Clifton Strengths Coaching Certification Update
This week I’m taking a break from active coaching to focus on some training. Here I am at the Gallup headquarters in DC to become a certified Clifton Strengths coach.
I’ve been drawn to this methodology because it affirms the unique* combination of talents we each possess. There’s lots of data and research to support the approach that speaks to my Analytical side. And I can already see how appreciating and knowing each others strengths can help managers and team members communicate, improve engagement and performance and design careers. No doubt, this data will deepen the coaching relationship I have with my clients who share my interest in the approach.
As usual the ability to understand starts with oneself. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Analytical and Achiever were in my “top 5” or that I’m Deliberate and Restorative (problem solver). And seeing Relator right up there too reinforces my belief that a desire to form close relationships helps propel my other skills and makes the full package of talents unique and valuable. This opens my thinking to the value of others’ unique talent combinations, too.
❓How well do you know your talents and how deliberately are you investing in them to improve your performance in life and work?
Stay tuned for more information as I complete this process. If you’re curious, we can work together to help you discover lean into your strengths, too.
Thanks to Becki Barrett for being my first strengths coach and introducing me to this work.
* I’ve not worked through the actual stats yet, but if we assume iid variables for the 34 talents there’s over 300,000 possible top 5 combinations (regardless of order) and over 33 million different top 5 talents (ranked in order). So I’m ok calling everyone’s top 5 “unique” for practical purposes in most groups.