1. Command

2. Today’s Goals We want you to be able to:
Identify two ways you can develop your Command strength.
Identify two valuable things about the Command theme in action
Feel comfortable working with others with the Command strength towards a positive goal in a group setting.
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 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 Command 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 a Command. If applicable, ask Achievers to sit next to someone who is not an Command.

3. “All cylinders people, let’s go!”
People who are exceptionally talented in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.
Facilitator Notes
Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others. Once your goal is set, you feel restless until you have aligned others with you.
You are not frightened by confrontation; rather, you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution. You need things to be clear between people and challenge them to be clear-eyed and honest. You push them to take risks. You may even intimidate them.
And while some may resent this, labeling you opinionated, they often willingly hand you the reins. People are drawn toward those who take a stance and ask them to move in a certain direction. Therefore, people will be drawn to you. You have presence. You have Command.
Group Discussion:
What are some ways you’ve seen your Command 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.

4. Facilitator Notes
Time: 5 minutes
Clip from TV show: Scandal “Olivia Pope 101” 2:29 minutes
Group Discussion
What aspects of the Command theme did you see in this clip? Give specific examples.

5. What’s Your Perspective?
Balcony
Charismatic
Willing to take charge
Direct
Inspirational
Clear
Basement
Dominating
Inflexible
Not open to other’s ideas
Abrupt
Stubborn
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 Command?
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 Command as a strength, how would you work with someone knowing this information.

6. Facilitator Notes Time : 15 minutes
Supplies Needed: Bread, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Plastic Knives (one per pair), a square or rectangular table at the front and center of the room, and newspaper or other covering for the table. Be sure to ask if anyone has any allergies.
Ask for eight to ten volunteers from the group (or a smaller even number).
Instruct the volunteers to stand, back-to-back, alongside the table.
Place supplies for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the table.
The individuals facing the table will be responsible for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Their partners, who are facing the audience, will provide the direction.
Sandwich makers should be given the following instructions:
• Do literally what your partner instructs you to do.
• You may not show your partner what you are doing until the sandwich is done, and your partner may not turn around to look.
• When you have completed the task, your partner may then turn to face the sandwich.
Note: Do not intervene unless there is a challenge that cannot be fixed unless you do.
For example, if those giving instruction all say, “get bread”, and their partners all reach for the loaf at the same time, it may be necessary for you to pause the activity and inform those giving instructions that the loaf is in a bag which is tied shut. This information may help them to alter their instructions.
Group Discussion:
Was this easy or difficult? Why?
• What were some of the challenges you faced?
Of the observers in the audience:
• What did you see happen?
• Why did it happen?
• What could have been done better?
Review the following points with the group at the completion of the activity: Many times, we assume we know exactly how to do things, especially if we have done them many times before. We also assume that other people understand what we are trying to say. However, it is important to be able to look at situations in different ways, pay attention to detail, and be clear and deliberate about our communication. Otherwise, we run the risk of turning something that should be fairly simple into something that is overly complicated.
• Can you think of other situations where this has happened to you?
• How might this apply to your daily life as a student here at Iowa?

7. Next Steps for Command Ask people for their opinions.
Consider taking the lead on a committee
Find a cause you believe in and support it.
Facilitator Notes Time : 15 minutes
Ask people for their opinions. Sometimes your candor will be intimidating, causing others to tread lightly for fear of your reaction. If necessary, explain that you are upfront simply because it feels uncomfortable to keep things bottle up, not because you want to keep others silent.
You have definite ideas about what you would like to see happen, and you can naturally influence a group to follow you. You might be comfortable spearheading new initiatives.
Find a cause you believe in and support it. You might discover yourself at your best when defending a cause in the face of resistance.
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. .