What To Do With Your StrengthsFinder Results (Podcast)
Welcome to the next installment of the Leadership Vision Podcast, where we share our expertise in the discovery, practice, and implementation of StrengthsFinder.
Today on the podcast, we’re recounting our first experiences with Strengths and sharing three straightforward activities to get more out of your results. While this podcast won’t answer all of your, “what do I do with my life?” type of questions, it will give you some useful steps to engage with your five Themes of Strength in a meaningful way.
The activity we’re sharing is pretty simple. It’s one that anybody, anywhere, anytime, with any level of Strengths experience or understanding can use to get more out of their results. We call it the “first thing” activity, which can be a bit misleading because it’s an excellent exercise to do every so often to continue growing and developing your understanding and application of your StrengthsFinder Themes.
So whether you’ve recently taken StrengthsFinder or are a little further along on your Strengths journey, this show will be an excellent reminder never to stop being curious about the things that make you who you are!
1. Analyze Your StrengthsFinder Results
To get more out of this process, read the long descriptions for each Strength, analyze them, sit down for a conversation with a friend, then reflect on recent behavioral examples. It’s that simple, but for those who like step-by-step instructions as I do, here’s how to get the most out of reading your results:
- Print your long Theme descriptions.
- Read each description and highlight key phrases, sentences or words.
- Read through your results again and indicate the words and phrases that aren’t resonating.
- Indicate which words or phrases just don’t make sense.
2. Find a Strengths Buddy
Last week, we talked about the importance of finding a “Strengths Buddy.” This person could be a friend, colleague, spouse, partner, or another family member. Ask them for an hour of their time, and, over coffee or a meal, get their feedback. Ask them how they see your Themes of Strength showing up at work, at play, or in other settings.
3. Look For Recent Examples Of Strength
This activity is something we recommend everyone does on a regular basis, even weekly. It doesn’t need to take more than a few minutes and can help you see the progress you’ve made to live more out of your Strengths, or times when you missed an opportunity to engage your Strengths in meaningful ways.
The following prompts will help you think about how your strengths show up (there’s more detail in the episode):
- How do you communicate?
- How do you make decisions?
- How do you relate to time?
- How do you relate to others?
Remember, Strengths development is a lifelong process. The more you look for examples, the more you will find ways to use your strengths.
About The Leadership Vision Podcast
The Leadership Vision Podcast is a weekly show sharing our expertise in the discovery, practice, and implementation of StrengthsFinder. Leadership Vision uses StrengthsFinder to work with People, Teams, and Culture. We believe that knowing your Top 5 Strengths is only the beginning. In fact, our highest potential exists in the ongoing exploration of our talents. Subscribe to the Leadership Vision Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
Please contact us if you have ANY questions about anything you heard in this episode, or if you’d like to talk to us about helping your team understand the power of Strengths.
