1. USING STRENGTHSFINDER IN THE REAL WORLD August 29, 2017
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.

2. Identify the talents that specifically resonate with you
Strengths-Based Development Happens When You Start to Apply Your Talents Toward Specific Objectives
Identify the talents that specifically resonate with you
NAME IT!
CLAIM IT!
AIM IT!
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
Appreciate the power and opportunities that your dominant themes give you, and accept responsibility for developing them
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.

3. What is a “Strength”?
Talent (a natural way of thinking, feeling, or behaving – Talent Themes are identified in the StrengthsFinder Assessment) X
Investment ( time spent practicing, developing your skills, and building your knowledge base)
Strength (the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance) =
Focus on each person’s strengths and manage around weaknesses

4. Why do we use Strengths Conventional Approach to Personal Development
Strengths-Based Approach to Personal Development
Develop Strengths
Identify Talents
Only some behaviors can be learned (skills and knowledge).
The best in a role deliver the same outcomes using different behaviors.
Weakness fixing prevents failure; strengths building leads to success.
Identify improvement areas
Develop an improvement plan
Most, if not all, behaviors can be learned.
The best in a role display the same behaviors.
Weakness fixing leads to success.
The conventional approach to personal development is to work on fixing one’s weaknesses. That would mean that all behaviors can be learned and often that the best in a role display the same behaviors. The strengths-based approach to personal development means that the best in a role deliver the same outcomes using different behaviors. Weakness fixing prevents failure, whereas strengths building leads to success.

5. Building Competency in StrengthsFinder
Talent Theme Definitions and Name/Claim Theme Dynamics (how do they play together?) Team Dynamics and Domains
Personal Development
Team Development/ Collaboration
Management and Leadership Development (Leading others)

6. Katie Johnsrud Class of 2010 Wisconsin MBA
Graduate Business Association
Graduate Marketing Association
Net Impact
Graduate Women in Business
You will hear more about Katie’s work journey shortly but I wanted to personally introduce her and thank her for being with us today. Alumni involvement is an incredible part of this program. We are a tight-knit community…………..

8. Goals for today…
Gain a little more self awareness about your own strengths.
Know a little more about the strengths of others.
Begin to think about using those to become a strengths-based leader.

9. Throughout my career and especially in the earlier stages, I spent a lot of time getting to know more about my strengths & weaknesses.
Started to understand what I enjoyed but didn’t really have context as to why that might be true.
As I progressed, I started diagnosing what I was really good at and almost setting that aside to focus on what I wasn’t so good at. I didn’t want to have any weaknesses. Who wants to have a weakness. No one.

10. Discipline Analytical
 Discipline: People strong in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create..
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.
Objective and dispassionate
I’m not – discipline/analytical
Anecdote – I used to spend effort working to improve weaknesses vs. developing strengths into talents
Realized at Mills that throughout consistent bi-annual review process, strengths & oppt areas didn’t really seem to change. They might flex based on projects and role, but largely stayed the same.
Wasn’t until I took strength-finder that I had a common language and understanding for why this was happening and how to think about it within the context of strengths vs. non-talents.
Focus on growing natural talents into strengths.
1) Avoid use of non-talents (not an option)
3) Focus on developing non-talent into strengths (very hard to do – needs to be closely aligned to motivation)
2) Shore-up the non-talents
Unfortunately, excellence is rarely achieved by minimizing error. It is more likely to be achieved by maximizing strengths. 
Excellence is rarely achieved by minimizing error.
It is more likely to be achieved by maximizing strengths.
Quote: The Flip Side of Talent, by Kathie Sorensen and Steve Crabtree, Business Journal 7/30/01

11. Arranger Woo Learning Achiever Ideation
Learnings: Shift occurred when I focused on my strengths
Turned into talents / became known for certain qualities
1) Arranger - All about maximum productivity
Efficient / get things done, but also flexible
Can sense how the group is feeling
Able to inject fun into groups/activities
Take risks others might not
2) Ideation: People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena
3) Learner - Love the process almost more than the content
Thrive in dynamic work environment (or across a range of work experiences)
Always important to be learning a new skill/hobby (can be related to job or personal life - yoga/photography/cooking/blogging)
More about the journey than becoming an expert
Seen as very agile (learning/mental agility) / had 6 jobs in 5 years
4) 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
5) 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.

12. Aligning talent + investment (& passion)
Finding Innovative Solutions
Leading
Teams
Facilitating Training
Talent + investment = strength
Story:
Finding innovative solutions: Idea to launch Muddy Buddies as the new flavor. Also…Hamburger Helper / brought in culinary experts & restaurant chefs to help us identify the “best” flavor profile for our new chicken alfredo products
Bring curiosity to my role (study new trends/consumer behaviors)
Organized culinary immersion around new Chicken Helpers to inspire team
Leading teams: Selected to lead Culture Committee, Yoplait Holiday Party, Women in Business committee
Facilitated training: lead “Camp Champ” at Mills and facilitated large group working sessions for our continuous improvement efforts.

13. Individual strengths can be used to create POWER & EDGE

14. Team Building Activity #1:
Claiming Strengths Themes – Power & Edge
Select one Strength Theme you believe is currently your most dominate (doesn’t need to be your #1, but should be in your top 5) Pick a different theme than your Object Theme you selected the first day.
Read the general description on the definition sheet.
How does this theme show up unique in you?
How might that be different from someone with the same theme?
How does this theme make you uniquely powerful?
Define your most dominate strength theme and share with your team.
Worksheet #1
GINA
Be organized and keep us on task
Point out risks and possible future mistakes
Listen and carefully provide my input
Lead the conversation
Challenge my ideas
Help with organizing ideas
Pull me out of the past
Matching details with strategy

15. Team Building Activity #1:
Claiming Strengths Themes - Power & Edge DEBRIEF
How did this feel? Any observations?
Anything surprising?
What did you learn about your own strengths as you shared them with others?
GINA
Be organized and keep us on task
Point out risks and possible future mistakes
Listen and carefully provide my input
Lead the conversation
Challenge my ideas
Help with organizing ideas
Pull me out of the past
Matching details with strategy

17. So… why do strengths matter?
Ask for thoughts on why it’s important to know your strengths. Debrief on what the group shared.

18. Important to understand each other’s strengths and how to work best together in tandem as a team. No one person is capable of excelling at everything!

19. Yoplait Greek – Working as a team
Example as a team member- Understanding motivations (Yoplait Greek example)
Story: Yoplait Greek Development/Consumer Campaign
Motivating team member: Scientist motivated by challenge/competition (proving she could develop best product)
Managing team member: Consumer Insights focused on harmony (needed to understand how to have productive debate and encourage differing opinions)
Leveraging team member: IMC Counterpart – extremely strategic / able to quickly articulate communication strategy & activation ideas

20. Team Building Activity #2: Quadrant Activity
STRENGTH THEMES
You get the best of me when________
I’m allowed to brainstorm wacky ideas
I’m given time to think
Tasks are clearly assigned
I have all the information I need
You get the worst of me when_______
Decisions are made quickly
I’m not included in the decision-making process
Tasks are assigned and not flexible
I’m not given time to research
You can count on me to_______
What I need from you is______
KEYS:
YOU CAN IDENTIFY ONE OR MORE OF YOUR THEMES WHEN DESCRIBING EACH QUADRANT
THINK GENERALLY
BRAINSTORM WITH YOUR TEAM IF YOU GET STUCK
Worksheet #2
GINA
Be organized and keep us on task
Point out risks and possible future mistakes
Listen and carefully provide my input
Lead the conversation
Challenge my ideas
Help with organizing ideas
Pull me out of the past
Matching details with strategy

21. Team Building Activity #2: Quadrant Activity - DEBRIEF
What did you find interesting about other’s strengths?
Did you notice any compliments? Any potential gaps?
What might be challenging for you as a team?
GINA
Be organized and keep us on task
Point out risks and possible future mistakes
Listen and carefully provide my input
Lead the conversation
Challenge my ideas
Help with organizing ideas
Pull me out of the past
Matching details with strategy

22. Leadership

23. Better relationships at home, work & community
Focusing on strengths
Better relationships at home, work & community
Drives productivity & satisfaction
Leads to better work
Learning – Explain why important in teams
Focusing on strengths drives greater engagement…leads to more productivity & satisfaction…leads to better relationships at work/home/community.
- Can increase productivity by up to 40%
Everyone’s approach comes from a different lens of strength (not weakness or opposition)

24. Goodfellow & co - Leading a team
Goodfellow – balancing strengths on your team as a leader & building cross-functional advisors.
Two direct reports:
Report A: Futuristic / Maximizer
People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be.
They seek to transform something strong into something superb.
Report B: Activator / Command
People strong in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient.
They can take control of a situation and make decisions.
Missing – strong analytics. Needed to be aware of this & fill the gap.

25. Team Building Activity #3: Future Leaders
Think about being a future team leader.
What strength themes are you going to focus on developing?
Write down 2-3 S.M.A.R.T. goals for this semester.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound
GINA

26. Team Building Activity #3: Future Leaders Debrief
Share-out
How will this impact how you would think about developing strengths in others?
GINA

27. Wrap-up Know and leverage your own personal strengths
Understand each of your team members strengths
Maximize your team by rounding out the strengths of each individual

28. Next Steps Strengths Coaching with Gina and Nichole
Typically minutes
Opportunity to speak more about your strengths and how to develop
Talk through SMART goals
Strengths Workshops throughout the year
Specialization Training
Team Training (ICA Teams)
Management Coaching (1:1)

29. Next Steps
Make the most of the developmental experience you will have in your professional program
Strengths and other assessments can benefit you as much as you put work into them
Utilize your resources around you to excel your growth and to help the people around accomplish their goals