Cultivating Great Workplaces with Strengths
Most of us acknowledge that human beings are unique and diverse, but we also have the tendency to expect others to see things from our perspective and come to the same conclusions when presented the same information. Misunderstanding, conflict and even hostility can occur when we don’t give space for others to express different view points, don’t value their opinion or question their intentions. In the workplace, people working together toward a common goal can contribute in a variety of ways. Acknowledging people’s different talents, skills and knowledge and how to utilize them toward optimal performance is the ultimate goal of a manager. Employees who are recognized, understood and valued for their unique contributions are more engaged, perform better and are more likely to stay with the company. But how can a company or team leader start this process?
The CliftonStrengths® assessment is a great tool for identifying the top talents in a manager and team. It has been taken by 25 million people over 20 years and has been transformative in workplaces and teams who strive towards a Strengths-based culture. By revealing how an individual most naturally thinks, feels and behaves, how they contribute and what they need, a group can learn to work together with greater understanding, appreciation and productivity. GALLUP® defines a Strengths-based team as “a group of imperfect but talented contributors who are valued for their strengths and who need one another to realize individual and team excellence.”
Taking the CliftonStrengths® assessment is just step 1, leading to awareness. By digging deeper with a coach, you can gain understanding and application to intentionally align employee’s tasks with their strengths and recognize how you as a manger can leverage your strengths. “What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths – and can call on the right strengths at the right time.” Don Clifton, Father of Strengths Psychology and Inventor of Clifton Strengths.
Strengths doesn’t prescribe what specific types of work a person can do. It is more of a development tool, that can help people realize how to do their jobs, deal with challenges, or achieve goals using the talents that come most instinctively. Perhaps you have 2 employees with the same job, one might need regular check ins and time to interact with her peers to feel engaged and motivated. Another, however, might need quiet, uninterrupted time to focus and feel productive. Both can do the job, but how they get there might look different. As a manager, knowing your strengths and those of your employees will clear up a lot of misconceptions and frustrations and provide a common language for expressing what each needs.
The knowledge of Strengths also provides the catalyst for better teamwork. Knowing where each other shines can lead to complimentary partnerships. If someone has great ideas but struggles to see them through, teaming up with someone with great executing talents will produce impactful results.
Often, performance reviews focus on areas of improvement. Focusing on Strengths allows you to reframe that conversation to see what they are doing well, how you can better support them and how to guide their potential for greater success. Seeing that no two people are alike, no two people will do a job the same way. Giving employees an outcome and enabling them to get there in the way that works for them leads to better job satisfaction and retention. According to a GALLUP® study, teams whose manager received strengths-based feedback have 12.5% greater productivity and 8.9% greater profitability.
Recently, Stephanie Bekkering, the Communications Manager for Hire Standard, became a Gallup Certified StrengthsCoach™. This accreditation allows us to offer Strengths coaching for individuals, managers and teams. Out of 10,000 certified Strengths coaches worldwide, she is the only one in Southern Alberta. We are excited to offer this as a new service to support our clients in cultivating a healthy, thriving, Strengths-based culture. We can customize packages to meet your unique needs. It would most likely include having your team take the CliftonStrengths® Assessment, followed by one-on-one coaching with the manager, and a series of group workshops.
You should consider this if you are a new manager, working with a new group, working as a new project team, a council or board, are going through any change or transition, have any workplace tension or notice employee disengagement, or just want a team-building experience.
The impact of acknowledging and utilizing your employees’ strengths can not be over estimated. People who feel they can work to their Strengths are more confident, fulfilled and committed. Let’s begin a Strengths revolution in Southern Alberta.