FINDING YOUR

STRENGTHS

Iowa State University

Department of Residence

A guide to strengths quest and strengths finder training

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Strengths Finder? ............................................................ 3

About the research ..................................................................... 4

The statistics .................................................................................. 5

Five Clues to Talent ...................................................................... 6

Facilitating Strengths Finder ........................................................ 9

Appendix A: Explanation of Strengths ..................................... 10

Appendix B : Optional Handouts .............................................. 16

WHAT IS STRENGTHS FINDER?

Developed in 1998, Strengths Finder is a personal assessment that operates under the thought that instead of telling people their weaknesses and expecting improvement, we should be discussing our strengths, and how to better utilize them.

Strengths Finder comes in many forms, from “Strengths Finder 1.0” and “Strengths Finder 2.0,” by Tom Rath, to “StrengthsQuest,” by Donald Clifton and Edward “Chip” Anderson. While each of these different approaches provides unique tips, supplemental documents, and explanations for their strengths, the fundamentals are the same: helping people to know their strengths and how to use these skills in working alone and with a team.

As students functioning on the same staff, or working with other students, this leadership assessment serves as an invaluable tool, as it will provide a framework for entering the year. While it’s good to develop and learn new skills, it’s also important to know what you’re good at, and what those around you are good at as well. Through the use of Strengths Finder, your student staff should be able to know what their abilities are, and also, who they can go to if they need help with a certain skill or ability. Remember, a good team is one that works together, and can rely on one another in times of need.

Strengths Finder is going to be a fun and exciting journey for you and your staff. As you go through it, you’ll find yourself thinking “Oh, I knew they were good at this skill!” As a supervisor, Strengths Finder is an invaluable tool to you as well, as it will give you tips and insight in to how to best utilize and work with individuals of a specific skillset.

The contents of this guide have been adapted from the Strengths Finder books as well as previous documents and resources used within Iowa State University’s Department of Residence. They are here to guide you and answer any questions you might have as you begin to develop and assess your staff. While these documents provide direction, you know your staff best, and thus, should use your judgement in deciding how to present to them.

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ABOUT THE RESEARCH

The ideas of Strengths Finder originate from the following research:

• Positive psychology movement – Donald Clifton• Moves away from polarized models of typology theories Holland (1985/1992) Kolb (1984) Myers-Briggs (1980)• Supporting research done by Gallup Organization

The Numbers According to Gallup• The assessment was created after Gallup interviewed 6 million people who

were the best of the best at what they did – police officers, doctors, nurses, sales clerks, etc.

• The assessment is timed because in real life we need to make quick decisions. We make decisions based on our strengths. Questions where you put neutral don’t count on either value.

• 1.5 million people have taken the SQ assessment worldwide – the score difference between the major demographic groups tend to average .04

• There are 278.256 possible unique combinations of the top 5 themes. There are 33.39 million different permutations of the 34 themes (with unique order).

• Why only 5? It is an arbitrary number, but if you want to focus your life on strengths development 10 is too many. 5 is the right amount and those five strengths continue to show up through re-testing. Strengths 8-10 don’t always show up. However, if you feel that you really are something that doesn’t show up in your top 5, it’s probably your 6th. Own in.

• Study of American Workforce 2001 – done by Gallup Organization

THE STATISTICS

In a study done about organization focus and how employees felt about their work, the following numbers were reported:29% - engaged55% - not engaged16% - actively disengaged

In organizations where employees felt there was poor supervision or management:2% - engaged57% - not engaged40% - actively disengaged

In a organization that uses the “weakness prevention” model:45% - engaged33% - not engaged22% - actively disengagedThe “weakness prevention” model is where your supervision tells you what you did well, but then spends a considerable amount of time telling you how to fix everything else.

In an organization that employed strengths based management:61% - engaged38% - not engaged1% - actively disengagedWhy the increase in the NE category? Because supervisors were trying to play up the wrong strengths in employees and the employees still felt under utilized

To sum it up...By understanding the strengths of your colleages and employees, not only will you help to make their work better and more enjoyable, but you’ll benefit from the result of them feeling invested as well.

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FIVE CLUES TO TALENT

I have a ton of faith in its applicability or I would never have taken this job. I have heard so many stories from people that sound just like yours - that it

explained a lot about you and gave you a way to talk about it with others. Who wouldn’t want to help everybody have access to this sort of self-

awareness? The biggest benefit I have gotten has been in making me more intentional about what I do; spending more time taking advantage of my

natural predispositions, and as a result having a much more fulfilling life and a stronger sense of well-being. It turns out that some of the things I thought I

was “best” at are not included in those behaviors, by the way, so it’s been an interesting education and balancing act for me too. – Jim Asplund

Strengths Quest Educators:• know their own talents• develop those talents into strengths and apply them• identify the talents of students and encourage and assist them in

developing those talents into strengths• orchestrate opportunities and create activities that challenge

students to apply their strengths

Strengths Finder does not measure weakness. It measures talent. If a theme is missing, it is not dominant – it does not mean that you lack that talent i.e. responsibility.

The problem with other tools is that we assess to prescribe or fix. Strengths Quest is not about weakness fixing; it is about finding your strengths and utilizing them in every aspect of your life.

The Wrong Assumptions about Weakness Fixing1. All behaviors can be learned - If you dream it, you can achieve it. NO!

Science has taught us that some of us are better at other things. Not all strengths can be learned. You can pretend but then it’s not a strength

2. The best in the role got there the exact same way.3. Weakness fixing leads to success - I can play chopsticks. But I decide that

I was to be a world famous pianist. So I quit my job, get a great piano teacher and practice every day. But because I don’t have a talent I go from very poor to average! Wow.

FIVE CLUES TO TALENT (CONT’D)

We should not ignore our weaknesses but need to find ways to manage them using our strengths. For example, empathy is 30 out of 34 on my list of strengths. I have no empathy which in this line of work can be a weakness; instead I rely on my communication and significance themes to relate to people.

Weakness prevention starts early and stays late – all that happens is we get average. There is no ‘great.’ As Chip Anderson said, “We came into this world with sharp edges to cut through this world and people want to file them down.”

Why We Have Difficulty Recognizing Our Strengths1. We are blind to our own talent because we don’t think it’s special or we use

it every day.2. Our talents can threaten others because people envy them or they are

viewed as a weakness (achiever)3. The role doesn’t fit4. Misunderstanding of the role in light of our strengths – we don’t want to

become too proud, we confuse pride with authenticity5. People don’t think their talents can help them

The Right Assumptions about Strengths Building1. Some behavior can be learned. Many cannot. There is a difference

between talent, skills, and knowledge.2. The best in the role deliver the same outcomes but use different behaviors.3. Weakness fixing prevents failure. Strengths Building leads to success.

Three Tools You Will Need1. Understanding how to distinguish talents from the things you can learn.2. Identify your dominant talents.3. Common language i.e. why the term people person sucks

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FIVE CLUES TO TALENT (CONT’D)

Five Clues to Your Talent

a) Yearning – What kind of activities are you naturally drawn to?b) Rapid Learning – What do you pick up quickly?c) Flow – In what activities did the steps just come to you automatically?d) Glimpse of Excellence – during what activities have you have moments of subconscious excellence and you think, “how did I do that?”e) Satisfaction – what activities give you a kick either while doing them or immediately after finishing them you think, when can I do that again?

When is talent identified? Between birth and three your brain is highly flexible and active. Between 3 and 15 is it pruning itself. After 15 structured networks begin to develop as synapses slows down. This is to weed out things your brain does not need to worry about. Gaining skills and knowledge does not rewire your brain. People don’t change that much. Don’t waste your time trying to put in what was left out. Try and draw out what was left in. That’s hard enough.

SF is based on factor and reliability analyses. It is NOT a theory.

Results can change, but the average correlation is .74

You can do no harm with this. The more you read and discuss your strengths, the better you will get at this.

Copyright © 2000, 2005-2007 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Gallup®, StrengthsFinder®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, and the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are trademarks of The Gallup Organization.

FACILITATING STRENGTHS FINDER

In order to facilitate Strengths Finder, you’ll need the following:

• Access codes and books for all students taking it• Copies of any handouts you’ll be using• Explanation of the strength attributes

It is suggested that students take the time to take the Strengths Finder test before you meet as a group to discuss. The exam, in it’s entirety will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Results will be shared with the students after they have completed the exam. If you are interested in making a list of the strengths of your staff, or using this information for further evaluation, it would be helpful to have them email your results at the completion of the test.

Strengths Finder will provide a variety of different resources catered to each individual’s themes. While these may be helpful, it is still incredibly meaningful for group process to occur, as these themes will impact the way you operate as a team throughout the year.

Appendix B offers a variety of different handouts and discussion topics to use in reflecting on the exam. Remember, the purpose of this is to know your groups strengths so that you can effectively work together.

Think about how this will affect your group, and what specifically, you want them to get from this lesson. For example, if one staff member had the strength of “positivity” and another staff member did not have that in their strengths, one desirable outcome might be to show the second staff member that they can rely on the person with the “positivity” strength if they need help. Think about your own personal life - there are moments where we rely on others for things that they’re better at. One example that works well are families - my mother is an excellent cook, however my father knows that’s not his strength. Instead of continually struggling to make edible meals, he will allow my mother to cook, and he instead will do the dishes. In this example, both individuals are doing things that they are comfortable with, and as a result, the outcome is even greater.

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APPENDIX AExplanations of the strengths

AchieverPeople who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

ActivatorPeople who are especially talented in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient.

AdaptabilityPeople who are especially talented in the Adaptability theme prefer to “go with the flow.” They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

AnalyticalPeople who are especially talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation.

ArrangerPeople who are especially talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productiv-ity.

BeliefPeople who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core val-ues that are un¬changing. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.

CommandPeople who are especially talented in the Command theme have presence. They can take con¬trol of a situation and make decisions.

CommunicationPeople who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.

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CompetitionPeople who are especially talented in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.

ConnectednessPeople who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

ConsistencyPeople who are especially talented in the Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat everyone in the world with consistency by setting up clear rules and adhering to them.

Context People who are especially talented in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history.

DeliberativePeople who are especially talented in the Deliberative theme are best de-scribed by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They an-ticipate the obstacles.

DeveloperPeople who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.

DisciplinePeople who are especially talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create.

EmpathyPeople who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feel-ings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situa-tions.

FocusPeople who are especially talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They pri-oritize, then act.

FuturisticPeople who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.

HarmonyPeople who are especially talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.

IdeationPeople who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phe-nomena.

IncluderPeople who are especially talented in the Includer theme are accepting of others. They show awareness of those who feel left out, and make an effort to include them.

IndividualizationPeople who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.

InputPeople who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

IntellectionPeople who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

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LearnerPeople who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learn-ing, rather than the outcome, excites them.

MaximizerPeople who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

PositivityPeople who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is conta¬gious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

RelatorPeople who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relation-ships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

ResponsibilityPeople who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psycho-logical owner¬ship of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

RestorativePeople who are especially talented in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with prob¬lems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolv-ing it.

Self-AssurancePeople who are especially talented in the Self-Assurance theme feel confident in their ability to manage their own lives. They possess an inner compass that gives them confidence that their decisions are right.

SignificancePeople who are especially talented in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of others. They are independent and want to be recog-nized.

StrategicPeople who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the rel-evant patterns and issues.

WooPeople who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person.

Copyright © 2000, 2005-2007 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Gallup®, StrengthsFinder®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, and the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are trademarks of The Gallup Organization.

APPENDIX BHandouts and Worksheets

StrengthsFinder® Reflection1. What was your first reaction to the Signature Themes on your StrengthsFinder report?

2. What Signature Themes do you feel fit you best? Why?

3. Which of your Signature Themes hold the talents you use most frequently? Where do you see them?

4. Were there any surprises?

5. Which talents do you most want to develop?

Can only be reproduced in conjunction with the StrengthsQuest text. Copyright © 2003 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

1. What was taking the assessment like for you?

2. What was your first reaction to the Signature Themes on your StrengthsFinder report?

3. Which of your Signature Themes hold the talents you use most frequently? Where do you see them?

4. Which talents do you most want to develop?

5. How will knowing your strengths help you?

6. How does this relate to us as a team?

Exploring Our Strengths – Individual Reflection

1. What are our top themes as a team, and what are the patterns of behavior that result?

2. How do we communicate?

3. What drives us?

4. How do we set direction and make decisions?

5. How do we overcome obstacles?

6. How do we build and maintain relationships?

7. How do we recognize each other and celebrate success?

Exploring Our Strengths – Team Reflection

Strengths in Work Environments

Using our strengths is something we do every day. When we work within a team it can sometime feel like our strengths are under utilized or stifled. Please be honest in your responses!

Recipe for Success (Where I feel I use my strengths within the work setting.)

Recipe for Failure (When/where I feel that I cannot use my strengths)

Topics that fuel (Areas of conversation or consideration that fill you with energy or hope/optimism.)

Topics that fatigue (Areas of conversation or consideration that drain or tax your energy or hope/optimism.)

How to Motivate (The best way to create in you a desire to move.)

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