. Many of us desire to understand our purpose in life or a stage of our life. What is the meaning of what we do? What does it matter in the end? Stepping away from our daily …
As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, we learn to love all 34 of the CliftonStrengths® themes. Considering that most of how we think, feel and behave is driven by our Top 5 Strengths Themes, it takes extra effort to become intimate with all 34. What better place to learn about the “other” themes than at the Clifton Strengths Summit, held July 18-20, 2016. As with any journey, the experience began before I even arrived in Omaha, …
I dream in potential. It may seem weird but most dreams are. It is the Maximizer® in me, seeking to transform something strong into something superb. Most of the dreams have to do with unrealized potential; that of which is right in front of you if only you could see it. Here’s a great example made better only that it wasn’t a dream. A recent project to improve the view in our home involved washing …
Stepping into a new leadership role can be overwhelming. There is the excitement of the new opportunity, the chance to prove yourself and a bit (or more) apprehension of your ability to do so. The combination of adrenaline and fear can be deadly or powerful. Which will it be for you? Reading this you are taking the first step, and that is acknowledging that the promotion or new role is not the place to celebrate. …
Leadership is a magnificent endeavor. To lead is to guide on a way especially by going in advance, or to direct on a course or in a direction. Leadership can show in many roles from parenting to a universal leader such as Gandhi. It has many different styles – Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking. There is no one way to lead. But in order to lead there is a requirement – trust. No one …
Who are the people that “get it done” on your team? They are likely easy to identify by the long “to-do” lists that are completed. Daily. They turn the plans of the Strategic Thinkers into action and back up the promises of the Influencers. Many of us mistakenly think we lead with Executing because we get things done. Do you lead by Executing or are you simply a human doing? The true Executors among us …
Strategic Thinkers add a dimension to the team that considers what could be. Futuristic, in the now or considering past events, they analyze the inputs to inform decisions. As careful considerers, they often need time to contemplate all the options. You might recognize these contributors as the “smart” ones in the room. The value of Strategic Thinkers in a team is obvious, however their talents may not always show in the brightest of light. The …
Relationship Builders are the glue that holds the organization together. Whether in a family or a part of Mission Control, relationship builders are the uniting force that bring 1 + 1 + 1 together in a way that is more powerful than just three contributors. What could your team accomplish with someone like this on the roster? The great news is that more of the population possess relationship building skills that any of the other …
Who are the Influencers on your team? Does their natural talent stand-out? Or are they a bit subtle, perhaps taking on the tone of your team? Identifying and drawing out those with influencing themes are crucial to the success of your projects and your business. Influencers are identified by the energy they bring to a room and an effort they are passionate about. Sometimes seen as self-serving if they are not able to play to …
As she entered the room the energy was palpable. A force of nature had arrived, bringing with her an excitement that had not been noticeably missing until she was there. The group shifted and recalibrated awaiting to see what would happen now that she had arrived. Rising to the occasion were the others in the group with similar strengths – those that enjoy being “on stage” and have a unique ability to influence others. Until …
Who wants to be on the bus you are driving? Can you tell by the glazed eyes and distracted glances at the smartphone in the weekly meeting? Probably not. Discovering who wants to be on the bus starts with the hiring process, and continues from there. However, you can’t ask if they want to be on the bus if you can’t tell them where the bus is headed! Start with the company’s vision and purpose …
In “A Winning Team Begins With You” we identified that great teams come from great leaders. And that leadership begins with you. Our preference is to look at others’ performance as a reflection that they are not capable; that a failing within the other person is the reason for underperformance. While at times that can certainly be the case, great teams are created with great leadership and that is determined by you. Look inside How …
Sharing the story of my love for riding and enjoyment of golf is to highlight a common mis-perception. Just because we are proficient at something doesn’t mean we will pursuit it or even attempt mastery. Discovering what we enjoy doing is an ongoing, exploratory process. Parents, teachers and other earlier influencers notice and suggest things that would interest us. They also provide the opportunities for us to experience and explore things, discovering what we enjoy …
What is the difference between proficiency and someone who loves their work? How do you move from mediocrity to mastery? The Masters golf tournament give us that opportunity to watch mastery in action. And watch I do! I begin playing at the game of golf in late 1998 after my husband Ed and I returned from 4 years of living in Asia. Ed had long wanted to play but Tokyo, Japan was not the place …
Writing about the need for creating your personal development plan, gave me greater appreciation for doing work that you love. When you look at the basic components that make us proficient at something, you’ll find that having a passion or purpose for what you do makes it interesting, exciting, intriguing and fun. Here’s how… Being proficient at something requires: Skills Knowledge Experience Take a basic example – bookkeeping. It requires skills in organization and the …
Recently I was reviewing the agenda for a conference deciding whether or not it was worth attending. I love to learn, so conferences have great appeal, plus I get to meet new people! Several presentations caught my eye and I explored them further. The one of greatest interest was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. That is early even if you are staying at the conference hotel. Reading further I saw that the presentation was categorized as …
Spring Break is coming up and for many that may mean the opportunity for a road trip. A road trip on its own is great fun, a chance to see the landscape and get a feel for just where you are on this great earth. But there is something special about a road trip when you have the opportunity to travel with others. Imagine a group hitting the road for a get-away. You gather at …
My first read of The Happiness Advantage was in 2012, around the same time I came across the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 and its related strengths assessment. I am not sure which spawned which but the two are more closely related than I knew at the time as both have roots in the Positive Psychology movement. Dr. Donald O. Clifton, developer of the StrengthsFinder® Assessment, challenged the focus on dysfunction by asking “What will happen when …
Focusing on strengths brings out the best in ourselves and in others. A few statistics* demonstrate the value of focusing on what is right with people. People who learn to use their strengths every day have 7.8% greater productivity. Teams who focus on strengths every day have 12.5% greater productivity. Teams who received strengths feedback have 8.9% greater profitability. Employees who received strengths feedback have 14.9% lower turnover. These are impactful and meaningful numbers to …
What creates the circumstances where a person consistently provides near-perfect performance? Consider an athlete, a speaker, a business leader or a nurse. Is it luck, circumstances, natural talent or a combination of these? Fortunately, we now have scientific research that provides us with roadmaps or ways to increase our performance and it involves the study of the mind and behavior – psychology. While the study of psychology dates back to the ancient Greeks, it only …