1. DISCOVERING & PUTTING OUR STRENGTHS TO WORK 2008 Cabinet Retreat Division of Student Affairs Northern Illinois University

2. What is Strengthfinder? Strengthfinder is a tool to seek out your dominant strengths and a program to focus on capitalizing on these strengths. Two books: Now, Discover Your Strengths Go Put Your Strengths to Work

3. What is a strength? Consistent, near perfect performance in an activity

4. What is his strength?

6. Conventional wisdom… tells us that we learn from our mistakes. The strength movement says that all we learn from mistakes are the characteristics of mistakes. If we want to learn about our successes, we must study success.

7. Putting the Themes to Work We need to learn how to take our existing job and reshape it around our themes; make our jobs play to our strengths. Make the best of our jobs the most of our jobs. Establish a new framework for work: 1.) Pinpoint what invigorates & what depletes you 2.) Stay in control of your hours 3.) Explain what you are doing 4.) Address change with a clear head

8. 6 Step Process Bust the Myths Get Clear Free Your Strengths Stop Your Weaknesses Speak Up Build Strong Habits

9. The MYTHS As you grow, personality changes. You will grow the most in your areas of greatest weakness. POOF… The myths are gone!

10. Time to Get Clear… Strengthfinder gives you themes… not strengths; help you discern strengths Strengths are the things you do consistently & near perfectly Strengths have three ingredients: Talents, skills & knowledge

11. Signs of a Strength Success Instinct Growth Needs

12. Signs of a Weakness Lack of… Success Instinct Growth Needs

13. Questions… Are there any obstacles to building my strengths? Why focus on these themes? Is there significance to the order? What if I don’t feel they apply? Are there theme “opposites”? Will I become too narrow if I focus on just my signature themes?

14. GETTING CLEAR EXERCISE

15. STRENGHTSFINDER THEMES Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical Arranger Belief Command Communication Competition Connectedness Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Fairness Focus Futuristic Harmony Ideation Inclusiveness Individualization Input Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity Relator Responsibility Restorative Self-Assurance Significance Strategic Woo

16. Exploring our Strengths Exercises Gather in groups of 3-4 individuals; Avoid gathering with too many fellow COPers… we will work later as COPs Complete the two-part exercise: Sharing your Reaction & Reflections Feedback from Others

17. STRENGHTSFINDER THEMES Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical Arranger Belief Command Communication Competition Connectedness Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Fairness Focus Futuristic Harmony Ideation Inclusiveness Individualization Input Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity Relator Responsibility Restorative Self-Assurance Significance Strategic Woo

18. Now, Discover Your Strengths Reactions & Reflection Exercise First Reactions? Agree/Disagree? Surprises? Which themes fit you best? Which themes hold the strengths you use most? How does each theme help you in your work role? Which themes do you most want to develop?

19. Now, Discover Your Strengths Feedback Exercise Do you see this theme in me? Provide an example… What surprises you? Which of the five themes do you notice most in me? Are there any additional themes of talent that you see in me?

20. Free Your Strengths FOCUS Identify how this strength/theme helps you in your current role RELEASE Find missed opportunities in your role EDUCATE Learn new skills related to this strength EXPAND Build your job around this strength

21. Stop Your Weaknesses STOP Simply eliminate the activity TEAM UP Partner with others who are strengthened by the activity OFFER UP Volunteer your strength and steer your job toward it PERCEIVE Look at your weaknesses from a different perspective

22. Speak Up This discipline presents the concept of frequent dialogue in the workplace about strengths and weaknesses Continually voicing the concept of strength-based leadership will lead to greater utilization of the principles Discuss strengths when assigning roles & responsibilities REMEMBER: The goal is to approach your work the majority of the time from a strength perspective; attempting this all of the time is likely unattainable

23. SPEAK UP EXERCISE

24. Giving Voice to our Strengths Gather with the members of your COP. Complete the worksheet provided and discuss the questions at the end. Please be prepared to summarize your discussion of the questions with the larger group.

25. Building Strong Habits Go Put Your Strengths to Work, provides daily, weekly, and annual exercises you can use to build the habit Apply these themes throughout the year as we interact with one another Explore your themes & further define your strengths before taking this further

26. A Visual for the 6 Step Process

27. Moving beyond YOUR Strengths… Now, Discover Your Strengths offers great ideas about managing strengths in your department (this section may even give you better insight into yourself!) Models for Strength-based Organizations

28. Managing Strengths What is the difference between checkers & chess? “Mediocre managers play checkers with their people. They assume (or hope) that their employees will be motivated by the same things, driven by the same goals, desire the same kinds of relationships, and learn in roughly the same ways.”

29. What percentage of the US workforce is actively engaged at work and believe they are doing what they do best? 16% What about your staff? Remember… our people’s strengths are our greatest asset!

30. Teaching Strengths Models for student-centered programs – common reading, advising/retention purposes, mentoring programs, employment programs, etc. Students possess groups of talents before they enter our hallways These talents form the basis of how they learn, achieve, and persist Potential to enhance person-environment interaction, as well as cognitive & affective development

31. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?