Journey of Engagement Organisational and personal transformations using strengths-based approaches Slide deck with notes / further reading recommendations

Strengths-based approaches Why, What & How Organisational and individual Learning & insights Q&A

Case studies Social housing member landlords and tenants Preserved public body with extended remit 2 x change programmes, inc. 18 months transformational (10 years) HE / Arts Education Institution Contemporary Dance & Music, inc. Jazz, Vocal and Musical Theatre (3 years) Bottom up pilots Top down pilot and approaches

Why Weaknesses Strengths We tend to focus on weaknesses, fixing weaknesses, addressing gaps Deficit focus predominates in work, society and education Strengths flips the initial focus to positive core / what can be built on and grown Why Weaknesses Strengths “Underlying qualities that energise us, and we are great at (or have the potential to become great at)” Brewerton and Brook Myth busting – weaknesses are addressed not ignored, but after strengths and only if likely to cause a performance risk We’ll invest the effort to go from good to great on things that energise us

What 73% improvement in employee engagement when encouraged to play to strengths (Rath and Conchie 2008) Remember, energy is finite. It’s our choice where we place our energy. Copyright – Strengths Partnership It’s more sustainable performance if based on playing to strengths

Emotional Relational Thinking Execution How Several tools out there. I’ve had experience of two and favour one with 24 strengths clustered this way Emotional Relational Take care, not all tools that use the word strengths or say they are strengths-based in their marketing are truly strengths-based – remember strengths are not competencies Thinking Execution

Performance Management Personal Development Team Development Talent Acquisition Performance Management Personal Development Team Development Leadership Development Talent Management / Career Discussions Restructure As a strengths practitioner, I have experience of deploying strengths-based solutions in all of these HR/OD contexts

Successes Fully strengths-based organisation Whilst at HOS Fully strengths-based organisation 81% employee engagement on 94% response rate  Drops to 68% on 92% response rate  Productivity over a five-year period – 400% increase HR Team Member Transition Whilst at Trinity Laban Redundancy / Outplacement Support Finance Team

Learning & Insights Energy and sustainable performance improvement Can be deployed in many contexts Fixing a problem v pilots Leaders / Managers ‘world view’ influences value and effectiveness Organisational and individual readiness HR/OD professionals have a role in facilitating success A method and a people management philosophy

Time to reflect What energises you? How much of your time is spent on activities that energise you? How can you ‘play to strengths’ more and draw on the strengths of others around you? Where is your leadership team’s current focus? Top down will lead to faster embedding than piloting bottom up in the hope of promoting curiosity and buy in Deficit / fix problem or potential / growth based? Where / how could you first use a strengths-based approach?

Thank You and Questions  pjneville@mac.com  07595 286461 www.linkedin.com/in/pauljneville @PJNeville_Paul Paul is an accredited Strengths-based practitioner