It’s in our nature to associate with others that are just like us. The trouble is that teams tend to perform better when composed of members that have different, but complementary strengths. In this session, learn how to: Build a team on the foundation of shared values. Assemble and lead high-performing teams. Leverage the unique strengths of each team member to enhance team performance.

1. Welcome to Influence!

2. Mr. Aladdin please . . .
Go to page 1 in
your workbook.

3. Building a High‐Performing Team
Diverse Strengths & Shared Values

4. The Research: Which Puppet Would You Choose?

5. We Tend to Gravitate Towards People
Who Are Just Like Us . . .

6. It Happens in the Workplace Too….

7. Why do we tend to gravitate towards
people who are just like us?

8. Common Ground is Important…
…So is Diversity
Shared
Values
Diverse
Strengths

9. Do Values Really Matter?
“We wanted to come up with
committable core values
and by committable, meaning we're
actually willing to hire or firepeople
based on whether they're living up to
those values, completely independent of
their actual job performance.“
‐‐ Tony Hsieh, Zappos Founder

10. How can you find out what their
values are?
Zappos Hiring
Process

11. How Can We Get Them to Bring
Their Values to Work?

12. A Word About Strengths
• Is it just something that you’re good
at?
• Is it different from a skill or ability?
• Traditionally we would define a
talent in terms of the output
• Strengths theory defines it in terms
of energy and engagement

13. Gallup Strengths Framework

14. Map Your Strengths

15. Know Thyself
A leader needs to know his strengths as a
carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows
the instruments at her disposal. What great
leaders have in common is that each truly knows
his or her strengths – and can call on the right
strength at the right time. This explains why there
is no definitive list of characteristics that describes
all leaders.
‐ Dr. Donald O. Clifton

16. Leadership is the capacity
to influence human
thought, emotion, and
behavior starting with my
own.

17. How do I identify my strengths?
• What is working well and how can I do
more of it?
• What things energize me?
• Do I feel a sense of yearning or
inevitability?
• Would I do this even if I weren’t getting
paid?
• VIA and SBL surveys

18. Pair Share
• Go around your group and give
each person the opportunity to
share
• What did you learn?
• What really jumped out at you?
• Does the report seem to accurately
describe you and your strengths?

19. Compounding….
Small, Intentional Tweaks

20. Change the Frame

21. Why Focus on Strengths….What About
Weaknesses?

23. How Well Do You Know Your Team?

25. Why Should I Get to Know My Team?
• Can’t they just put their heads down
and do their work?
• This is a fast‐paced work
environment. We focus on results.
We don’t have time for personalities.
• I’m not your therapist. We have a
job to do, so let’s do it.

26. Strengths and Motivation
What works for one employee may not work
for another. The approach needs to be
tailored to each team member.

27. A Tale of Two Staff
Executing
Relationship Building

28. Personalize
We’re all unique (no this is not photo shopped)

29. Build a Common Vocabulary
Strengths
assessments are
a doorway to a
conversation . . .

30. Focus on STRENGTHS

31. NOT weaknesses

32. How Do I Coach my Team?

33. Build a Common Vocabulary

34. Engagement – The Holy Grail of
Organizational Success

35. Jack Welch Story
Hands
Head
Heart

36. How Engaged is a Pitcher in the Batter’s Box?
Are any of the members of your team playing out of position?
When can I
get back on
the mound?
Why did I
swing at a
sinker?
Please
don’t miss!

37. Gallup 12 Keys to Engagement
• 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.
• In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my
progress.

38. Bringing It All Together: Strengths in Teams
• Individual Exercise
o Think of a team project that went really well. Why did your team
succeed? What roles did different members of the team play?
o Think of a team project that went off the rails. Why did your team
struggle? What roles did different members of the team play?
o What strengths are missing on your current team?
o Is there anyone who is currently playing out of position?
Brainstorm other roles they may be able to play.
o Do you notice any strengths in overdrive, individually or
collectively?

39. E‐Bay: A Case Study
“Jeff and I had very complementary skills,” Omidyar told us in
our interviews. “I’d say I did more of the creative work
developing the product and solving problems around the
product, while Jeff was involved in the more analytical and
practical side of things. He was the one who would listen to an
idea of mine and then say, ‘OK, let’s figure out how to get this
done.’ ”

40. Team Strengths in Overdrive
• Case Study #1: Is too much Harmony a bad thing?
• Case Study #2: Achievers collide . . .

41. Contact Info
Dan Griffiths, CPA, CGMA is the Director of Strategic
Planning at Tanner, LLC, a Salt Lake City‐based professional
services firm with about 80 team members. Prior to
merging his practice with Tanner, he co‐founded Proficio
Services Group to provide strategic & business planning,
leadership development, and business coaching
services. Dan is a graduate of the 2010 AICPA Leadership
Academy and in 2011‐2012 served as the chair of the
Young CPA Network Committee for the AICPA. Dan has also
been very active with the UACPA and in 2011 was
recognized as the Outstanding CPA in Business and
Management. He was recently selected to serve as Utah’s
elected member of the AICPA Governing Council. Dan is an
avid flyfisher, backpacker, and gardener. He and his wife
Bibiana are the proud parents of four children.
Contact Dan at: dgriffiths@tannerco.com
Or connect with him on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/dangriffithscpa