strengths based leadership: applications for 4-h
TRANSCRIPT
Our Agenda…
All too often, leaders are blind to the obvious when it comes to
something of critical importance to them -- their unique talents and
strengths. Gallup’s StrengthsFinder and StrengthsExplorer
assessments can help us uncover and develop personal
strengths. This workshop will outline resources and strategies for
helping 4-Hers develop and apply their talents in four domains of
leadership: relationship building, strategic thinking, influencing, and
executing.
GALLUP POLL – LEADERSHIP ABILITY
Out of 1,001 U.S. adults
surveyed, 97% rated their
ability to lead as being at or
above average.
97%
3%
At or Above Average
Below Average
What % of U.S. adults rate their leadership ability
as being at or above average?
GALLUP POLL – LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Out of 1,001 U.S. adults
surveyed, more than two-
thirds reported that they
have led a group or team.
67%
33%
Led a Group or Team
Yes No
What % of U.S. adults have led a group or team?
Multi-Level View of Leadership Development(Avolio, 2005)
Life
Experiences
Talents &
Capacities
Self
Aware
Self-
Regulate
Self-
Develop
Triggers
Culture
Vision
How am I Supported?
Where do I come from?
Who am I?
Personal SWOT Analysis
Strengths•What do you do well?
•What do others see as your
strengths?
Weaknesses•What could you improve?
•What are others likely to see as
weaknesses?
Opportunities•What trends could you take
advantage of?
•How can you turn your strengths
into opportunities?
Threats•What trends could harm you?
•What threats do your weaknesses
expose you to?
What to do with the SWOT data?
According to Gallup’s research the most effective
leaders:
1. Are always investing in strengths
2. Surround themselves with the right people and
then maximize their team
3. Understand their followers needs
• Reference: Rath & Conchie’s (2008) Strengths Based Leadership
Strengths-Based Leadership
• Argues that we all have innate talents to be developed
into strengths
• Views leadership as a collective process
• Recommends different strengths for different leadership
situations
The Truth About You(Buckingham, 2008)
Myths
• Each of us can be anything we want if we just work hard.
• We grow most where we are weakest.
• Strengths will take care of themselves.
Truths
• You can be anything your strengths allow you to be.
• We grow most in areas we are already strong.
• I can be taught knowledge and skills, but I can’t learn talents.
Unlock your Potential
What is a Strength?
• Consistent, near perfect performance in an activity
= STRENGTHKnowledge + Skills + Talents
Business Case for Strengths
How Do I Find Talents / Strengths?
Listen to your yearnings
Watch for satisfactions
Watch for rapid learning
Glimpses of excellence
Total performance of excellence
Executing Relationship Building
Strategic Thinking Influencing
Domains of Leadership Strength
Task-
Oriented
People-
Oriented
Future-Oriented
Present-Oriented
Strategic Thinking Domain
Description
• Keep us all focused on
what could be
• Constantly absorbing and
analyzing information and
helping the team make
better decisions
Talent Themes
• Analytical
• Context
• Futuristic
• Ideation
• Input
• Intellection
• Learner
• Strategic
Executing Domain
Description
• Know how to make things
happen
• Have ability to “catch” an
idea and make it happen
Talent Themes
• Achiever
• Arranger
• Belief
• Consistency
• Deliberative
• Discipline
• Focus
• Responsibility
• Restorative
Relationship Building Domain
Talent Themes
• Adaptability
• Developer
• Connectedness
• Empathy
• Harmony
• Includer
• Individualization
• Positivity
• Relator
Description
• Provide essential glue
that holds the team
together
• Create groups and
organizations that are
much greater than the
sum of their parts
Influencing Domain
Talent Themes Description
• Help the team reach a
broader audience
• Take charge, speak up,
and make sure the group
is heard
• Activator
• Command
• Communication
• Competition
• Maximizer
• Self-Assurance
• Significance
• Woo
Your Individual Development Plan
• Name It
• Claim It
• Aim It
What Strong Teams Have in
Common (Rath & Conchie, 2008)
1. Conflict doesn’t destroy strong teams
because strong teams focus on results
2. Strong teams prioritize what’s best for the
organization and then move forward
3. Members of strong teams are as
committed to their personal lives as they
are to their work
4. Strong teams embrace diversity
5. Strong teams are magnets for talent
Team Talent Map
• Discover the talents
and domains of likely
strength for your
group / team
– Complete the
worksheet with your
assigned group
CliftonStrengthsFinderTop5TeamGrid
Writethenamesofyourgroupmembersacrossthetopofthegrid.Thenrecord
eachperson’stopfivethemesbyplacinganXnexttothatthemeinhisorhercolumn.
STRATEGICTHINKING
Analytical
Context
Futuristic
Ideation
Input
Intellection
Learner
Strategic
EXECUTING
Achiever
Arranger
Belief
Consistency
Deliberative
Discipline
Focus
Responsibility
Restorative
RELATIONSHIPBUILDING
Adaptability
Developer
Connectedness
Empathy
Harmony
Includer
Individualization
Positivity
Relator
INFLUENCING
Activator
Command
Communication
Competition
Maximizer
Self-assurance
Significance
Woo
Strengths Domain Distribution
• Tally the number of
top themes in each
domain/column.
• Mark the number of
themes in each
domain on the
corresponding axis.
• Join the dots to
visualize your domain
distribution.
Example:
RelationshipBuilding
StrategicThinking
Influencing Executing
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Strategic Thinking
Executing
RelationshipBuilding
Infuencing
Individual A
Individual B
Individual C
Individual D
Team
[Present Orientation][People Orientation]
[Future Orientation] [Task Orientation]
Team Strengths Grid
Lesson for Practice
“A leader is someone who can get
things done through other people.”-Warren Buffet
Multi-Level View of Leadership Development(Avolio, 2005)
Life
Experiences
Talents &
Capacities
Self
Aware
Self-
Regulate
Self-
Develop
Triggers
Culture
Vision
How am I Supported?
What am I Experiencing?
How do I develop and behave?
Where do I come from?
Who am I?What am I becoming?