Are you developing others to be their best?

Strength is defined as an activity that you can produce near-perfect results consistently. We feel strong with those activities because our talents are being utilized.
Our talents are our recurring patterns of thoughts, feelings and behavior that are productively applied.
For example, as a manager with a talent for learning and developing others, how can you apply them productively? To begin with, the manager can start investing in the talents to manage the team’s development. Perhaps, invest in learning coaching skills and learn about what make people unique beings. At the same time, the manager can learn about the blind spots of the learner and developer talents. This will ensure he/she can remain productive as a manager.

How do you discover your talents?

A great tool to use is the Clifton Strengths Assessment to discover your dominant innate talents. The report reveals your unique talent DNA.
Your top talent themes are a combination that’s unique to you. But you may also find that you possess common (or rare) pairings and combinations of talent themes. Identifying and understanding these patterns can help you develop, learn and grow for the future.

The 34 Talent Themes Categories

The 34 talent themes can be categorized into the four domains of potential: Executing, Influencing, Strategic Thinking and Relationship Building.
In addition to these four domains, you may have noticed that several of your top themes are similar. For instance, people who are naturally team-oriented may have high Connectedness, Includer and Arranger.
Reflecting on the similarities and differences in your talent themes can help you better understand how you work best, what you’re great at and where you tend to struggle.
The goal is to experience “aha!” moments about how you approach life, relationships and work.

Speed:

Several themes are related because of their emphasis on efficiency. These themes go together for fast-paced people who naturally work quickly. 
• Achiever
• Activator
• Adaptability
• Learner
• Woo

Intentionally use your Talents for growth:

The path to personal growth and development is the same for everyone. You can use the “ICE” model to remember and apply the process:
Identify: Understand and Acknowledge your unique talents
Capture: Celebrate and Appreciate Own your talent DNA
Execute: Intentionally Develop what you do best.
Ask yourself: How are your top themes similar and different? How can you harness those similarities and differences to achieve your goals?
Remember, your combination of talent themes is unique to you. And no matter what talents you have, you can improve your effectiveness by exploring how your talents work together and leaning into what you do best.
Here are four steps you can take now to spark strengths-based growth:

3. Reframe your weaknesses.:

The best way to achieve greatness isn’t to ignore your weaknesses. Rather, you should acknowledge your weaknesses, understand them and then reframe them by considering which of your top talents you can use to compensate. Ask yourself: Which of my top talents can help me succeed despite my weaknesses? 
Another great strategy is complementary partnerships: By relying on others, you can manage your weaknesses effectively. For example, if talents in the “perspective” package are at the bottom of your full 34 profile, you might connect with a forward-thinking individual who possesses high levels of these strengths. Through that partnership, you can discover new ways of thinking.

4.  Use these strengths-focused resources. :

You can become truly unstoppable by pursuing a lifetime of development with proven strengths-based development resources. From the Strength Workshop at ICE to formal Programs such as Discover Your Potential or the Associate Coach Training Program.
The bottom line is that strengths-based development is all about what you’re paying attention to. When your mind is on your strengths, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.