Discovering your Strengths

The Strengths Awareness Movement

Southern California
Developed by Lucy Coelho & Will Vogt
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 "When I dare to be powerful – to use
my strengths in the service of my
vision, then it becomes less and less
important whether I am afraid."
Audre Lorde

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Cultural languages & personalities

Myers Briggs (ENTJ)

360 (Whew, no one scorched me)
DISC (Just something I had to do… can’t remember it)
That Facebook personality test (pretty darn good, actually)
Horoscopes (Nope, unless it’s my birthday…)
Strengthsfinder 2.0 (Easily accessible, fun and spot on...)

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 What’s my passion?
How do I get paid to do what I love to do?
What if my life doesn't go anywhere?
Will I be successful in my career?
How do I choose the right career for me?
How do I know I have chosen the right career?
How do I find happiness in my career?
What motivates me?

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 “When we find ourselves stuck
in unhappy careers, it is often
the result of a fundamental
misunderstanding of what truly
motivates us.”
Clayton M. Christensen

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 Less than 2 out of 10 people
get to play to their
strengths at work most of
the time!

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 “The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you
believe is great work, and the only way to do great
work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it
yet, keep looking, and don't settle. As with all matters
of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like
any great relationship, it just gets better and better as
the years roll on. So keep looking, don't settle.”
-Steve Jobs

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Work can be a place where…

• You can be challenged in just the way you like to be

challenged
• People recognize you for what you do well and push you
to become better and better at it
• You can get to make the kind of difference only you can
make
• You can get to experience the thrill of success

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Understanding Your Strengths

Your interests are a very good clue to your strengths.

Look closer at your strengths and take them seriously.
You grow most in your areas of strength. This doesn’t
mean that you should ignore your weaknesses. It just
means that you will grow most where you’re already
strong.

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Strengths vs. Weakness

Strengths – Any activity that makes you feel strong,

before, during and after.
Weakness – any activity that leaves you feeling
weaker after you do it.

To push your life towards your strengths,

you have to be specific about exactly which activities
are your strengths

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Definitions

Strengths – Power, force, vigor. Any activity that makes you

feel strong, before, during and after. The ability to consistently
provide near-perfect performance in a specific activity
Skills (Ability) – The ability (capacity, potential) to do
something well, expertise, a particular ability
Talents - A natural way of thinking, feeling or behaving
Motivation – Getting people to do what they want to do, in
good times and in bad. A force or influence that causes
someone to do something

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 Simple Math

SKILLS – The ability to do something well, expertise, a particular ability

+
TALENT - A natural way of thinking, feeling or behaving
+
INVESTMENT - Time spent practicing, developing your skills, and building
your knowledge base
____________________________________________________________
= STRENGTH (the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance)

Building your talents into real strengths also requires practice and hard
work, much like it does to build physical strength.
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Like vs. Dislike

I feel Strong when… I feel weak (drained, bored)

when…
Why is this important?

Having the opportunity to develop our

strengths is more important to our
success than our role, title or even our
pay.
A strengths-based approach improves
confidence, direction, hope, and
kindness toward others.

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Myth 1 – As you grow, your
personality changes.
Myth 2 – You will grow the
most in your areas of greatest
weakness.
Myth 3 – A good team
member does whatever it takes
to help the team.
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Truth 1 – As you grow, you
become more of who you
already are
Truth 2 – You will grow the
most in your areas of greatest
strength.
Truth 3 – A good team
member deliberately volunteers
their strengths to the team most
of the time
 “At work, I have the
opportunity
to do what I do best everyday”

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The most effective leaders:

1. Are always investing in strengths

2. Surround themselves with right
people and then maximize their
team
3. Understand their followers’ needs
4. Don’t ignore individuals’ strengths
5. Don’t focus on well-rounded
individuals but build well-rounded
teams

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Where is the focus?

‣ If you are able to help the people you lead focus on their
strengths, it will dramatically boost engagement levels
throughout your organization
‣ If you focus on people’s weakness they lose confidence
‣ If an organization’s leaders are able to help each person
capitalize on their strengths, it’s likely to create a more rapid
individual and organizational growth.
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34 Major Strengths
Achiever® People strong in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They
take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
Activator® People strong in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into
action. They are often impatient.
Adaptability® People strong in the Adaptability theme prefer to "go with the flow." They tend to be
"now" people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

Analytical® People strong in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the
ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation.
ArrangerTM People strong in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that
complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources
can be arranged for maximum productivity.
Belief® People strong in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of
these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.
Command® People strong in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a
situation and make decisions.
Communication® People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts
into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.
Competition® People strong in the Competition theme measure their progress against the
performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.
Connectedness® People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things.
They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

Consistency® / People strong in the Consistency theme (also called Fairness in the first
FairnessTM StrengthsFinder assessment) are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same.
They try to treat everyone in the world fairly by setting up clear rules and adhering to
them.

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Context® People strong in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They
understand the present by researching its history.
Deliberative® People strong in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care
they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate the obstacles.
Developer® People strong in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in
others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction
from these improvements.
DisciplineTM People strong in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is
best described by the order they create.
EmpathyTM People strong in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by
imagining themselves in others' lives or others' situations.
FocusTM People strong in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make
the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.
Futuristic® People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be.
They inspire others with their visions of the future.
Harmony® People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict;
rather, they seek areas of agreement.
Ideation® People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find
connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
Inclusiveness® / People strong in the Inclusiveness theme are accepting of others. They show
Includer® awareness of those who feel left out, and make an effort to include them.
Individualization® People strong in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities
of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can
work together productively.
Input® People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to
collect and archive all kinds of information.

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Intellection® People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity.
They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
Learner® People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to
continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome,
excites them.

Maximizer® People strong in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate
personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into
something superb.

Positivity® People strong in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are
upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.
Relator® People who are strong in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They
find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
Responsibility® People strong in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they
say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Restorative® People strong in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are
good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.
Self-Assurance® People strong in the Self-assurance theme feel confident in their ability to manage their
own lives. They possess an inner compass that gives them confidence that their
decisions are right.

Significance® People strong in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of
others. They are independent and want to be recognized.
StrategicTM People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with
any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Woo® People strong in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning
them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection
with another person.

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Four Domains of Leadership Strength

EXECUTING  INFLUENCING  RELATIONSHIP STRATEGIC THINKING

Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical
Arranger Command Developer Context
Belief Communication Connectedness Futuristic
Consistency Competition Empathy Ideation
Deliberative Maximizer Harmony Input
Discipline Self-Assurance Includer Intellection
Focus Significance Individualization Learner
Responsibility Woo Positivity Strategic
Restorative   Relator  

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 Executing      

Team members who have dominant strength in the Executing domain are those whom you turn to
time and again to implement a solution. These are the people who will work tirelessly to get
something done. People who are strong in the Executing domain have an ability to take an idea and
transform it into reality within the organization they lead.

Influencing      

People who are innately good at influencing are always selling the team's ideas inside and outside the
organization. When you need someone to take charge, speak up, and make sure your group is heard,
look to someone with the strength to influence.

Relationship Building      
Relationship builders are the glue that holds a team together. Strengths associated with bringing
people together -- whether it is by keeping distractions at bay or keeping the collective energy high --
transform a group of individuals into a team capable of carrying out complex projects and goals.

Strategic Thinking      
Those who are able to keep people focused on what they could be are constantly pulling a team and
its members into the future. They continually absorb and analyze information and help the team make
better decisions.

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My strengths…

Personalized results from the Strengths Insight Report (8/30/11)

Strategic - People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to
proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Futuristic - People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and
what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.
Communication - People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it
easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.
Woo - People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people
and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection
with another person.
Achiever - People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and
work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

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Thank you.

Southern California
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