GALLUP® Theme Thursday

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Input.

People exceptionally talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information. They are always absorbing for future squeezing. People with Input high have a limitless capacity to gather and collect information. They have a radar for external credibility, not just trusting their gut.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Intellection.

People exceptionally talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions. Those with Intellection high have a great depth of consideration. They enjoy the process of bringing perspective through thinking. They are able to and drawn to processing information from every angle. They are contemplative, persistent, and intentional.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Individualization.

People exceptionally talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively. Those with high Individualization are very present with people for who they are and not what they are a part of or how they are associated.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Includer.

People exceptionally talented in the Includer theme accept others. They show awareness of those who feel left out and make an effort to include them. They are slow to judge or assume, and quick to invite.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Ideation.

People exceptionally talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to break topics into ideas and find connections within and between them. Two words can represent Ideation. They are creative and “creatable”. Creative is being, “drawn toward novel and different takes on standard issues or ways of working. It’s constant pursuit of discovery and creation.“ “Creatable” is, “being able to create something authentically new.” Creativity through Ideation is that authentic creation of something.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Futuristic.

Futuristic can be described by every step taken today gets you closer to the very clear future you live in. Futuristic is making sense of what is through a lens of what will be. Futuristic is not just creativity. It’s not just “what if” but it’s “when.” Individuals with high Futuristic are energized and energizing to others by what can be. Other themes will influence the exact picture of the future, but it’s always with an element of improvement. It’s improvement for a better team, a better product, a better life, a better world.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Harmony.

Individuals exceptionally talented in Harmony look for consensus, rather than conflict. They have a radar for areas of agreement. Harmony gets to progress by understanding people’s motivations and emotions and navigates to a place where everyone is in sync.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Focus.

Focus is the great intensity toward a single target. It’s the head down, hyper-attentive ability to be fully present with the challenge until it’s done. Individuals high in Focus are persistent, passionate, and focused on the end goal. Focus is the efficient, effective, single-minded prioritization that speeds up and improves quality.

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Empathy.

Empathy is experiencing the emotion of others, feeling what others feel, and connecting by sensing. People with high Empathy are emotionally intuitive. Empathy is knowing through being present and paying attention to other people.

When Empathy is at its best, it serves as a barometer. You’re understanding the absorption of your message, and those of others. The extension of Empathy is not only being able to sense but anticipating the reaction and needs of others then tailoring your work to meet their needs. If relevance is the bulls-eye, Empathy can help you increase your accuracy on the moving target. Listen for what is meaningful, when it’s meaningful, how it is best heard.

Do more by practicing putting words to the unstated and understated. Speak up for clients or customers who you sense are not being heard. Act as a delegate or a champion for your peers. Where is their positive energy? Empathy isn’t just about knowing when someone is upset, it’s also about sharing in celebration. Where is there hesitation or anxiety? Practice putting what you’re sensing into words to help your leader or peers discover what is actually happening. Take action quickly and firmly when you sense someone is behaving in a way that is unhealthy for them or others. Understanding someone’s emotional state doesn’t mean you have to excuse negative behavior. When your empathy turns to sympathy, you may be seen as overly forgiving.

Ask for freedom to release your own emotion. You sense what everyone else is feeling, and at times it may feel like you are carrying a lot of weight so you will need a safe environment, trusted relationship, or a practice that helps you let it all out without judgement. Ask for access to people in multiple channels and pay attention to when your intuition is spot on. Is it best when you’re one on one? Then ask for more one on one time. Is it over the phone? Are you excellent at honing your text empathy? Most people find their Empathy works best in person, so if that’s true for you, ask for that face time. Additionally, never eat alone. Eating with others is an opportunity to sneak in connection time that might be more available for others than looking for a scheduled meeting time.

Worry less about having a thick skin, or being stoic and unaffected in the face of emotional mess. You’re going to feel what others are feeling, so don’t pretend that doesn’t affect you. Know what kind of self-care helps you release what you’ve absorbed.

Expect people with high Empathy to be in-tune and intuitive. They may surprise you at how well they can pin you. Trust this because it’s not a show to impress you, it’s an awareness. It’s an awareness and presence with those they’re working around, playing around, or living around. You can also expect a willingness to be led. In combination to Empathy, there’s an adaptability to be led by the present moment. The best plans can change based upon how your audience is reacting.

Recognize when someone’s instinct has steered you away from the plan and lead you into perfection. Celebrate their past, present, and future Empathy. When have they uncovered something important in the past? How do they enhance the collaboration of the team right now? What are we doing in the future because of their perception or intuition?

Stretch by helping them know when and how to share what it is they’re picking up on. Pay attention to Empathy as an instrument. Fine tune it by helping them know who their most important stakeholders and customers are. Help them focus their Empathy towards those people. Play back to them great words they’ve used to describe emotion. Challenge them to develop an extensive vocabulary to describe emotion and give it a project or performance boost. For example: “In that meeting we just had, I got the sense that you were feeling apprehensive about starting the interns on such a big project. Can you tell me more about that and what might make it easier for us?”

Partner by asking them what they’re sensing and allow them time to think about it. Ask things like, “What’s your impression of..?”, “How did that land with..?”, and “When might be a good time to…?” Be honest with them about your own emotion and reaction. They’ll know if you’re not being honest, and they’ll appreciate your ability to speak their language.

If Empathy is one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:
1.Develop Killer Questions: Share a coffee with someone and spend the conversation asking great questions that help them describe their own experience and emotion. At the end, debrief individually by listing the best questions you asked. You know you’re asking a great question when the other person talks more!
2.Journal your own emotions for 1 week. Give yourself quick check-ins throughout the day and write down what you are feeling. Try to use different words to describe your experience each time.
3.Listen to a guided meditation (one of my favorites is called “Just Breathe” in a specific app, but just search for one). Do this for 5 minutes to help you release any emotion you may be holding onto that isn’t yours.

If Empathy is not one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:
1.Develop a conversation question that demonstrates you care about others. It could be “How are you feeling?”, “What’s most important to you today?” or “How full is your tank?” Ask yourself what works for you that you truly care about knowing and ask it 5 times this week.
2.Which themes help you connect with others?

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

On this Theme Thursday Season Four webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Discipline.

People exceptionally talented in Discipline enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create. Individuals with Discipline are detail-oriented and architects of structure. They don’t just follow the rules that are in front of them but they think in a way that creates rules. People with Discipline are quite planned, they’re exact and exacting.

When Discipline is at its best, it brings order and stability to chaos or to mess, not just bringing order and stability where there already is some. Discipline is enhancing the current reality by sorting it into predictable order. It’s thoughtfully moving through tasks in a way that maximizes effort. With this, there is an element of efficiency.

Get close to the measure of success on every team you’re on. Ask where we are going, even if it seems no one else is asking this. You can be a safari guide for others by moving people from the current state to a desired state by incorporating a plan. A plan for someone like you is a vehicle, and your best tool you can offer. You know that a plan has a start, a middle, and an end and that’s the best tool for you to make the best sense of chaos in your own life. Also think of a plan as an opportunity for you to raise your hand and offer your best to other people. Break big projects into manageable plans, you can break something complicated down into something trackable.

Ask for rules, metrics, and clear understanding of what the best outcome should be and ask for that in a way that isn’t left up to interpretation. Ask for the black and white evidence of whether something is on track. Ask for overt permission or agreement to sort and organize. You can run into trouble if it feels like everyone is sorting and organizing.

Worry less about doing things differently for the sake of doing things creatively. You should pay attention to improvement and measure it, but don’t throw your hat into the ring when it comes to creativity for creativity’s sake. Your Discipline can be a benefit to other people if you can separate it from ownership. It can be a great tool to other people if you can use discipline in more of a leadership capacity. Help other people plan and let go of the ownership of the outcome.

Expect practical relationships with what is. It’s about dealing with what’s in front of you than a matter of what if. Understand the moving pieces that are in front of you instead of dreaming about what they can be. Expect a value of what is promised. Those with Discipline are always on the way to a goal, so shifting goals or priorities will need to be obvious and overt.

Recognize the safety or the order they’ve created for others. Recognize them with data and statistics to back up why you believe something is positive. Don’t just say “that was great.” Instead, talk about the effect of their work, their process, or their structure. Explain to them because of their approach, you achieved XYZ.

Stretch by asking for the most important goals they’re facing, and then ask how you can stretch them in meaningful and achievable ways. Tap into their process for achieving goals to help them achieve their own. Ask them what they could do more efficiently, or even times of the day they are more disciplined than others.

Support those with discipline by offering metrics when you have them, and create them when you don’t. There is always something you can rate, rank, or sort and that makes chaos more organized. It's a benefit to be a thought partner to this executing theme. Discipline is how do I move towards a goal, not just how do I think in a really clear manner. You can be be a great thinking partner by helping someone with Discipline get something they need done, done by thinking and talking it through.

If Discipline is one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:
1. Develop your trusted set of routines for when flexibility or change is required. 3-step response system.

2. Add “3 big priorities” to your calendar for each day.

3. Name a time your Discipline created excellence for someone else.


If Discipline is not one of your dominant themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:
1. Find an accountability partner (Relationship-Building): Who keeps you honest in pursuit of your goals? Host a goal-meeting date where you talk both about where you want to go and where you are currently going.

2. Name a habit you’ve been meaning to acquire. Take one small step toward this habit every single day, at the same time of day, for 1 week.