What are strengths?

Maybe you have heard of talents, strengths, StrengthsFinder, CliftonStrengths.  Maybe you have even taken the assessment.  But, what does it all mean, really?

CliftonStrengths, formerly StrengthFinder, is an assessment that takes about 30 minutes or so to complete.  The results of that assessment produce a report that is unique to you.  This report gives you either your top 5 talent themes, or your full 34, depending upon which report you choose.  I recommend the full 34 report as it is much more powerful to know where all of the talent themes land for you.  

You might say, why is it called CliftonSTRENGTHS, when you said the report measures your TALENTS…what’s the difference?  A talent is a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that CAN be productively applied.  A strength on the other hand, is the ability to CONSISTENTLY produce a positive outcome through near perfect performance in a specific task. 

In other words, a talent is about potential and strengths are about actualization.  The assessment can’t measure your ability to consistently produce a positive outcome, but it can measure your naturally recurring patterns of thought and behavior.  It is up to you to spend time learning and practicing your talents for them to become strengths.  

For example, I have a talent in communication.  When I was working as an attorney and writing every day, writing came as naturally as breathing.  But here I sit, 2 hours into writing this blog and I continue to work at it, because it’s not quite what I want.  I have not been practicing my communication through the written word in quite some time, so it is not a strength right now.  It is, however, still a talent, and if I keep writing these blogs for you, I will hone that talent and develop it back into a strength.

So, by now hopefully you’re thinking about how you learn more about your talents.  Well, there is a lot of information in the full 34 report about your top 10 talent themes.  To get even more information, you can go to the link sent from your assessment results to read more reports or watch videos on each talent theme.  Then you can work to utilize these talents intentionally on a daily basis to turn them into strengths.   If this interest you, be on the lookout for my next blog on what to do once you know your talents.

If you don’t understand or want a guide through this process, you can seek out a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach to help you. To find out about our Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and our services, please visit collaborativeleadershipteam.com or email info@coleadteam.com. 

Collaborative Leadership Team’s Teri Bylander-Pinke attains Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach Credential

For Immediate Release    

Dateline – Minneapolis, MN August 18, 2020  

Collaborative Leadership Team (CoLeadTeam) is a Midwest-based firm focused on guiding business agility.  We believe in a different approach to work. Individuals, teams and leaders who use this approach will learn faster, adapt quicker to reach outcomes while lowering cost of change.   

"We are committed to helping individuals and organizations in the Twin Cities and all throughout the Midwest deal with the challenges of change” said Angela Johnson, Founder and President of CLT. “Change is the only constant. The individuals and organizations that can learn and adapt the fastest, will be the ones that succeed, and coaching is critical to that success.”   

CliftonStrengths is an assessment to uncover the true you.  Strengths coaching provides teams and individuals a deeper understanding of their assessment and how to manage their strengths and weaknesses effectively to achieve their goals and manage through change. These skills can be applied daily to enhance engagement and productivity.  COO Teri Bylander-Pinke shared, “According to Gallup, people that utilize their strengths daily are six times more likely to be engaged in their jobs and three times more likely to report having an excellent quality of life.  I have seen this to be true in my own life and have strived to achieve this coaching credential so I can help other see and apply it as well.”   

To learn more about Teri or Strengths Coaching, please visit www.collaborativeleadershipteam.com or email Info@CoLeadTeam.com. 

About Collaborative Leadership Team:  

Practicing Agile since 2010, CoLeadTeam has learned from experience how to guide people and organizations through their Agile learning maturation.  We bring knowledge in Software, Hardware, and Services delivery.  We have experience to help guide clients through their learning how to work differently.   

Contact  Collaborative Leadership Team:  

Angela Johnson 

Chief Executive Officer  

Collaborative Leadership Team 

952-232-6422