The Best of You and the Rest of You: Making the Most of Strengths-Based Leadership. By Joelle K. Jay, PhD. Leadership Research Institute

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1 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership By Jelle K. Jay, PhD. Leadership Research Institute

2 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership A mvement in the business wrld culd fundamentally change the way we think abut imprvement. This revlutin capitalizes n the unique cntributins f each individual, leveraging their unmatched, pwerful ways f being and ding. It results in increased efficiency, imprved effectiveness and a happier way f life. The apprach is Strengths-Based Leadership (SBL). The purpse f this reprt is t prvide an verview f SBL fr business leaders wh truly want t be their best and t bring ut the best in their peple. What is SBL? SBL is a philsphy f leadership based n the belief that we are all brn with unique strengths and talents, and that when we act in alignment with thse strengths, we are at ur best. We can understand it by studying its histry, r cntext, and its key cncepts. The Histry f SBL The idea may be revlutinary, but it s nt entirely new. In 1966, Peter Drucker wrte in The Effective Executive, The effective executive builds n strengths -- their wn strengths, the strengths f superirs, clleagues, subrdinates; and n the strengths f the situatin (cited in Buckingham, 2007, p.3). SBL is ne f at least three disciplines that share a cmmn view: we are strnger and better where things are wrking than we are than where they re nt. Appreciative Inquiry One f these disciplines is the field f Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI brught Drucker s idea abut management t whle rganizatins. AI is based n the wrk f David Cperrider, wh supprted the basic premise that it was better t build rganizatins arund what wrks rather than fix what desn t (Buckingham, 2007, p.3). Psitive Psychlgy A similar and related field is psitive psychlgy. Psitive Psychlgy, r as Time magazine nce referred t it, The Science f Happiness, studies what makes peple happy and healthy. It was launched in Dr. Martin Seligman s (1999) speech t the American Psychlgical Assciatin and celebrated in the fllwing year s special issue f American Psychlgy. The Strengths Mvement SBL builds upn these fundatins f AI and psitive psychlgy by lking at hw peple accentuate their strengths t imprve their perfrmance (particularly at wrk). SBL was prpsed by Dnald O. Cliftn, a researcher with the Gallup rganizatin wh wanted t start a glbal cnversatin abut what s right with peple (Rath, 2007, p.i). Tgether with Gallup researchers, Cliftn mined the existing database f Gallup s 40 year study f human strengths. Based n their findings, they develped set f 34 f the mst prevalent themes f human talent. Cliftn and c-authr Marcus Buckingham published their findings in the bestselling management bk Nw, Discver Yur Strengths (2001). Since Cliftn s death in 2003, his wrk has been cntinued by his grandsn, Tm Rath, authr f StrengthsFinder 2.0 (2007), and Cliftn s c-authr, Marcus Buckingham, authr f G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk (2007), in a cntinuing effrt t prvide cncepts and prcesses that guide peple in leveraging their talent t imprve their perfrmance Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 2

3 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Appreciative Inquiry, Psitive Psychlgy, and the Strengths Mvement all share a cmmn assumptin: there is pwer in what wrks. SBL applies the idea f emphasizing what s right t leadership -- specifically persnal leadership in which ne takes respnsibility fr their wn grwth and develpment. Key Cncepts SBL is part mindset, part skills and practice. Tw key cncepts explain this apprach, the understanding f which allw individuals t leverage the philsphy and play t their strengths. 1. Our strengths are enduring and unique. Our strengths are enduring, because we are brn with them. Strengths are things we d naturally. They re easy fr us, and we usually enjy ding them. They re unique, because n ne else in the wrld has the same cmbinatin f strengths, expressed the same way, as anyne else. 2. Our greatest rm fr grwth is in the directin f ur strength. Fr many peple, this is a switch. Typically what peple d is put all f their attentin and energy int their weaknesses and take their strengths fr granted. A fcus n weakness is ingrained in ur culture. As Tm Rath pints ut in StrengthsFinder 2.0, The aim f almst any learning prgram is t help us becme wh we are nt (Rath, 2007, p. 3). But ur grwth in areas f weakness is destined t be little mre than marginal. Unless yu have the necessary talent, yur imprvements will be mdest. Yu will be diverting mst f yur energy tward damage cntrl and very little tward real develpment (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p.31). There s nthing wrng with wanting t imprve; it s the bsessin with weaknesses as the place t imprve that s cunterprductive. It s much mre pwerful t build n ur strengths. Imprtantly, the message shuld nt be that we ignre ur shrtcmings. In many instances, we must attend t them. We manage ur weaknesses s we can build n ur strengths. In G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk, Buckingham cmes at these key cncepts anther way, by pinting ut the myths many peple hld and replacing them with new, strengths-based ideas. Myth: As yu grw, yur persnality changes. Truth: as yu grw, yu becme mre f wh yu already are. Myth: Yu will grw the mst in yur areas f greatest weakness. Truth: Yu will grw the mst in yur areas f greatest strength. Myth: A gd team member des whatever it takes t help the team. Truth: A gd team member deliberately vlunteers his strengths t the team mst f the time. Overall, SBL asserts that the emphasis fr grwth and excellence shuld center n strengths, with weaknesses being managed t prevent any negative influence n perfrmance Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 3

4 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Why is SBL Imprtant? The questin is, des SBL actually make a difference in perfrmance? In ther wrds, des it wrk? In a wrd, yes. In its research, the Gallup Organizatin has surveyed ver 10 millin peple n the questin, At wrk, d yu have the pprtunity t d what yu d best every single day? When the answer was yes, peple were six times as likely t be engaged in their jbs and mre than three times as likely t reprt having an excellent quality f life (Rath, 2007, p. iii). Gallup s research has shwn hw a strengths apprach imprves a persn s cnfidence, directin, hpe, and kindness tward thers (Rath, 2007). In shrt, yu wuld be at yur mst prductive, mst effective, mst creative, and mst resilient if yu culd play t yur strengths mst f the time (Buckingham, 10/16/07). It s nt just individual imprvement that results frm SBL. Organizatins prfit, as well. Where emplyees believed they had the pprtunity t d what they d best, businesses were 1. 50% mre likely t have lwer turnver, 2. 38% mre likely t have prductive business units, and 3. 44% mre likely t have higher custmer satisfactin (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, Discver, p.5). Unfrtunately, nly 1/3 f the 10 millin emplyees surveyed say they actually have the pprtunity t d what they d best everyday. Of thse that have the pprtunity t d what they d best, nly 17% f peple plled say that n a typical day, they spend mst f their time playing t their strengths (Buckingham, 2007, p.10) -- a figure Marcus Buckingham calls wastefully lw. The research shws that thse wh d nt believe they have the pprtunity t be their best are emtinally disengaged frm their jbs (Rath, 2007, p.iii) -- a cnditin that can lead t attritin, stress, burnut and lw prductivity. When peple are nt able t use their strengths at wrk, chances are that they: dread ging t wrk have mre negative than psitive interactins with their clleagues treat their custmers prly tell their friends what a miserable cmpany they wrk fr achieve less n a daily basis have fewer psitive and creative mments (Rath, 2007, p.12) By cntrast, n high-perfrmance teams, peple say they call upn their strengths mre than 75% f the time. (Buckingham, 2007, p.16). Accrding t these statistics, at any given time businesses are perating at less than 30% f their capacity (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p. 5) Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 4

5 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Evidently, businesses and their peple have a lng way t g tward imprving emplyee engagement. SBL is designed t imprve the degree t which peple are psitive and prductive at wrk. Definitin f Terms The language f SBL is simple, as its riginatrs designed it t be. It revlves arund three key terms: 1. Themes 2. Strengths 3. Weaknesses These terms are defined belw as they apply t SBL. Themes Themes are descriptrs f talent that emerged frm Cliftn and Buckingham s systematic study f excellence f Gallup data. At the time, that research included ver tw millin interviews ver thirty years. Since then, the research has grwn t frty years and ver ten millin interviews. Patterns in the research revealed 34 themes f raw talent. These 34 themes are summarized in the bx entitled 34 Themes f Human Talent. 34 Themes f Human Talent 1. Achiever Drive; a cnstant need fr achievement 2. Activatr Emphasis n actin; getting things dne 3. Adaptability Living in the mment; flexible prductivity 4. Analytical Prve it; shw me; lgical; rigrus; a refining mind 5. Arranger Arranging prductive cnfiguratins; effective flexibility 6. Belief Enduring cre values; family fcus, altruistic, spiritual, ethical 7. Cmmand Taking charge; presence 8. Cmmunicatin Bringing ideas t life; wrds that inspire peple t act 9. Cmpetitin Cmparing; utperfrming; cntests; the inside track 2016 Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 5

6 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership 10. Cnnectedness Strng faith; cnsiderate, caring, accepting; a bridge builder 11. Cnsistency/ Fairness Balance; clear rules applied equally; predictable; evenhanded 12. Cntext Lking back t understand the present 13. Deliberative Careful; vigilant; private; planning ahead fr risks 14. Develper Seeing ptential; helping thers experience success 15. Discipline Predictability; rder, structure; rutines; feeling in cntrl 16. Empathy Sensing the emtins f thers; giving vice t emtinal life 17. Fcus Where am I headed? ; gal-riented; efficient 18. Futuristic Wuldn t it be great if? ; dreamer; visinary 19. Harmny Finding cmmn grund; cnsensus and supprt; 20. Ideatin Fascinatin by ideas; creative; riginal; cnceptual; smart 21. Includer Everyne is equally imprtant; accepting; including peple 22. Individualizatin Intrigued by peple s unique qualities; fcus n differences 23. Input Inquisitive; cllecting things/ideas; acquiring, cmpiling, filing 24. Intellectin Thinking; reflectin; mental activity 25. Learner Learning; frm ignrance t cmpetence; mastering skills 26. Maximizer An emphasis n excellence; capitalizing n gifts; strng t superb 27. Psitivity Cntagius enthusiasm; celebratin; excitement; vitality 2016 Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 6

7 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership 28. Relatr Deep relatinships; intimacy; genuine friendship 29. Respnsibility Cnscientius; utterly dependable; willingness t vlunteer 30. Restrative Prblem-slving; analyzing symptms, identifying what s wrng, finding the slutin 31. Self-Assurance Self-cnfidence in abilities and judgment; aura f certainty 32. Significance Frm medicre t exceptinal; credible, prfessinal, successful 33. Strategic Seeing patterns; making selectins; What if?, select, strike 34. W Winning Others Over; meeting new peple and getting them t like yu The themes d nt capture every type f talent, but rather prvide a cmmn language; a classificatin; a way f talking abut talent that make it easy t use with wrk teams, families and friends (Rath, 2007, p.16). Think f these 34 themes as akin t the 88 keys n a pian. The 88 keys cannt play every single nte that can pssibly be played, but in their many cmbinatins they can capture everything frm classic Mzart t classic Madnna. The same applies t these 34 themes. Used with insight and understanding they can help capture the unique themes playing in each persn s life (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p.12). Cliftn and Buckingham (2001) and Rath (2007) assert that the themes prvide a fundatin fr SBL. Their assessment, the StrengthsFinder prfile, ( prvides an easy way fr peple t discver their five signature themes. Once individuals identify their signature themes, they can build n them with additinal knwledge, skills, and practice. Every signature theme cntains the prmise f a strength (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p.80), say the authrs f Nw, Discver Yur Strengths. Hwever, they cntinue, - and it s a big hwever -- these labels are nt yur strengths (Buckingham, 2007, p.74). Talents are nly ne aspect f a persn s strengths -- the ther tw being knwledge and skills. In SBL, talents warrant the mst attentin, because they are the nly ne f the three f these aspects that are innate. Strengths A strength is defined as an activity in which a persn exhibits cnsistent, near-perfect perfrmance (Cliftn and Buckingham, 2001). Cmpared t themes, which are naturally recurring patterns f thught, feeling, r behavir, strengths are defined by actual activities. These are things yu d, and mre specifically, things yu d cnsistently and near perfectly (Buckingham, 2007, p ) Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 7

8 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Strengths are entirely specific t the way a persn spends his r her days. Belw fllws a sampling f strengths: I sell. I can sell anything, especially tangible, cncrete prducts. I get a thrill ut f clsing a sale and mving n t the next custmer. I m very gd at meeting clients needs. I can put myself in their shes and anticipate what they need. I create high functining teams. I can spt where a persn will succeed and put them in the psitins that allw the whle team t perate like a smth-running machine. I take cntrl f chatic situatins. I m a prblem slver. I figure ut what s wrng and fix it. If I can t fix it right away, I ll try every slutin until I finally d. It s an bsessin! I have an uncanny ability t see patterns in numbers. I can lk at a data set and see a dzen different ways f cutting it up t find ut what it s saying. In G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk, Buckingham defines strengths simply as the activities that make yu feel strng (Buckingham, 2007, p. 89). He uses a variety f descriptrs: Pwerful Cnfident Natural Smth On fire High I ve gt this wired Great Authentic That was easy. Awesme When can I d this again? (Buckingham, 2007, p. 97). Our strengths are the activities we d well. They cme s naturally that we can hardly help ding them. We are drawn t these activities. We vlunteer fr them. We might even d them late int the night. Talents nt nly have an I can t help it quality t them but als an it feels gd quality. In many ways, we are happiest when we are wrking in ur strengths Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 8

9 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Weaknesses Weaknesses are defined as anything that gets in the way f excellent perfrmance (Cliftn and Buckingham, 2001, p. 148). This definitin is purpsefully narrw. Mst f wuld prbably side with Webster s the Oxfrd English Dictinary and define a weakness as an area where we lack prficiency. As yu strive t build yur life arund yur strengths, we advise yu t steer clear f this definitin fr ne very practical reasn: Like all f us, yu have cuntless areas where yu lack prficiency, but mst f them are simply nt wrth bthering abut. Why? Because they dn t get in the way f excellent perfrmance. They are irrelevant. They dn t need t be managed at all, just ignred (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p. 148). Just as a strength can be defined as an activity that strengthens yu, a weakness can be defined as an activity that weakens yu. Buckingham uses the fllwing descriptrs: Drained Time s ging by s slwly I can t cncentrate Frustrated Wiped Out Frced I m getting a migraine Hw much lnger?! Irritated Bred Why can t the new guy d this? (Buckingham, 2007, p.97). Weaknesses take mre f an effrt. They re harder fr us, and we may even hate ding them. Whether we d them well r nt is irrelevant; we ve all learned t d things well that we dn t enjy ding. What matters is that we wuldn t chse t d them because they drain us and slw us dwn. We may have an almst visceral aversin t ur weaknesses. They can make us feel physically ill r even desperate. Sme examples: I hate talking n the phne t clients. I can never think f anything t say, and I end up giving away the stre. I d rather d anything but phne wrk. Public speaking gives me hives. Literally; I can d it, and I have dne it, and I ve even dne it pretty well. But if I never had t give anther presentatin it wuld be t sn. I just dn t have a mind fr creativity. I can carry ut any plan yu give me. I can even create the plan. What I can t seem t d is cme up with the ideas in the first place. On ne s pursuit f excellence, weaknesses get in the way Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 9

10 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership The Prcess: Putting SBL t Wrk The prcess fr engaging ne s strengths invlves three basic steps: 1. Identify yur strengths 2. D mre f the activities that strengthen yu 3. D less f the activities that weaken yu. Althugh the steps are simply stated, the prcess itself can be quite challenging. It invlves plenty f explratin, intrspectin, and analysis. On ne hand, it s a practice in which ne can readily engage; n the ther, it s a jurney that can take a lifetime. 1. Identify Yur Strengths Befre discussing the specifics f identifying strengths, it s imprtant t remember that the wrd strengths is ften used interchangeably with themes r talents. But again, the tw are nt the same. Belw, we discuss hw t find yur themes first -- thse raw talents yu were brn with. Then we will discuss hw t find yur strengths -- the particular activities in which yu leverage yur talents. Finding Yur Themes One lgical place t get started with yur strengths is by taking the Cliftn StrengthsFinder Prfile. Directins and a persnalized access cde fr taking the prfile are included in every cpy f Nw, Discver Yur Strengths (2007) and its mre recent versin, StrengthsFinder 2.0 (2007). Once yu have taken a shrt (twenty-minute) nline assessment, yu will receive a set f five signature themes. The reprt includes descriptins and qutatins frm peple wh exemplify the theme t illustrate the cncept. This step f finding ne s signature themes is a pwerful ne, fr it immediately cuts thrugh the guesswrk t clarify a persn s strngest ways f being. But as Tm Rath, the authr f StrengthsFinder 2.0 (2007) reiterates, themes are nt strengths. T find ne s wn strengths, ne must cntinue the prcess f discvery and intrspectin. Finding Yur Strengths If finding ne s signature themes is abut identifying innate talent, finding ne s strengths is abut learning hw ur talents shw up in ur day-t-day activities. Marcus Buckingham describes this prcess in detail in G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk. He walks readers thrugh the steps t mre clearly identify their strengths. His prcess can be seen as either an extensin f the signature themes r an alternative t them. We dn t need t knw ur signature themes t find ur strengths, but knwing thse themes can help us narrw the pssibilities. Either way, says Buckingham, Yu must learn hw t g beynd the labels f any persnality test that yu may have taken and identify the specific, real-wrld activities that cnstitute yur strengths (Buckingham, 2007, p.21) Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 10

11 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Buckingham argues, The mst direct way t identify yur strengths is always t pay attentin t hw specific activities make yu feel. N ne can d this better than yu (Buckingham, 2007, p.111). And if that s true, then the persn best qualified t identify them -- indeed, the nly persn qualified t identify them -- is yu. Yu knw which activities draw yu back t them time and again. Yu knw which activities yu can t help vlunteering fr. Yu knw which activities keep yur interest and yur cncentratin with almst n effrt. Yu knw which activities leave yu feeling strng, fulfilled, pwerful (Buckingham, 2007, p.89). The prcess f finding yur strengths depends n yu. But that s a lt harder than it sunds. Mst peple think they knw what they are gd at, stated business guru Peter Drucker. They are usually wrng (cited in Rath, 2007, p.15). And even if ur instincts aren t wrng, it can still be difficult t access thse instincts. Mst f us struggle when asked t describe ur natural talents (Rath, 2007, p. 21). We knw urselves s well, and ur strengths are s much a part f wh we are that we take them fr granted. Often we ve believed until nw that ur strengths are nt just wh we are but als just the way the wrld is. We can use ther strategies besides self-assessment and analysis t sharpen ur perspective and break utside ur paradigms. A number f ptins are listed in the bx called Finding Yur Strengths and Weaknesses. Finding Yur Strengths and Weaknesses T be able t distinguish yur strengths and weaknesses, yu can draw n a number f resurces. Nt all f these resurces are specifically designed t help yu find yur strengths, rather they are places where yur strengths may be hiding. Yu can mine them fr infrmatin abut what yu d and dn t d well. 1. Intuitin. Because yur strengths are based n the emtinal reactin yu have t different activities, yu are mst qualified t say whether an activity is a strength r a weakness. Use yur intuitin t guess at yur strengths simply by asking yurself, What are my strengths Cntinue that prcess by paying attentin t yur reactin t different activities and experiences each and every day. 2. Peple Wh Knw Yu Well. Smetimes what we d well is s much a part f wh we are that it s difficult t recgnize ur strengths. The peple wh knw us best can take ne lk at us and hand us ur strengths. They see us fr wh we are, even better than we can see urselves. All yu have t d is ask. Over the curse f abut a week, talk t peple. Ask yur friends, family and cwrkers what they ntice abut yu. What d they see as yur strengths? 3. Reviews and Feedback. Any kind f perfrmance review can highlight yur strengths and yur weaknesses, as can ther feedback including letters f recmmendatin (r cmplaint), evaluatin frms, and cards in the suggestin bx. Yur strengths may be hidden amng cnstructive criticism r ther cmments 2016 Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 11

12 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership abut yur behavir, but if yu specifically lk arund fr infrmatin n where yu excel, yu re ging t find sme strengths. 4. Assessments. Assessments are little quizzes yu take, like the Myers-Briggs, the DISC Prfile, r Emergenetics, that give yu a windw int yur persnality, thinking preferences, leadership style, r behavirs. Any assessment yu take will shw yu mre abut what s true fr yu; part f that infrmatin will include yur strengths. 5. A 360-Degree Prfile. The 360-Degree Prfile is a survey yu deliver t a number f peple t get an utside perspective n yur effectiveness. A 360, especially a custmized, interview-based 360, is ne f the best ways t find infrmatin n yur strengths and weaknesses, because it is bth persnalized and bjective. T learn hw t d yur wn 360, listen t the free audi at www. pillar-cnsulting.cm. The strategies n this list are nt always designed t highlight bth yur strengths and weaknesses. It s up t yu t layer n the lenses f strengths-based thinking, t mine the infrmatin fr learning abut yur strength and weaknesses and islate the activities that have the mst t ffer yu as yu mve ahead tward yur gals. (Jay, 2007) As yu srt thrugh the data yu cllect -- whether frm yur wn ideas r utside surces -- it can be helpful t start a simple running list f ptential strengths. Then test them. Buckingham (2007) ffers the acrnym SIGN as the test f a strength. If an activity is truly a strength, yu will see these fur signs: Success Yu re gd at the activity. Instinct Grwth Needs The activity has an I-can t-help-but quality. The activity is easy. Yu re interested and inquisitive abut it. Yu want t practice it, read up n it, and refine it with new tricks and h i i The activity satisfies a need in yu and leaves yu with a feeling that all-is-right-with-the-wrld. (Buckingham, 2007, p.77-85) Ntice that being gd at an activity is nly ne sign f a strength. The ther signs will help yu separate skills frm true talents. Als ntice that even when yu find a strength, it desn t mean yu dn t have t practice it. On the cntrary: There s surprisingly little hard evidence that anyne culd achieve any kind f exceptinal perfrmance withut spending a lt f time perfecting it. The New Yrk Times summarized it thus: Michael Jrdan, even if he hadn t spent cuntless hurs in the gym, wuld still have been a better basketball player than mst f us. But withut thse hurs in the gym, he wuldn t have becme the player he was (Buckingham, 2007, p.86) Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 12

13 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership 2. Identify Yur Weaknesses Althugh SBL as a philsphy minimizes an emphasis n weakness, it s nevertheless imprtant t identify thse weaknesses. The way t d that is similar t the prcess f finding strengths, except it invlves lking fr the things we dn t d as well. Again, yu can d this by simply bserving yur emtinal reactin t different activities. Or, if yu prefer, yu can als use the same strategies recmmended abve fr finding strengths using ther peple, strategies and surces. Once we ve fund a few strengths, we can test them against the signs f a weakness, which are lgically the lack f the signs fr a strength. Lack f Success Lack f Instinct Lack f Grwth Lack f Needs Yu ve never really been that gd at this activity Yu instinctively want t avid this activity. Yu aren t inquisitive abut the activity; yu dn t want t get better at it; yu dn t want t read up n it r learn mre abut it. Yu never feel cmpelled t d this activity; verall, it just seems like a drag. (Buckingham, 2007, p ) Thrughut the prcess f finding yur strengths, and weaknesses, it s imprtant t create reminders that keep them in mind. A simple chart n a sticky nte will d, like this: Strengths Weaknesses After all, finding these activities is nly preparatin fr the real wrk t cme. In rder t make SBL wrk fr yu, yu ve gt t leverage yur strengths and manage yur weaknesses Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 13

14 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership 3. Maximize Yur Strengths In SBL, the message nce yu ve identified activities is t d mre f what strengthens yu and less f what weakens yu -- r, as Marcus Buckingham puts it, t make the best f yur jb mst f yur jb ( He ffers sme strategies fr ding that, such as vlunteering fr activities in which yu can use yur strengths and telling thers what yur strengths are (withut bragging r impsing them n thers). This step in the prcess f becming a strengths-based leader is little mre than a chice. As Ben Franklin said, The real tragedy f life is nt that each f us desn t have enugh strengths, it s that we fail t use the nes we have (Cliftn & Buckingham, 2007, p.12). Once yu knw yur strengths, make every effrt t d them mre. 4. Minimize Yur Weaknesses As yu wrk t spend mre time with yur strengths, yu can als learn t manage yur weaknesses. Yu essentially have five ptins fr minimizing a weakness: 1. Get a little better at it 2. Design a supprt system 3. Use ne f yur strngest themes t verwhelm yur weakness 4. Find a partner whse strengths cunterbalance yur weakness 5. Just stp ding it -- r at least d it less (Buckingham, 2007; Cliftn and Buckingham, 2001; Rath, 2007). 5. Build Lifelng Habits Learning yur strengths and weaknesses and applying them effectively in yur life is an nging prcess. Nt nly will yu becme mre and mre accurate in identifying yur natural attributes ver time, but yur activities will cnstantly change, making it vital that yu cntinue t cnsider and recnsider hw yur strengths are at wrk. Buckingham has built an entire prgram, called the SimplyStrengths prgram ( t help peple cntinue the prcess. He summarizes the prcess in five steps: 1. Every day, lk at yur strengths and weaknesses. 2. Every week, make a plan fr making this week as clse t ideal as pssible. 3. Every quarter, lk back ver yur weekly plans t lk fr tangible signs f success and cmmunicate them in a cnversatin with yur manager. 4. Every six mnths, capture, clarify and cnfirm yur strengths. 5. Every year, take the SET survey (included with every cpy f G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk) t track yur prgress. Fllwing this system will ensure that yu grw with yur strengths Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 14

15 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership The Next Level: Using SBL t Be Yur Best The prgram recmmended by Buckingham ffers a prcess fr cntinually refining yur strengths and weaknesses and getting them mre and mre play in yur life. But it s nt just ding mre f yur strengths and less f weaknesses that will truly get yu t perfrm at yur best. Yu must als learn t be mre sphisticated in yur understanding f yur strengths and mre strategic in yur applicatin f them in yur life. Fr this, yu need a separate set f skills that allw yu t leverage bth yur strengths and weaknesses fr their greatest pssible advantage. Leveraging Yur Strengths The day-t-day prcess f leveraging yur strengths happens primarily in yur wn mind, where yu learn the habits f thinking in line with yur strengths. T leverage a strength, ask yurself three questins t help yu get a better sense f what pprtunities yur strengths present. 1. Hw des this strength wrk fr yu? Once yu ve identified a strength, give it sme thught. What specifically des this strength d fr yu? What des it lk like? When have yu seen it? Revisit sme f the times yu remember being aligned with this strength. Hw did it feel? What felt right? What were the results? Really becme familiar with yur strengths and persnalize them t the way they apply t yu. 2. Hw des this strength wrk against yu? It may cme as a surprise that yur strengths can wrk against yu. After all, aren t they suppsed t be where yu re best? Isn t that a gd thing? Well, yes and n. Yur strengths can wrk against yu in a few different ways. Yur strengths can wrk against yu when yu verexpress them. Every strength can becme a weakness if yu take it t far. In caching, we call this verexpressing yur strengths. Ging t extremes, the verachiever can becme a wrkahlic; the cmpetitive player can becme cutthrat; the cmmanding leader can becme a dictatr. Thinking abut the limits f yur strengths and the pint at which they start t wrk against yu ensures yu dn t verd it. Yur strengths can wrk against yu when yu abuse them. Remember: yur strengths shw yu the way yu d things well. Other peple need t be allwed t d things the way they d them well. Annuncing, This is the way I d things best, therefre we are all ging t d it this way is an abuse f yur strengths. Remember, t: yur strengths are nt excuses. Prclaiming I can t d that functin, it s just nt my strength, is anther abuse f yur strengths. Yur strengths imprve yur impact. They are nt the way the wrld shuld wrk. Yur strengths can als becme weaknesses if yu allw them t limit yur visin. There are ther ways f ding things than the way we d them, and sme f them may be better. Getting utside yur bx nce in a while will allw yu t see new perspectives, alternatives and pssibilities Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 15

16 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership 3. Hw d yu use yur strength t meet yur gals? Being able t answer this questin well helps yu tap int the pssibilities f yur strengths. Withut this questin, knwing yur strengths is wasteful. At first, it can be helpful t write these questins dwn and cnsider them every time yu identify a strength. Later, it will becme a habit, s that every time yu take n a new activity, yu will start by asking yurself, Hw can I d this task in a way that uses my strengths -- the way that is ging t make it cme the mst easily and mst naturally fr me? That s when SBL truly becmes an advantage. Leveraging Yur Weaknesses It may seem cunterintuitive t think that we can leverage ur weaknesses. Yu might wnder, isn t the whle pint t avid them? Nt necessarily. If we are t truly embrace a strengths-based perspective, we als need t value what s right abut what s wrng. There is strength in yur weakness. Even thugh cmmn wisdm says that we shuld avid ur weaknesses, they actually have as much t ffer as ur strengths, just in a different way. Three questins help yu find their hidden ptential. 1. Hw des this weakness wrk against yu? Cnsidering hw much we dislike the activities that use ur weaknesses, it shuld be pretty bvius hw they wrk against us: they make us feel bad. But what else? Hw des yur weakness slw yu dwn, hld yu back, r therwise frustrate yu? What is it abut yur weakness that makes it such a challenge? Cnsidering the specifics f yur weakness prevents yu frm thrwing the gd ut with the bad; try t islate the specific prblem. And remember, just as yur strengths are nt excuses, neither are yur weaknesses. Yu dn t get t escape every task yu see as utside yur areas f strength. Minimize them, mve away frm, find mre pwerful ways f ding them, yes. But insisting that yu can t r wn t d smething because yu perceive it t be a weakness will alienate yu frm exciting pprtunities -- nt t mentin ther peple. 2. Hw culd this weakness wrk fr yu? It may seem cunter intuitive that ur weaknesses can wrk fr us, but they can. With practice we can turn almst any weakness arund t wrk fr us. Yur weaknesses can wrk fr yu when yu see their benefits. If yu lk, yu can find value in yur faults. Maybe yu have a weakness in that yu lack attentin t detail. That might wrk fr yu if it means yu re able t verlk the minutiae that s ften bgs peple dwn. Maybe yu have a weakness in that yu have a hard time selling yurself. That might wrk fr yu if it means yu re viewed as humble and unassuming. Maybe yu have a weakness in that yu tend t be insensitive. That might wrk fr yu in the sense that yu re able t lk bjectively at a situatin and make difficult decisins Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 16

17 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Just because ur weaknesses are less pleasant fr us than ur strengths, they nevertheless have smething t ffer. Yur weaknesses can wrk fr yu when they help yu see yur strengths. When yu re in the thres f a weakness, when whatever yu re ding seems hard and cumbersme, yu can use the pprtunity t ask yurself, If this is what I want least t d what wuld I rather be ding? Or, If ding this activity this way is driving me crazy hw wuld I rather d it? Answering that questin can help yu mre sharply refine yur strengths, and may even pen the dr t changing this dreadful activity t better appeal t yur strengths. Yur weaknesses can wrk fr yu when they pen up new pssibilities. When yu allw yurself t give up yur weaknesses, yu can turn them ver t ther peple wh will see them differently and shw yu mre pssibility. It may be that yu always start every meeting with a frmal agenda; yu might learn smething new by allwing the meeting t be spntaneus and free-flwing. In fact, Rbert Cper, authr f Get Out f Yur Own Way (Cper, 2006) asserts that ur brains actually need that kind f variety t stay active and engaged. Hw can yu prevent yur weaknesses frm getting in the way f yur gals? Even thugh yu will perfrm better when yu are aligned with yur strengths, yu cannt ignre yur weaknesses. In many cases, yu must attend t them, but yu d s frm a psitin f strength. Let s say fr instance yu believe yu have a weakness in netwrking, but yu need t netwrk fr business reasns If yu have a strength in planning, yu can plan yur netwrking activities. Or, if yu have a strength in creating deep, meaningful relatinships, yu can chse t get t knw ne persn at a time instead f trying t wrk a rm. Yu can als practice the strategies listed abve fr minimizing weaknesses, but there are times when yu ll want t face them squarely. Authr Claudia Sheltn calls these blind spts. Blind spts are things we think and d uncnsciusly that can negatively influence hw ther peple feel abut us. Smetimes they are seen as irritating habits. At wrst they can be tragic flaws... Fr all f us, they diminish the pssibilities we see fr ur success (Sheltn, 2006, p.3). Belw fllws a list f the kinds f weaknesses that warrant yur undivided attentin. Career Derailleurs Sme weaknesses are really serius prblems. Yu may nt be as gd at relating t peple as smene else, but if yu re a manager, yu d better learn. Yu may have a weakness in taking risks, but yu re ging t need them if yu re ging t succeed in a business envirnment. Leaders lse credibility, pprtunities, and even their jbs when they ignre their weaknesses at the expense f the business Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 17

18 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Relatinship Sabteurs We all have different strengths. We all have different weaknesses. A majr thrust f SBL is t learn hw t use ur differences in cmplementary ways. That s what makes relatinships wrk, and it s what allws peple t cllabrate effectively t get better results. But when ur weaknesses get in the way, they can destry imprtant relatinships n matter what ur strengths may be. If yu have a weakness in listening and empathizing with peple, they wn t much care that yu are a master at delegatin; yu ll cme acrss as a bully r a tyrant. Smetimes fr the sake f a relatinship, we need t put ur strengths aside and develp the weaknesses that are imprtant t the peple in ur lives Practical Necessities Even thugh SBL encurages us t steer away frm ur weaknesses, smetimes it s simply nt pssible. If part f yur jb is t d smething that yu believe is yur weakness, yur lng term strategy may be t change jbs, and yur shrt term strategy may be t use the five strategies fr minimizing weakness that we described abve. But if it s nt pssible r nt practical t use thse strategies, r if there are significant benefits t succeeding with them, yu may have t d mre than just get a little better at it. Yu may want t develp the skills t be able t d that activity as well as yu pssibly can, at least fr nw. SBL is inherently a psitive perspective, ne that celebrates the best in us and helps us bring it ut s we get better results. But ur weaknesses deserve just as much attentin -- just in a different way and fr different reasns. S even thugh we call it Strengths-Based Leadership, make sure yu use a balanced apprach. Cnclusin In sme ways, SBL is s cntrary t the way we ve learned t think and learn that it truly lives up t the ntin f a Strengths Revlutin. That s especially true when yu cnsider ur cultural bsessin with being well-runded and the prevailing crprate demand that we capitalize n ur s-called areas f pprtunity (Buckingham, p.163). But the research is clear: t truly be ur best, we need t engage ur strengths. Fr businesses as well as individuals, capitalizing n yur strengths is the best way t cmpete (Buckingham, 2007, p.20). References Buckingham, Marcus G Put Yur Strengths t Wrk. New Yrk: Free Press. Buckingham, Marcus and Dnald O. Cliftn Nw, Discver Yur Strengths. New Yrk: Free Press. Cper, Rbert Get Out f Yur Own Way. New Yrk: Crwn Business. Rath, Tm StrengthsFinder 2.0. New Yrk: Gallup Press. Sheltn, Claudia Blind Spts. Hbken, New Jersey: Wiley Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 18

19 The Best f Yu and the Rest f Yu: Jay, 2009 Making the Mst f Strengths-Based Leadership Abut the Authr Jelle K. Jay, Ph.D. Executive Cach, Keynte Speaker and Authr Jelle K. Jay, Ph.D., is a principal at the glbal leadership develpment firm, Leadership Research Institute. As an executive cach, authr and speaker, Jelle helps leaders achieve tp perfrmance and business results. Her clients include presidents, vice presidents, and C-level executives in Frtune 500 cmpanies. Jelle is the authr f The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices f Persnal Leadership and c-authr f The New Advantage: Hw Wmen in Leadership Can Create Win-Wins fr Their Cmpanies and Themselves. 316 Califrnia Ave., #334; Ren, NV Jelle.Jay@LRI.cm Leadership Research Institute; All rights reserved. 19