Blair Sanford learner- achiever strategic-arranger maximizer @BNelsonSanford Asst. Dean-Wisconsin MBA. Wife, mother, educator, consultant, strategic thinker, traveler, volunteer, sports nut, learner. Size of Wisconsin MBA. Personally invested in you. We want to get to know you and I want to let you know a bit more about what drives me every day. You should have 3 handouts: 34 themes, cheers and chores and Name It, Aim It, Claim It

Why StrengthsFinder? Recommended by alumni, WSB employers and board members Tested several tools: MBTI, Career Leader, DISC, Hogan Inexpensive, quick, well-known, respected in the corporate community, easy to use, positive, over 40 years of research Not to label. Not a perfect tool. Useful and our alumni continue to tell us so. Core teams? No. Not perfect tool, corporate seldom has perfect teams, provide diversity of geography and specialization, analytical. In 2013, the first year ALL Wisconsin MBAs took SF. 4th year. 6 years for some specializations.

Exercise 1: Core Team Introductions In your core teams, please: State your name; Where you lived (state or country) most recently prior to the start of the Wisconsin MBA; Your specialization; Share your object and describe how it represents one of your top 5 strength themes

How have Wisconsin MBA Alumni Used StrengthsFinder? Alumni: navigate team situations and make conversations easier, interviewing, refocus and reflect as they consider their next steps. #1 theme? Achiever; #2 Learner; #3 Strategic. Online dashboard. 1:1 coaching. Alum.

How have Wisconsin MBAs used StrengthsFinder as students? Insights into self, team members, getting to know one another, SF has assisted with answering interview questions, setting thoughtful goals

Exercise 2: Cheers & Chores Cheers Activity: % time Chores Activity: % time I love to travel so being on the sales team and getting to travel, earn frequent flyer miles for my next vacation, and meeting new people really excites me. 20% Participating in focus group at work to improve morale, productivity, retention: 5% Assist with the training and onboarding new staff: 5% Helping the nonprofit where I volunteer to raise money: 1% Meeting with managers who don’t respect me 20% Completing paperwork at my company 20% Meetings, meetings, meetings 20% People who focus on using strengths are 3 times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life Are six time likely to be engaged in their jobs People working in the Strengths Zone look forward to going to work, have more positive than negative interactions with coworkers; treat customers better; tell their friends they work for a great company, achieve more on a daily basis; have more positive, creative and innovative moments

Identify the talents that specifically resonate with you Exercise 3: Strengths-Based Development Happens When You Start to Apply Your Talents Toward Specific Objectives NAME IT! CLAIM IT! AIM IT! Identify the talents that specifically resonate with you Intentionally invest in the development of your talents. Take specific actions to “flex” your talents to accomplish goals, reach desired outcomes, and better respond to everyday situations You don’t have to become a different person to be successful. You don’t have to be all things to all people. You can be anything you want to be, but you can be more that who you are. You can learn to be more of who you are and how to be a better version of who you are already taking SF and Naming some of your talents. Claiming and developing them and Aiming your actions to accomplish goals. Appreciate the power and opportunities that your dominant themes give you, and accept responsibility for developing them

Review SF theme facilitated introductions to core team Information about SF Cheers & Chores Name, Claim and Aim your talent How can the Wisconsin MBA leverage your unique talents and skills? Enjoy lunch and get to know our core team even better

Blair Sanford Learner-Achiever-Strategic-Arranger-Maximizer “StrengthsFinder hat” During the next hour: core team, self reflection, begin to under SF tool and how you can begin to AIM some of your strengths 3 handouts: Clifton StrengthsFinder Themes Cheers & Chores Name It, Aim It, Claim It