Start Your Strengths Journey
Let’s get the basics down before we jump into discussing Strengths and how they impact our lives.
The words traits and strengths are often used interchangeably. However traits turn into strengths when they are used frequently just like going to the gym frequently builds muscle strength.
Unique to You
This assessment by Gallup will rank 34 traits we all possess in an order that is unique to us. It is statistically impossible to have the same exact order as anyone else in the world. This in itself helps to remind us that we are not meant to be like anyone else. In fact one of the leading causes for depression and anxiety is thinking we should be more like someone we are not. Learning, understanding and embracing Strengths can help decrease these feelings by giving people the permission and understanding they may need to be themselves.
CliftonStrengths is the only assessment whose results provide a specific detail of you only. Most other “get to know you” quizzes will put you into a box or category with a whole slew of other people based on general personality.
The Breakdown
Strengths are categorized into domains. There are four domains that the traits are broken into when looking for a more generalized approach to understanding them.
Relationship Building - Strategic Thinking - Influencing - Executing I will go into more detail of each in future posts.
There are no weaknesses! The strengths that show up at the bottom are not your weaknesses. They are incredibly useful in showing you how you show up when you are not being your authentic self. This quite often happens when you are doubting yourself, trying to live by someone else’s terms or slip back into thinking you should be someone you are not naturally.
What’s in a Name
Don’t judge a strength by its name. Just as we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover or a person by their looks, it won’t serve you well to think you understand a strength by the name of it. The meaning is much more complex than it’s title and depending on where it lands in your order and what other strengths are around it, that meaning will fluctuate.
There are no good or bad strengths. All strengths have good qualities and things to be aware of. One is not better than another due to the fact that strengths don’t determine what you can or cannot do, they simply determine how you do things best.
It’s All About Order
The order of your strengths matters...a lot!
1-10 are your top strengths that keep you on track to being your unique, authentic self
5-6 are your core strengths that you will rely on as your compass
11-13 are important but not your main go-to’s
14-29 are your middle of the road that will show up but don’t really define you
30-34 are the strengths you follow when you are not following your own way and are doubting yourself for a variety of reasons
Follow Your Own Path
I know the word journey is over used these days but I can’t help but equate your life’s journey to a road trip across the country. Listen to my podcast for more detail on this but basically your strengths are your own personal map. You need to make the choice to be in the driver's seat instead of letting someone else take the wheel and determine your path. Within your top strengths there are bridges and tunnels to be mindful of and your compass gets you back on track when you start to meander off.
As we continue, it will be much easier for you to have your own map in hand by taking the CliftonStrengths Assessment then have me give you the keys by taking you through your results.
