Arranger

Today’s Goals You should be able to: Articulate what being an Arranger means to you Identify two ways you can develop your Arranger strength. Reflect on ways you can use your Strengths to contribute to your community now and in the future. Facilitator Notes Welcome Introductions (name, title, department, fun fact) If there are 10 or less participants in the session who are not familiar with one another, ask them to introduce themselves. Share that this session is a part of the Be Better @Iowa Initiative. The Be Better initiative is aimed at establishing the University of Iowa as the university that creates leaders who leverage their strengths, leadership knowledge, and leadership skills to contribute to their communities now and in the future. Learning Goals Share the takeaways Ask students if they have additional things they’d like to learn about the Arranger strength Engagement Ask students to silence and put away electronic devices Make sure everyone has something to write with. Ask who is and who is not an Arranger. If applicable, sit with someone who doesn’t share the same strength.

People exceptionally talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity. Facilitator Notes Time: 5 minutes You are a conductor. When faced with a complex situation involving many factors, you enjoy managing all of the variables, aligning and realigning them until you are sure you have arranged them in the most productive configuration possible. In your mind there is nothing special about what you are doing. You are simply trying to figure out the best way to get things done. But others, lacking this theme, will be in awe of your ability. "How can you keep so many things in your head at once?" they will ask. "How can you stay so flexible, so willing to shelve well-laid plans in favor of some brand-new configuration that has just occurred to you?" Confronted with the unexpected, some complain that plans devised with such care cannot be changed, while others take refuge in the existing rules or procedures. You don't do either. Instead, you jump into the confusion, devising new options, hunting for new paths of least resistance, and figuring out new partnerships -- because, after all, there might just be a better way. Group Discussion: What are some ways you’ve seen your Achiever strength show up in your life and interactions with others? Either inside or outside of the classroom. Provide an example to get the conversation started.

Facilitator Notes Time: 7 minutes Clip “I make my own options” (2015) Group Discussion What aspects of the Arranger theme did you see in this clip? Give specific examples.

What’s Your Perspective? Balcony Makes sense of things Flexible Able to organize Constantly seeking best configuration for optimal efficiency Basement Doesn’t like existing rules or procedures Changes priorities Lacks vision Facilitator Notes Time : 7 minutes A barrier label describes when a talent is mistakenly devalued and dismissed as a weakness. Remember: Nobody is perfect. Nobody can always be in the balcony. Everyone finds themselves in the basement from time to time. Group Discussion: Do you agree with the balcony and basement/barrier labels associated with Arranger? Now that you are aware of the basement or barrier labels. What are some things you can do to manage and/or avoid them? If you do not have Arranger as a strength, how would you work with someone knowing this information.

Turning Over a New Leaf Facilitator Notes Time : 15 minutes Ask participants to stand on top of the sheet. Once all are on the sheet, tell them that they must turn it over without stepping off it. All participants must be standing on the sheet at all times. There can be no stacking or people on top of each other. OPTION: • In a very high functioning group some participants can be given handicaps, such as a blindfold, or making it a silent activity. • Handicaps can be given to anyone who steps off the sheet. • The facilitator can time the group, and challenge them to do it faster. • This can be used as a competition between two or more groups. • As a way of building on the theme of “turning over a new leaf,” participants might tape something on the side they are going to turn over, e.g., something they wish to leave behind or forgive themselves for or a goal they hope to achieve. HINT: Safety can be an issue with this activity. The facilitator needs to be involved in spotting. It is important to mention that participants need to be careful of fingers and hands of persons moving cloth underfoot. Instruct participants that if they are falling to simply step off the tarp so they don’t pull people with them. DISCUSSION: This activity can be a metaphor for “turning over a new leaf,” leaving the past behind and beginning something new. It can also be used for groups that are having trouble communicating, including everyone, or working toward a common goal.

Next Steps for Arranger Prioritize your studies. Identify the most important tasks based on deadlines, percentage of final grade, and difficulty. Balance. Get involved and stay busy. Mix non-academic projects, appointments, meetings, and tasks into your day or week. Facilitator Notes Time : 15 minutes Intensify Strength (handout –Supplemental Activity 2.K: Intensify Strength p. 38 of StrengthsQuest Activity workbook) Ask the students to develop talent based actions to respond to each touchpoint on the worksheet. Debrief this activity by asking students to share their responses with a small group. As with so many others, the positive effect of this activity can be enhanced by having students discuss their work in small groups and/or report to the entire group.