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.

1. Strengths-Based Leadership
Presented by Eric K. Kaufman
November 3, 2017

2. 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.

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. FINDING YOURSELF AS A
LEADER

6. 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?

7. 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?

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. Unlock your Potential

13. What is a Strength?
• Consistent, near perfect performance
in an activity
= STRENGTHKnowledge + Skills + Talents

14. Love, Crazy, Envy

15. Business Case for Strengths

16. How Do I Find Talents / Strengths?
 Listen to your yearnings
 Watch for satisfactions
 Watch for rapid learning
 Glimpses of excellence
 Total performance of excellence

17. Talents are Filters to View the World
How filters influence our
efficiency and overall
performance?

18. Executing Relationship Building
Strategic Thinking Influencing
Domains of Leadership Strength
Task-
Oriented
People-
Oriented
Future-Oriented
Present-Oriented

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Gallup’s Approach to Strengths-
Based Development

24. Effort Matters More Than Talent
(Angela Duckworth, Grit)

25. Your Individual Development Plan
• Name It
• Claim It
• Aim It

26. What happens when
we focus our talents
and turn them into
strengths?

27. 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

29. Team Talent Map
• Discover the talents
and domains of likely
strength for your
group / team
– Complete the
worksheet with your
assigned group
Clifton StrengthsFinder Top 5 Team Grid
Write the names of your group members
across the top of the grid. Then record
each person’s top five themes by placing
an X next to that theme in his or her
column.
STRATEGIC THINKING
Analytical
Context
Futuristic
Ideation
Input
Intellection
Learner
Strategic
EXECUTING
Achiever
Arranger
Belief
Consistency
Deliberative
Discipline
Focus
Responsibility
Restorative
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Adaptability
Developer
Connectedness
Empathy
Harmony
Includer
Individualization
Positivity
Relator
INFLUENCING
Activator
Command
Communication
Competition
Maximizer
Self-assurance
Significance
Woo

30. 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:
Relationship Building
Strategic Thinking
Influencing Executing

31. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Strategic Thinking
Executing
Relationship
Building
Infuencing
Individual A
Individual B
Individual C
Individual D
Team
[Present Orientation][People Orientation]
[Future Orientation] [Task Orientation]
Team Strengths Grid

32. Lesson for Practice
“A leader is someone who can get
things done through other people.”
-Warren Buffet

33. Stages of Group Development

34. The Team Performance Curve

35. Implications for You and Others?

36. Strengths Explorer Resources

37. 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?

38. Thank you!
Let me know how I can help
• Eric Kaufman
– EKK@VT.Edu