From Detail Dread to Strategic Success: How the StrengthsFinder Transformed My Leadership

Strengths baseball cards help our staff realize the strengths of their teammates.

When I was younger, I truly believed everyone shared my disdain for detail work. Sifting through minutiae felt like a chore, and I just assumed it was a universal experience—a necessary evil of adulting. It wasn't until I encountered the Clifton StrengthsFinder that I had a profound realization: not only do some people enjoy the nitty-gritty, but their strengths in execution and detail are vital complements to big-picture thinkers like me. This understanding didn't just change how I approached tasks; it revolutionized how I view teamwork and leadership.

The Heart of Engagement: It's All About Strengths

When looking at Gallup's Q12 employee engagement survey, it asks powerful questions like:

• "At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day."

• "In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work."

• "My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person."

• "There is someone at work who encourages my development."

• "My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work."

• "In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress."

  
  

What's the common thread here? It's the profound impact of individual strengths on our engagement and overall work experience. When we're empowered to use our natural talents, when our contributions are recognized, and when we feel supported and challenged, it's often because our strengths are being acknowledged and leveraged.

This brings us to the Clifton StrengthsFinder. Founded by Don Clifton, this tool offers a powerful framework for understanding what makes each of us unique and effective. What made Clifton's approach groundbreaking was his focus: instead of dwelling on what was "wrong" with people, he dedicated his work to studying "what was right." This positive psychology perspective shifted the focus to identifying and cultivating our innate talents. Your StrengthsFinder report outlines your top 5 strengths, but remember, all 34 strengths are valuable and present to varying degrees within each individual.

A Personal Revelation: From Friction to Partnership

My top strengths are Learner, Futuristic, Ideation, Strategic, and Achiever. As you can see, I gravitate towards big-picture thinking, exploring possibilities, and driving towards goals. The detailed, risk-assessment aspects often felt less natural to me. Early in my career, this created friction with CFOs. I'd often perceive their focus on potential pitfalls and details as resistance to innovation.

My perspective shifted significantly through a mentor named Don Jackson. Don shared his philosophy about his CFO: he wanted him to be the most conservative person on his team, meticulously pointing out risks and working through intricate details. This conversation was eye-opening. Soon after, the CFO at Mid-Plains asked that I bring my ideas to him before presenting them to the cabinet. He could help me identify pitfalls and work through details I might have overlooked.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: areas where I had a weakness could be a strength for someone else. That person wasn't an obstacle; they were a crucial partner. But this realization only came when I understood my own strengths and started to appreciate the diverse strengths within a team.

Cultivating a Strengths-Based Culture

To foster this understanding within our own staff, we've started an initiative where everyone takes the Clifton StrengthsFinder and has multiple individual conversations with their supervisor about their strengths and the workplace. We're even creating internal "baseball cards" highlighting each person's top strengths. The idea is to make this information readily accessible so we can all better understand each other's natural talents and work together more effectively, complementing each other's strengths.

As managers, your role is pivotal. You want to actively identify the strengths within your teams, help team members recognize their own, and develop personalized growth plans to capitalize on them.

Think about K. Anders Ericsson's research on world-class performance, which highlights the importance of deliberate practice. How can you help your team members find opportunities to deliberately refine and apply their strengths? How can you provide the feedback and connections they need for development?

While we'll all inevitably have tasks that don't perfectly align with our natural talents, if you can foster an environment where your team members experience even a 10% shift towards utilizing and developing their strengths, you'll likely see a significant improvement in their engagement, effectiveness, and ultimately, your team's results.