There are countless personality/leadership assessments out there. Among the more famous ones are DiSC, True Colors and Myers-Briggs. Of course there are a lot more out there with fun gimmicks and terms. I remember taking the “which band instrument” are you assessment. I’m a drum apparently.
Among these assessments there is one that strikes a fine balance between being too simplistic and being overly complicated. That assessment is the Strengthsfinder. Strengthsfinder is a robust self-assessment tool that exposes you to your leadership strengths and helps you understand how to use them to your advantage.
The underlying premise of Strengthsfinder is that individuals and organizations do their best when they focus on their strengths. When you take the assessment you will receive the top 5 strengths (from a list of 34 possibilities) you possess. These strengths come to you naturally. They are part of you. Hence we are most successful when we focus on them in the work environment and put you (or your employees) in as many situations as possible that utilize them.
Here are 3 reasons you should consider taking the assessment and having your results reviewed by a trained Strengths facilitator (and in full disclosure I am a Strengths facilitator and love this stuff).
1) Understand Who You Are. You can’t develop as a leader unless you take a look at who you are and what you bring to the table. Taking the assessment gives you a new lens on your leadership capabilities. Great leadership starts with self-awareness and builds on it.
2) Strengths Coaching Helps You Understand How to Maximize Your Strengths. When I was a football coach there was one key phrase we always used: “Put our players in a position to win.” Strengths-based coaching does this by helping you understand how your talents a) work together to enhance your leadership abilities and b) what action steps you can take to develop your strengths further. Coaching sessions can help you to see if your current situation is even really utilizing your talents.
3) Strengths-Based Coaching Allows You to Build the Right Team. Building a Strengths-based culture in your department or company will give you the ability to see the talents of your entire staff. Having a Strengthsfinder team building session helps to build team unity and enhance understanding among employees. As a supervisor, a deeper strengths-based session to analyze your team results will give you a powerful lens which can greatly aid you in assigning projects, determining development opportunities, and understanding employee behavior.
Strengths-based work cultures have reported higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Taking the assessment and having the results processed is the first crucial step in creating a dynamic and high-performing work culture.
If you are interested in knowing more I am always willing to engage in an initial consultation. Please schedule a call by clicking here.
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Paul Artale is a leadership coach who believes in the power of strengths-based leadership. More about Paul can be found by visiting www.paulartale.com