When it comes to your organization, taking the time to invest in bettering your people is critical. However, many do not consider that bettering your people often mean better understanding your people. When you are able to better understand the strengths of those you work with each and every day, you set yourself in a position to work WITH each other better as well. 

Strengths Are A Tool

Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment is a great tool to ensure that you truly understand the way your people are gifted. Knowing their strengths places you in a position to:

1. Place your people in the appropriate role. You may have an employee in a position that does not enable them to utilize their number one strength. This limits their ability to take their work to the next level. Gaining this insight allows you to pivot and truly see the benefits that come with having people on the ‘right seat on the bus’ as Jim Collins would say. 
2. Encourage and motivate your people based upon their strengths. Oftentimes, it is easy to fixate on the negative aspects of your people. By having a list of strengths to focus on, it allows you to spin negative situations into positive ones by coming up with solutions and goals that will utilize their strengths in their areas of weakness. 
3. Connect individually with your people. Knowing the strengths of your people is similar to a classroom in that it allows you to differentiate your approach toward each person. The communication and guidance you give to one employee could be very different than what you may need to give to another employee. 
4. Improve self-awareness. Knowing your strengths places you in a position to be understanding of others, because it allows you to be aware of yourself as well. The better you know yourself, the better you will be able to connect with others, and, ultimately, lead them. 

As you step into a new year, consider serving your people well by going through the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment together! 

Dr. Jeff Williamson is a Certified Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach and can help you and your team discover their strengths and take your organization to the next level!

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CliftonStrengths Helps Your Team Work Better Together

(The following is pulled from the Gallup website.)

A strengths-based approach to leading your team pays off for more than the bottom line.

You can use a strengths-based approach to answer questions like:

• How can I improve teamwork?
• How can I improve team dynamics?
• How can I improve team collaboration?

Why? Because the CliftonStrengths assessment gives people a common language and vocabulary to better describe, communicate with and understand each other.

Plus, when you have people in roles that fit their talents, their energy and passion can fuel their own great performance and inspire the same from their partners.