Strengths-Based Leadership

Presented by Eric K. Kaufman

November 3, 2017

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?

FINDING YOURSELF AS A

LEADER

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

Love, Crazy, Envy

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

Talents are Filters to View the World

How filters influence our

efficiency and overall

performance?

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

Gallup’s Approach to Strengths-

Based Development

Effort Matters More Than Talent(Angela Duckworth, Grit)

Your Individual Development Plan

• Name It

• Claim It

• Aim It

What happens when

we focus our talents

and turn them into

strengths?

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

Stages of Group Development

The Team Performance Curve

Implications for You and Others?

Strengths Explorer Resources

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?

Thank you!

Let me know how I can help

• Eric Kaufman

– EKK@VT.Edu