STRENGTHS SELF DEVELOPMENT - ADVANCED

INTRODUCTION

You have already begun the journey of becoming more aware of your dominant talent themes and learning how to build on your talents to develop strengths. We are now going to build on what you know by moving into the more advanced stages of strengths-based development. 

What exactly is 'strengths-based development'?  It is simply a process that leads to an individual’s ability to consistently perform a specific task at a nearly perfect level.

As you know, a strength is the result of adding skill and knowledge to our natural talents.  Skills are one’s basic abilities to perform the steps of specific tasks, such as the ability to operate a computer.  Since skills do not naturally exist within us, they must be acquired through training and practice.  Knowledge is defined as what you know.  It includes facts and understanding, gained through experience, that can be productively applied to specific tasks.  Like skills, knowledge does not naturally exist within us and therefore must be acquired.

Talents on the other hand are recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied to specific tasks (i.e., inner drive to compete, sensitivity to needs of others, tendency to be outgoing at social gatherings, etc.).  These talents cannot be acquired, but they naturally exist within us.  And because those talents represent the best of our natural selves, they are the crucial component of strengths and offer our best opportunity to perform at levels of excellence.  Identification of your dominant talent themes (which includes your Top 5) is critical to 'strengths-based talent development.'  Studies have shown that strengths-based talent development leads to greater awareness of self and of others - and increases self-confidence, direction, hope, and generosity. 

As you move into these 'advanced' stages of the Strengths Lab, we trust that you will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of God's unique gifts in yourself and in others.  This deeper understanding helps us to fulfill God's greatest commandment:

'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength' and 

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

There is no other commandment greater than these. 
                                                                                                                                                                 Mark 12:30

THEME INSIGHTS

Theme Insight Cards

As you further invest in developing talents into strengths, consider using Gallup’s Theme Insight Cards to enhance your understanding, awareness, and appreciation of your talents; the ways you naturally think, feel and behave. Although primarily used in coaching individuals in strengths, we believe these cards are an invaluable self-help tool for examining the subtle similarities and differences of your CliftonStrengths® Themes. While not a substitution for the more detailed theme definitions that come with your Top 5 (your Signature Themes Report), these cards are a convenient tool that tells you something about:

  • Who a person is  [I am (being)]

  • What a person will naturally do  [I will (doing)]

  • What a person might contribute  [I bring (contribution)]

  • What a person might need  [I need (requirement)]

  • What a person is likely to value  [I love/I hate (value)]

To order your Theme Insight Cards, please click here for a direct link to the 'shop Gallup' site.

Lab Practicum 305
Theme Insight Cards

When you receive your Theme Insight Cards, refer to the cards of your Top 5 Signature Themes - or your Top 10 if you purchased all 34. Read the statements on each card and write down the statements you feel best describe this talent in you. Then, write down the 'barrier label' statements. Place this list where you will see it on a regular basis, such as your phone, desk, edge of computer screen, etc. Referring to this list will help you be more cognizant of how you use your talents.  Using these cards will help you see the multiple dimensions of each theme and become more cognizant of how you use your talents and develop them into strengths.

Theme Thursdays

One of the great ways to gain insight into your talent themes is by visiting Gallup’s Strengths Center YouTube page and viewing the webcast series videos about each of the CliftonStrengths® Talent Themes. They have a number of terrific webcasts but we recommend you start with the following Lab Practicums and work your way up.

Lab Practicum 306 
CliftonStrengths® Theme Quicks

These YouTube videos are approximately 1 minute in length and provide a basic overview of each talent theme. Please click the icon below.

Lab Practicum 307 
Theme Thursday Shorts

The following You Tube videos provide a more in-depth look at your talent themes to give you a better glimpse of what makes you . .  YOU!  Most of these webcasts are between 7 to 10 minutes long.

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Theme Thursday Originals

Visit these original “Theme Thursday” webcasts to gain a much deeper understanding of all 34 talent themes. These pre-recorded sessions will take you to the depths of each CliftonStrengths® talent theme to give you valuable insights.  Most of these videos are 45 minutes to 1 hour in length.