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Strengths-based development.
This document provides an overview of strengths-based development and how focusing on employee strengths can increase engagement and business results. It discusses Gallup's research on strengths which found that high achievers spend most of their time using their strengths. The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment identifies 34 talent themes and individuals have a unique combination of top 5 themes. Strengths-based organizations focus on identifying, developing and utilizing individual and team strengths across the employee lifecycle to improve performance, engagement and retention.
Strengths-based development.
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- 2. Strengths-based Development How toincrease employee engagement and boost profits www.talents2strengths.com2
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- 4. www.talents2strengths.com4 THE BEGINNING OFSTRENGTHS The Gallup Organization Don Clifton, former Gallup chairman 250,000 interviews of high achieving individuals
- 5. www.talents2strengths.com5 GALLUP’S RESEARCH ONHIGH ACHIEVERS • Spend most of their time in areas of strength • Have learned to delegate or partner with someone to tackle areas that are not strengths. • Apply their strengths to overcome obstacles • Invent ways to capitalize on their strengths in new situations
- 6. 6 CLIFTON STRENGTHSFINDER ® 34 maintalent themes • No theme is more valuable than the other • There is no best theme for managers or leaders • Based on 30 years of scientific research • on more than 2 million individuals ASSESSMENT
- 7. www.talents2strengths.com7 A TALENT THEMEis group of similar talents A tendency to push hard to complete tasks Desire to achieve Having internal motivation Finding satisfaction in getting things done Achiever TALENT “Natural recurring patterns of thoughts feelings and behavior that can be productively applied.” Enjoying hard work
- 8. 8 CLIFTON STRENGTHSFINDER ® Top 5Talent Themes (A theme is a group of similar talents) • 33,390,720 different permutations with a unique order. There is a one in 33 million chance that you will meet someone with your same top five in the order you have them. • 278,256 possible unique combinations There is a one in 278 000 chance that you will meet someone with your same top five regardless of order • No significant cultural differences in talent among the countries researched. • Gives incredible depth about your uniqueness
- 9. ® www.talents2strengths.com CLIFTON STRENGTHSFINDER THEMESAND THEIR CORRESPONDING LEADERSHIP DOMAINS 9
- 10. WHAT IT IS •A tool for development • An instrument to help identify how you are wired • A way to identify “right” vs “wrong” or “good” vs “bad” talents • A tool for hiring or promotion • A way to understand the lens through which you view the world • About labeling people • A common language to integrate into an organization or family • A way to discover what energizes you vs what exhausts you WHAT IT ISN’Tvs • A method to help maximize personal and team productivity • A one-size-fits-all approach • An excuse to NOT do something “because it is not my strength” • A complete explanation of who you are and what you do IT IS…. IT ISN’T…. www.talents2strengths.com10
- 11. www.talents2strengths.com11 A Strengths-based approach isabout perspective, not the tool
- 12. www.talents2strengths.com12 WHAT IS ASTRENGTHS-BASED PERSPECTIVE? Individuals already have in themselves what they need to succeed. “Individuals gain more when they build on their talents, than when they make comparable efforts to improve their areas of weakness.” Clifton & Harter, 2003, p. 112 1 2 Two basic premises…
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- 14. “Most people, don’tknow what their strengths are. When you ask them, they just stare at you blankly - or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer” PETER DRUCKER www.talents2strengths.com14 With education and training, anyone can possess basic knowledge or go through the fundamental steps to complete a task. But the very best have a significant edge: they build and apply strengths by doing what they naturally do best every day. - Gallup
- 15. www.talents2strengths.com15 GREATNESS COMES FROMBUILDING NATURAL TALENT TALENT: A natural aptitude for something. “Naturally recurring patterns of thoughts, feelings and behavior that can be productively applied" - Gallup What is a talent?
- 16. • KNOWLEDGE: Whatyou know. What you learn through experience, reading and education • STRENGTH: “The ability to consistently provide near perfect performance in a given activity” - Gallup • SKILLS: What you do: Applying your knowledge. The stuff that you practice www.talents2strengths.com16 GREATNESS COMES FROM BUILDING NATURAL TALENT
- 17. COMPETENCE & STRENGTHS TALENTSPRACTICE STRENGTHX = A natural recurring way of thinking, feeling and behaving Time spent gaining knowledge & applying that knowledge to gain skills The ability to consistently provide near perfect performance in a given activity A talent is a potential strength www.talents2strengths.com17 PRACTICE = a MULTIPLIER of talent
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- 19. www.talents2strengths.com19 If this wasYOUR report card, what would you focus on most? REPORT CARD Strategy Communication Taking Action Networking Presenting A- A+ A B D
- 20. Our current paradigmis deficit-focused ❖ Most managers spend the majority of their time working with the weakest performers, zooming in on their mistakes - trying to fix it. ❖ Most teachers and parents focus on student’s lowest grades, in stead of celebrating the highest grades and help them to achieve even more. www.talents2strengths.com20 We’ve made the wrong assumptions about fixing weaknesses:
- 21. STRENGTHS DEVELOPMENT THE RIGHTASSUMPTIONS 2. The BEST people in a role deliver the same outcomes but use different behaviors to achieve it. 1. WEAKNESS fixing might prevent failure but will never lead to excellence. Developing STRENGTHS lead to excellence. www.talents2strengths.com21 WEAKNESS FIXING VS THE WRONG ASSUMPTIONS 2. The best people in a role all get there exactly the same way 1. Fixing weaknesses leads to success
- 22. WHAT IS “STRENGTHS-BASEDLEADERSHIP” www.talents2strengths.com22 Adopts practices to help you identify, cultivate and use your talents & strengths at work. As a leader, you don’t need to be competent in all areas - but your team does. Focusing on your talents & strengths and delegating tasks that you’re not that good at, to others who are more experienced or skilled. Identify your team member’s strengths and encourage them to use it in a way that benefits everyone. Hire people based on their individual talents & strengths, not because their skills and interests align with your own.
- 23. ® www.talents2strengths.com CLIFTON STRENGTHSFINDER THEMESAND THEIR CORRESPONDING LEADERSHIP DOMAINS - a lexicon for teams 23
- 24. WHY FOCUS ONTALENT • Speed ❖People operating from talent learn the role faster and adapt to variance in the role more quickly • Productivity and Precision ❖People operating from talent produce significantly more at higher quality. • Higher Employee Engagement ❖People operating from talent are more engaged, miss work less, and build stronger customer relationships. www.talents2strengths.com24
- 25. www.talents2strengths.com25 BUT WHAT ABOUTWEAKNESSES? WEAKNESS: a shortage or misapplication of talent, skill, or knowledge that causes problems for you or others or hinders your progress. (e.g. “Control freak”) Do we just IGNORE it?
- 26. #1 STRENGTHS MYTH:BUSTED!! ADOPTING A STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN IGNORE YOUR WEAKNESSES • Understanding & Recognition are key - Understanding: I know myself and how I normally act. I understand that what I do has an impact on the world around me. - Recognition: I recognize my behavior in the moment and make a intentional choice about how I am going to respond to influence outcomes in a positive way. When you know your strengths and weaknesses, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of those around you, it allows you and your teams to take the most effective actions. You DO need to learn how to “MANAGE” around weaknesses - for as far as they’re hindering your progress www.talents2strengths.com26
- 27. Create open communicationand transparency Strategically and consciously develop and apply your talents to improve all aspects of your life Know and own your weaknesses and blindspots too. 27 Build complimentary partnerships Find or create support systems & structures HOW TO MANAGE WEAKNESSES Adjust or change roles Get the right education about your talents & strengths
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- 29. WHAT IS A“STRENGTHS-BASED ORGANIZATION?” www.talents2strengths.com29 • Positive • Strengths-based • Growth orientated • Excellence focused
- 30. A STRENGTHS-BASED ORGANIZATION: www.talents2strengths.com30Source:Gallup - Building a strengths based organization by Tony Rutigliano • People are the foundation of a strengths- based organization • It is achieved through unleashing individual and organizational strengths • Characterized by all-round excellence across a balanced scorecard
- 31. www.talents2strengths.com31 • Strengths-based policiesand practices span the employee lifecycle. Attract Select Onboard Maximize Performance Develop Engage & Retain > > > > > STRENGTHS Leaders Managers Frontline Coaches/HR Source: Gallup - Building a strengths based organization by Tony Rutigliano • Strengths guide attraction, engagement and retention of talent at all levels
- 32. www.talents2strengths.com32 Our STRENGTHS arethe lens through which we view the world It affects the way we: • Process information • Experience others • Accommodate change • View time and structure • Communicate • How engaged we are at work
- 33. www.talents2strengths.com33 How is engagementmeasured?HOW IS ENGAGEMENT MEASURED? Source: Gallup Engagement Hierarchy
- 34. www.talents2strengths.com34 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT MATTERS: ENGAGED:employees work with passion and feel a profound connection to their company. They drive innovation and move the organization forward. NOT ENGAGED: employees are essentially “checked out”. They’re sleepwalking through their workday, putting time - but not energy or passion - into their work ACTIVELY DISENGAGED employees aren’t just unhappy at work; they’re busy acting out their unhappiness. Every day, these workers undermine what their engaged coworkers accomplish. Source: Gallup - Daily
- 35. THE POWER OFSTRENGTHS TO GROW ENGAGEMENT • An employee who truly knows how to apply their strengths is: 15.3 times more likely to strongly agree they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day. • Of the employees who felt their manager focused on their weaknesses, 22% were actively disengaged as employees. • Applying strengths is a way to eliminate disengagement in local teams. Source: http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/193499/strengths-based-employee-development-business-results.aspx www.talents2strengths.com35 8.2 times more likely to strongly agree they know what is expected of them at work
- 36. • I’m goodat what I do • My work is energizing • My work is tiring • Time drags on • I look forward to my job • I dread my job • Time goes quickly • I’m enjoyable to be around • I treat customers, colleagues, friends well • I don’t excel at my work • I have very few positive moments Using Strengths… Not using strengths www.talents2strengths.com36 Why Strengths? Focusing on strengths dramatically improves everyday life at work… Source: Stone, A. & Harter, J. K. (2009). e experience of work: A momentary perspective. A collaboration between Gallup, Stony Brook University, Princeton University, and Syracuse University WHY DOES IT INCREASE ENGAGEMENT?
- 37. THE VALUE OFDEVELOPING STRENGTHS Critical Metric Improvement Employee engagement +15% Increased productivity +21% Increased profits +22% Increased customer engagement +10% Lower employee turnover (low turnover organizations) -16% Lower employee turnover (high turnover organizations) -72% Fewer safety incidents -59% Source: http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/193499/strengths-based-employee-development-business-results.aspx www.talents2strengths.com37 82 000 business/work units | 1,8 million employees | 73 countries | 49 industries
- 38. PRACTICAL NEXT STEPS: www.talents2strengths.com38 •Take the StrengthsFinder assessment • Create a team talent map for your organization • Create a plan to develop ONE of your talents • Get in touch so I can support you • It’s been taken by more than 18 million people in 50 countries • It’s available in 20 languages
- 39. Curious how toimplement a strengths-based approach in your life, career or organization? www.talents2strengths.com39 Contact me Marja Botha van Doorn B.Proc | MCT | EMBA Cert Executive Coach/consultant: Leadership & Team Development | Employee Engagement