Managing Your Talents [6] - Individualization

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Individualization is the following:

“Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” Because you are such a keen observer of other people’s strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team “structure” or “process,” you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Individualization?


The first  management of the Individualization talent is that you should really accept the fact that you can sense the needs of others.  You have an incredible gift. You can really sense the needs of others. You are tuned to it. This might baffle you, overwhelm you...and even scare you.  But if you accept this gift and talent and react in a healthy way to it, it becomes one of the most beautiful things there are.  People with the Individualization talent respond it different ways to this ability to sense others' needs.  Some overreact to it, and scare people off with it.  Others choose to ignore it, and then they miss out on incredible opportunities to be of blessing and service to others.
It is important to realize that Individualization differs from the talent of Empathy in the manner that Individualization senses NEEDS, while Empathy senses, and actually feels, EMOTIONS of others.  You might have both talents.  But maybe you only sense the needs, and peoples emotions and needs are often aligned in some way.
  
How?

A good way to respond to your talent of Individualization is to respond to it with sensitivity.  People might find your sense of their needs intimidating, and might even feel that you overstep boundaries.  Your relationship to others obviously plays a role in the way they will respond to it.  But most people will appreciate your sense to their needs.

Communicate it to them.  Ask them if you are correct. Ask them if you may respond to what you sense.

A second issue in the management of this talent, is the fact that there is a difference between sensing the need, and being able to provide in the need.  You might find it frustrating that you often sense the unspoken needs of others, and that you know you cannot provide in the specific need.  You cannot always be the provider of a solution or a filler of needs.  You won't always have advice or resources that others need.  This is okay. 

How?
 
There are two important elements to this:  one is that most people simply want acknowledgement of their needs, not someone to fill the gap.  You will mean a lot to them by letting them know that you understand the need.
Another response from your side will be to connect them with people or resources that can be off assistance in the specific need. you might find that your talent often build the bridge between people.  I am for instance a Maximizer.  I love to Maximize people, and my talent of Input always wants to share information.  My wife has the talent of Individualization.  Where I cannot sense the needs of others, even if they really try to focus my attention to it, my wife often connects me with people that has a specific need that I can help them with.  This forms a strong combination.  But, it works the other way round also:  sometimes I simply want to share and maximize, when there is no need.  I overstep boundaries in my passion to maximize.  Her individualization sense can then help me to know that someone really does not need my input at this stage.


Use your Individualization.  The world needs it!


- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

Managing Your Talents [5] - Adaptability

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Adaptability is the following:

“You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Adaptability?
Very few people - even those with this talent - has a firm grip on it's management. Adaptability is misunderstood by many.  The mere description of "Adaptability" and the words "go with the flow" makes most people believe that this talent theme is a bit "without strengths". More of a weakness.  That is SO wrong.
A word that describes Adaptability much better, is the word "Responsiveness". This talent loves to respond - to the moment.  Adaptability responds to the here and now.  Therefor if you have this talent as a signature strength, you will be good at being responsive to challenges that is unplanned and kind of a surprise.
This is also why you most probably love pressure.  Pressure energizes you, as pressure is a "here and now" thing.  This might even be to the extent that you will create pressure for yourself. You do not like preplanned agendas.  You do not prefer structure and predictability.  You seek out the uncertainty of the moment, the chaos of the sudden changes and surprises.  You are most probably very calm under stress and a crises.  because then the pressure is on, you are energized and you can adapt or respond to the moment.
This is what "go with the flow' and "live in the moment" really means.

All of the above needs management.  The first  mismanagement of the Adaptability talent is procrastination.  You are very likely to leave things until the last moment before you respond to it.  This is your need for the moment and the pressure that causes it.  In itself, procrastination need not be seen as a weakness as the world sees it.  If well managed, you can procrastinate very productively and effectively.  But you do create pressure that way - not only on yourself, but especially on those around you.  Most people need to plan and be certain.  The fact that you are more comfortable to leave things until the very end, means that you weaken those around you - especially if they need planning and structure, for instance the Talent of Discipline.  You should keep it in mind.  It is not only about you, it is about the effect of your talent on others.  And if the mismanagement of your talent weakens those around you, you should give it more attention and manage it better for their sake.

How?

Make peace with the fact that planning and structure is mostly the way of the world, and very needed by most.  You should align with it.  If others need you to plan, rather tap into their talents to help you do it.  You will most probably always have trouble working that plan, but just be aware of the fact that, especially when in relationships, a team or a family, your Adaptability needs to keep others in mind and respect them.

Secondly, you must realize that the Adaptability talent may seem pretty "chaotic" to others.  They might perceive you as someone who is not in control, and do not have a plan or purpose at all.  This is not necessarily true at all.  So you need to explain your actions to others.  You should also "plan not to plan".  This means that you should at least prioritize your actions. You should think about what can be left until when, and who needs action from you.  The fact is that you are pretty darn good at "winging" it.  You can make things up in the moment.  But do not over do this strength. Use your other talent themes to make up for this.



How?

By now you should pick up that a recurring management skill of all talents, is that you communicate the essence and the effect of the talent to others.  This will create both appreciation and understanding.  But you should also listen to the needs of others.  Adaptability has a strong outward implication when mismanaged.  It has a definite effect on people and things around you.  Be aware of this and manage around it.

Thirdly, develop the insight and the skill to hold back on Adaptability when needed, but also to give it room to function and be free.  There are areas and roles in which a talent like Adaptability is very much needed and appreciated.  Any role in which change is a constant, or where there is pressure and constant surprises that cannot be planned for or even predicted, is an area where Adaptability will flourish. Create those spaces for yourself.  Your Adaptability will develop, you will be energized and people will benefit from this amazing talent of yours.

Go for it!


- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

Visit our websites:  

www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net

Managing Your Talents [4] - Input

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Input is the following:

“You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information — words, facts, books, and quotations — or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and then stored away. Why are they worth storing? At the time of storing it is often hard to say exactly when or why you might need them, but who knows when they might become useful? With all those possible uses in mind, you really don’t feel comfortable throwing anything away. So you keep acquiring and compiling and filing stuff away. It’s interesting. It keeps your mind fresh. And perhaps one day some of it will prove valuable."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Input?

The Talent Theme of Input is one of the so called "Thinking" Themes.  Input is not merely the mental activity of thinking or inquiring information.  Yes, someone with Input is very inquisitive by nature.  But Input leads to the activity of gathering information, stories or knowledge - and most often in a very real sense.  This is also why people with Input tends to collect things - physical things. They are collectors.  But never collecting just for the sake of collecting. They collect things because it represents a place, an idea, a story. And it important to them to have that link.
But, something very important about the Input Talent Theme, is that it is in most cases not gathering and collecting for their own sake.  They love to share the information, the ideas, the stories.  This is also why people with Input is seen as great resource of information, and great researchers.  The always have something stored that could be of use - be it an object or information.  Personally I have Input in my Top 5, and I collect information in the form of ideas (knowledge), books and documents and files on my computer.  I never delete a file or an email, never throw a book away, always have a link to a useful website.  My friends and colleagues knows this, and love to borrow my books, or have me give them useful information on something.  And I love to share it!

Also keep in mind that most Input people (obviously it depends on their Talent mix) are specialists.  They won't collect or research just for the sake of interest, but they have very specific interest fields.  This is why they usually becomes specialists in their field.

All of the above needs management.  The first rather obvious mismanagement of the Input talent is hoarding.  Keeping to much stuff because you just cannot let go.  This is often a problem when you gather up physical stuff.  This needs to be managed well, as it could seriously become a burden, especially to those around you. 


How?

Don't hoard.  I know, it's not that simple, but you should have some kind of inner system and value that warns you when you are becoming obsessive with keeping stuff.  Usually this is not an issue with information on a computer, but something like books, magazines or tools can seriously take over your living space!  Also listen to the people close to you ( a wife, husband or partner that understands Input is usually a good guide) to tell you when you are overdoing the gathering.  Have a specific project where you go through your things to see what you can give away, and what you can throw away or delete.  Bite your lip.  It is possible.

Secondly, you must realize that the Input talent, pretty much like any other Talent Theme, can "suck you in".  It can become an obsession.  Something like research on the Internet can easily take up hours of your time without you noticing.  Very useful when you have the time, but often you don't.  Input can cause you to "over-research" or just keep on adding more and more without ever getting satisfied.  You should manage your time.


How?

Develop the discipline to manage your time.  Set a timer or an alarm if you need to.  Also understand that what you see as enough usually way more exceeds what others can absorb.  I see that when I give people books to read.  Their eyes will widen when i come from my study with 6 or 7 books I like to lend them.  They can hardly absorb reading one.  Also, when I research for teaching or a course, I discipline myself to scale it down with as much as 40% to even 60%, as experience has taught me that people can only absorb so much information and new ideas.
If you are a collector, you must have the self-knowledge to understand that others might not really be interested in where you bought every one of your sugar spoons.  Two or three stories might be enough (unless they really show interest - go for it).  Your Input makes you a specialist.  Be careful not to become so specialized that you are of little use to others.  But, as long as you add value, keep it up!

How do you manage your Input talent?  Let me know!

- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

Visit our websites:  

www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net

Managing your Talents [3] - Competition

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Competition is the following:

“Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people’s performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you don’t compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seems unlikely."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Competition?

When you are strongly competitive in nature, you don't have to be intentional about competing and measuring against others.  It comes natural. You compete. You compare. You strive to win and be the best.

This means you have to manage your competitive nature well, because not everyone else is focused on winning and comparison. So, the first important aspect of managing your Competition talent: be aware that often you may be the only one involved in a competition.Very often you might be frustrated when other do not take up the challenge to compete.  You might find that they do not nearly care as much as you do if they win or lose.  And that is not wrong, or weak.  It is simply different.  You need to respect that difference and at the same time sometimes "contain" your desire to compete.

How?

Once you are aware of the fact that your competetiveness is actually a talent or a strength, and not something everyone does or should posess, the management of it will become easier.  So, awareness of the nature of the talent is important.  You should see your competitive nature as an intrinsic motivation and energy-source - but not project it on others, expecting them to be / act / feel the same towards winning.

A second  characteristic of Competition that should be managed well, is the absolute need to be the best, and - if you think it not to be possible, you lose the will to compete at all.  Winning and being number 1 is a good thing.  It creates champions, heroes and idols. It spurs others to compete and perform above their standards. But (and I know every natural competitor will cringe at my statement), winning is not everything. You cannot always win, or be the best. There is a definite difference between actually winning and striving full out to win. And very often in life, it is the latter that is needed more.

How?

 Try to differentiate actually winning or being the best from who you really are.  If you let winning define everything about yourself, you will end up not being all you can be. Turn the energy you've got in striving to win into a positive emotional experience both for yourself and for others.  An immature Competition Talent that is not well managed can cause a lot of friction and simply make people dislike you.  BUT:  seek out other competitors to really test yourself against.  that will push your limits.

Are you a Competitor by nature?  Do you get emotional if you win or lose?  Reply by commenting on your take...

- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic Global.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

Visit our websites:  

www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net

Can You Take Your Strengths Too Far?

**** I "interrupt" the series on Talent Management to place an article that just appeared in the Harvard Business Review.  I responded to the article on HBR's Blog, but I also place my response at the bottom of the article below. ******

- Dries

For the past decade, leaders have been encouraged to focus on developing their strengths rather than always gravitating to working on a weakness. But is this too much of a good thing? Lately, a number of business thinkers have suggested so.
It's tempting for those of us strongly committed to developing leadership strengths to ignore such dissent on the grounds that any new practice will attract critics. But the debate has practical significance to leaders. How should a hard-driving executive respond when given high scores for his ability to drive for results but low scores on building strong relationships with peers and subordinates? Is this evidence that he's taken his strength too far?
We don't think so. We would absolutely advise this person to keep driving for results; we suspect that his intense drive is what got him this far in the organization. But we don't see this as a zero sum game — we don't think he needs to stop doing one thing to start doing something else. So we'd also recommend he develop additional strengths in relating to people.
Like many of those who are raising doubts about the limits of developing leadership strengths — as Robert E. Kaplan and Robert Kaiser have done in the pages of HBR, and more recently Tony Schwartz has done on this site, we believe that a single strength by itself doesn't serve anyone well. A leader needs several strengths to succeed. And balance is required. Strengths in combination are far more powerful than any one alone, our research has confirmed. Our data show, in fact, that possessing five strengths is a surefooted way to become an exceptional leader. One-trick ponies don't last long in the center ring.
We also strongly agree with them that serious weaknesses should not be ignored. We've called these "fatal flaws," and we certainly advise people to fix them first. That's critical for the roughly one-quarter of leaders our data tell us appear to have such serious defects. We submit, however, that the rest should be working on their strengths.
People can and do behave inappropriately — and they do things to excess. In his blog, Schwartz describes how he learned that his own unbridled candor was hurtful and unproductive. Kaplan and Kaiser similarly described how either "forceful" or "enabling" behaviors could be taken too far and have negative consequences. They observed that if a leader overuses the "forceful" strength by being exceedingly directive — always taking charge, making every decision, and constantly pushing people — the leader's effectiveness diminishes. That's a conclusion that we suspect most would accept. And so do we. They also observed that a leader who is too cautious, gentle, understanding, mild-mannered, and almost exclusively focused on others will also be less effective. We completely concur.
Where we part company is in labeling any those behaviors as a strength.
We find it constructive to use a definition of "a strength" based on the work of psychologist Martin Seligman, among others. By his definition, a strength is a behavior that is:

• Executed effectively
• Broadly used in a variety of situations or settings
• Lasting in its effects over time
• Consistent in producing positive outcomes
• Valued for its intrinsic worth, as well as its positive outcomes
• Not specific to one culture
• Harmonious with, rather than opposed to, other strengths

By these measures, "being forceful," or "exhibiting righteous honesty unmediated by empathy," are not strengths.
Our analysis of behavior that does fit our definition of strengths comes from data generated in the 360-degree evaluations of 30,000 managers by 300,000 of their colleagues. From examining 12 years of such data, we've identified 16 competencies that describe the most effective leaders and distinguish them from average and poor leaders. When done extremely well, these behaviors become leadership strengths. They included qualities like displaying integrity, exhibiting superior problem-solving skills, being highly technically competent, being innovative, taking initiative, inspiring and motivating others to high performance — and, yes, driving for results.
We've found no evidence that extremely high scores on any of these competencies has negative consequences. That is, we haven't found anyone who scored at the 90th percentile for any one of these behaviors who was perceived by their bosses, colleagues, and direct reports as less effective than someone who scored in the 60th or 70th percentiles. We haven't found the business results of any high scorer to be inferior to the people who received lower scores. Nor have we found subordinates and peers writing more negative comments about a higher scorer than about any individual with a more moderate score.
Instead, we find the data tell a consistent story. Those with the lowest scores on a competency receive many negative written comments, and their objective results are inferior. Those with the highest scores produce the best outcomes on everything we've been able to measure. If this is overusing statistics, then so be it. Our profession needs more leadership analytics, not less, in our opinion.
Some might think strengths-based development was discovered by a social scientist or consulting company, but the real credit should go to Peter Drucker, who in his classic 1967 book The Effective Executive made the compelling case for focusing on strengths. In fact, he argued, it is the role of the organization to leverage people's strengths and to make their weaknesses irrelevant.

 

Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman

Jack Zenger is the CEO and Joseph Folkman is the president of Zenger/Folkman, a leadership development consultancy. They are co-authors of the October 2011 HBR article “Making Yourself Indispensable,” and the book How to Be Exceptional: Drive Leadership Success by Magnifying Your Strengths (McGraw-Hill, 2012).


My response to the above article:

I am a huge advocate of the strengths based approach, and I have been focusing on it for the past 7 years in my Consulting Firm. What is worrying to me, is the way some critics of the strengths-building approach is simply coming to their own conclusions about what exactly this approach and philosophy means in practice - clearly without really going into the massive research and methodology already done over decades, especially by an organization like Gallup.

Obviously anything that is over emphasized could, and would, lead to a negative result. The strengths-research also acknowledges this. There is a very important principle within strengths-building: "A well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".
In the end is is not about discovering your talents and turning it into strengths. It is about the management of your strengths. This includes the way you celebrate others, treat people with respect, acknowledges differences and fill your own gaps with the strengths of those around you. This has always been key in any respected strength-based research - especially that done by Gallup.

The other misconception that people have about the positive strengths-building approach, especially in contrast to the weakness fixing approach, is that you should ignore your weaknesses. I have never read any respected strengths research that would claim or suggest this! You should be very well aware of your weaknesses, in order that you can also mange it well. But weakness management is something completely different than weakness fixing or building on your weaknesses. You should know what weakens you (as a weakness is NOT something you cannot do well, it is something that drains you), and then you should either find a way to make up for it with your strengths, or you should partner with people who are strong where you are weak.

When you therefor take a credible and powerful tool like the Gallup Clifton StrengthsFinder, their basic Top 5 report is very limiting, and does not really help especially leaders and managers in coaching and development. I exclusively coach people on their strengths using the Full 34 report on StrengthsFinder. Why? Definitely not to help them ignore their weaknesses! No, to help them understand how they should manage it well, just as they should understand the dark side of each of their talent-strengths.

- Dries Lombaard (Owner: TALENTmosaic Global)

Managing your Talents [2] - Futuristic

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.


According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Futuristic is the following:

“Wouldn’t it be great if . . .” You are the kind of person who loves to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you. As if it were projected on the wall, you see in detail what the future might hold, and this detailed picture keeps pulling you forward, into tomorrow. While the exact content of the picture will depend on your other strengths and interests — a better product, a better team, a better life, or a better world — it will always be inspirational to you. You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions. When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future and they energize you. They can energize others, too. In fact, very often people look to you to describe your visions of the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. You can paint it for them. Practice. Choose your words carefully. Make the picture as vivid as possible. People will want to latch on to the hope you bring.

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Futuristic?

The essence of Futuristic is the way this talent theme "draws you into the future".  You live in the future, so to speak.  To your Futuristic, today only has meaning because it leads to tomorrow.  And yesterday is but a vague memory.

This leads to the first important aspect of managing your Futuristic talent: understand that this talent determines your worldview.  It colours the way you perceive the world, and everything in it. You find meaning within the fact that you look forward with expectation and hope. Your vision is what energises you. But you must understand that it is not "normal" to everyone. Most people do not look at everything with possibility and hope as you do.  Most people are living in the "now", and some even in the past.  Your future-thinking ability therefor might impact the way you think, the way you feel and the way you behave in a very strong way.  And this must be managed...exactly because not everyone operates in this forward-looking manner, like your Futuristic does.

How?
This might sound simple, but one of the best ways to manage your worldview is to acknowledge and understand how it functions.  To accept that you are a future-thinker is crucial.  You will be temped to project your worldview on others, but you must understand that you are in many ways visionary.  You "see" tomorrow.  Do not expect others to see it also.  You are drawn towards things that is not "real' yet.  Accept that others need reality to understand things. You want to plan far ahead. Accept that others might be intimidated by this.  You experience the future as if it is real.  People might think it's crazy!  Accept it. Don't project or push it onto others. The future might be yours...but they need to wait for it.

A second aspect of Futuristic, is how real you might perceive things that has NOT happened yet.  And that is exactly what you need to manage:  reality is the future is not here yet.    A dream, a plan or a vision might be so clear and so real to you, that you might sometimes lose reality about it.  You might be unrealistic.  You might even act as if it has materialized already....if it is a done deal.  This might cause frustration to others, but it might just as well land you in the hot water.  You might communicate things to others as if it is a fact or a reality - because to your Futuristic planning it is - when in real life a lot still has to happen, and it might just as well turn out differently.  Then you sit with the red face.  Others might even experience you as deceitful in this regard, when it is not in the least your intention!  Be careful.  Manage your talent well.

How?
Communicate "outside' of your futuristic perspective.  Use clear terms to indicate that what you see, feel or experience is NOT real yet.  That it is to come. And - be sure to acknowledge that it might well change and you accept it that way.  The word "might" will make a huge difference, instead of the word "is". The words "I foresee" or "I plan" might be a very clear way of expressing your true meaning to those who do not have your future-thinking ability. And, also, be big enough to acknowledge when things turn out differently - as it sometimes will - because nobody but God can foresee the future.

Third: something that many visionaries struggle with... The fact that you might lose energy and speed the moment that the future becomes the present.  The moment you wake up and realize that the dream or vision you had is now here, you lose focus.  And you jump ahead towards the next dream or vision!  This happens in many different contexts.  Some future-thinkers are, for instance, much more excited by the strategic planning phase than they are by the actual implementation phase.  You might even find that you enjoy planning and dreaming about an upcoming vacation more than you actually enjoy being on vacation....because then you are actually back at work (in the future) again.  This fact might not only frustrate those around you, but it may also cause you to be not as productive as you can be in the moment - and every job or part of life requires us to also be engaged in the here-and-now.  You need to manage this future-tendency well.  Not kill it.  Manage it!

How?
First understand that the above tendency is absolutely normal. For you.  But also realize that you need to take the present demands into account.
Apart from drawing on some of your other talent themes that is more engaged with the present reality, also seek out people you can partner up with that is very good and focused on the moment. Use your Futuristic to envision them about where you are going, but then trust them, and delegate to them, so that the present demands can be met. Some talent themes that is very good in the moment is Activator, Adaptability, Discipline and Responsibility - to name a few.  Seek out people strong in these talents. Work with them, as they might well appreciate your future-thinking also to give them direction and goal.

If you have Futuristic as a talent, you might want to share some of your specific challenges, or elaborate one the ones mentioned above.  Maybe you work or live with someone who has this talent, and you are on the receiving end of miss-managed Futuristic, or want to share the joy of a well-managed Futuristic!  Please share it with us.



- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic.

Visit our websites:  

www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net

Managing your Talents [1] - Ideation

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Ideation is the following:

You are fascinated by ideas. What is an idea? An idea is a concept, the best explanation of the most events. You are delighted when you discover beneath the complex surface an elegantly simple concept to explain why things are the way they are. An idea is a connection. Yours is the kind of mind that is always looking for connections, and so you are intrigued when seemingly disparate phenomena can be linked by an obscure connection. An idea is a new perspective on familiar challenges. You revel in taking the world we all know and turning it around so we can view it from a strange but strangely enlightening angle. You love all these ideas because they are profound, because they are novel, because they are clarifying, because they are contrary, because they are bizarre. For all these reasons you derive a jolt of energy whenever a new idea occurs to you. Others may label you creative or original or conceptual or even smart. Perhaps you are all of these. Who can be sure? What you are sure of is that ideas are thrilling. And on most days this is enough.

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Ideation?

First, when looking at talent management, it is important (with any talent), to understand the very essence of this talents functioning and impact. The essence of Ideation is obviously ideas.  But not just any ideas.... mostly fresh, new and creative ideas. They just seem to wash over you like a wave. Some of these ideas is pretty darn good....and others you will just shake your head and smile, and then brush them aside.

And this forms the first important aspect of managing your Ideation talent: be honest and real about how good and practical the specific idea is.  Don't be fooled by thinking that just because you had an idea, it will change the world or make you rich. Not true. Not all ideas will make a difference or even be practical in any way.  This is part of your creativity, and is not a bad thing.  Remember that often one idea leads to another, and more than one idea can integrate to eventually form a new idea that might just be the difference between winning and losing! So do not kill your 'bad" ideas.  Just don't be fooled by thinking that every idea is a game changer.  Back the ideas that is worth the time, effort and money.

How?
Have trusted advisers. The best way is to have one or more people that you know will be open and honest to listen to your ideas and give you a practical response towards the chances of that idea flying.  Don't be sensitive if someone is critical.  Listen to them.  But make sure you trust the right people with this.  Most ideas needs risk to fly, and sometimes the problem lies not in the idea in itself, but in the risk-factor. You and your advisor(s) must understand this, and evaluate it accordingly. But, someone with strong Ideation should always have a soundboard where they can bounce their ideas from.

The second aspect that mostly impacts you when having Ideation as a talent, and that you need to manage well, is the fact that the point of Ideation as a talent lies in having the idea itself. The point of it lies not in the fact that you actually do something about it, or put it to action.You will find that the satisfaction and energy that comes from Ideation as a talent comes not from turning ideas into action, but it lies in simply having the idea.  Very often, not even sharing it!  In this manner many great ideas does not materialize, or, even worse, you end up seeing someone else turning it into action, and getting the benefit from it. This might cause the Ideation talent not to be of practical use to you or anyone. You must manage this characteristic.

How?
Partner with people who have specific talents and strengths in turning ideas into action, and share your ideas with them. Here specific talent themes like Activator, Strategic, Achiever, Maximizer and Self Assurance might be very useful, to name a few.  Just as you need to bounce your ideas off others, you might need others to take your ideas to the next level of practical application.  Again, make sure you trust these people, as you might just find that someone else might "steal" your brilliant idea! But a strong and trusted partnering of Ideation with talents that turns it into action is a tremendous important aspect of managing your Ideation.

A third aspect that might need management when Ideation is in play, is the fact that it tends to make you live inside your head. What you think, is as real to you as what others might see, touch or feel. Although this is true of other "Thinking Themes" also, it could ask for very strong management when it comes to Ideation.  You must understand that others do not see the big idea as you see it.  They cannot touch it, feel it or experience it as you can inside your head.  This might cause frustration to both yourself and others.  They might find you aloof and think you are a dreamer.  You might find them clueless.  You must manage the world inside your head by understanding that it is inside your head, and that it is inside your head.

How?
Communication is the key towards managing this aspect. You need to paint a picture of your idea(s) to others in a way that they will understand.  You need to be very clear and precise.  They cannot sense it.  The best way to communicate your ideas is also not the same to everyone.  Some can articulate it very well verbally.  Others need to write it down.  Some even needs to draw pictures. Whatever your way of getting the idea over to others, you must have the discipline to do it and do it well.  They cannot see inside your mind, where your Ideation lives.  Practice it with people who understands you well.

Although there are many other challenges towards managing the talent of Ideation, the three aspects above is very common and features strongly with this talent.

If you have Ideation as a talent, you might want to share some of your specific challenges, or elaborate one the ones mentioned above.  Maybe you work or live with someone who has this talent, and you are on the receiving end of miss-managed Ideation.  Please share it with us.



- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic.

Visit our websites:  

www.africanmosaic.com and www.talentmosaic.net 

Building Strengths Accelerates Company Engagement

This article was published in the Gallup Management Journal on 12 September 2012.

It is a must read for anyone taking Strengths and Company Engagement seriously.

To read, click here.

Visit our NEW Website at www.talentmosaic.net

Blog Series: Managing my Talents

"A well managed Talent, becomes a Strengths....but a Miss-managed Talent, becomes a Detriment!"  This statement cannot be more true.  In Talent Management and coaching, it is first about identification of Talents, then about acceptance and understanding, and then about the importance of managing those Talents well. 

Our next series is all about the skill and importance of Talent Management.  I will take each talent, and unpack the main aspects that drives that talent - and then analyze how you can manage it better.

Please join in commenting on the posts.  Especially if you have personal experience and stories about managing a specific Talent Theme under discussion.

Dries.

Being predominantly THINKING

Within the Thinking Theme cluster, we have the talents of Ideation, Input, Intellection, Learner, Strategic, Analytical, Context and Futuristic. 

The Thinking Cluster refers to those Talent Themes that functions on a cognitive or thinking level.  It is "mind-related".  Thinking Themes are active and energized on different levels of thinking activity.  If your top Talents are mostly sorted within this cluster, you will find that you basically "live inside your head". You love to think, reason, strategy or learn.  Your worldview are formed by your thoughts.  You think, therefor you are.
Each Theme in this cluster has a different function.  Some might think that "thinking is thinking.  Not so....

• Ideation:  Basically it is all about ideas. Ideation is a creative and innovative way of thinking.  You love new ideas. You love to dream. You love to innovate.  To an Ideator, the idea is the point.  The idea is as good as the product. If you had the idea, you are satisfied.
• Input:  A good explanation for this theme:  specialized interest. Inquisitive.  Very often a collector of sorts - but within a specialized area of interest.  Also, you "input" in order to "output".  You love to share your stories, data or knowledge.  That is why you gathered it.
• Intellection:   You truly live inside your head!  You muse, ponder, think deep.  You talk to yourself and others in your head.  You process deeply, and thoroughly.
• Learner:  Being in the process of learning energizes you.  It can be formal learning like studies, or informal learning like reading or watching documentaries or something of interest.  Thing is, it is that "feeling that I am learning something" that gives you a kick.
• Strategic:  You strategise and see options.  You can make decisions and process detail.  You love to disentangle problems and find solutions.
• Analytical:  Facts and Data colors your world.  You analyze and love the world of research, statistics and data.  That you can work with.
• Context:  You most probably love history.  You take the past seriously.  You might even be labeled as a sentimentalist. The past explains today to you.
• Futuristic:  You look forward.  You love to plan. You love to dream.  But it is mostly planning and dreaming about things yet to come.

If the above make you smile and nod in agreement, you most probably have one or more of these themes....or you live with someone who does.

Thinking Themes that combine can be especially strong.  They tend to "pull" you into a world of thoughts, facts, stories, data, puzzles, history, philosophy, or whatever your passion may be.

Treasure it.  It is what makes you strong.

This concludes our 4 part series on the four Talent Clusters.  There is a very easy way to summarize the four clusters with a few words:

• Executing - you lead by doing.
• Influencing - you lead by showing / telling.
• Relational - you lead by connecting.
• Thinking - you lead by planning / explaining.

Being predominantly RELATIONAL

When we refer to the Talent Cluster for being Relational, we obviously do not mean that people who are strong in this Cluster are the Relational Gurus, and those who are not lack any relational skills.  As with the other 3 clusters, it simply refers to a matter of preference and predominant energy.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that Gallup first published these 4 Clusters in their book "Strengths Based Leadership".  The clustering works very well if applied towards the "way you prefer to take lead".  When in a position of leadership, your predominant clustering will determine the most comfortable way you choose to lead an influence others.

Back to the Relational Cluster:
The Talent Themes sorted within the Relational Cluster are Developer, Adaptability, Connectedness, Empathy, Harmony, Includer, Individualization, Positivity and Relator.
Obviously a case can be made for each of these themes to also function in another Cluster, and that is true.  but the research from Gallup has showed that these 9 Themes expresses itself best within a Relational context.

Let's briefly look at each one individually:

• Developer:  Developer (like the other Relational Themes) has an expression within a direct personal relation.  You can only develop within personal contact, and that contact forms a relationship of some sorts.  You develop step-by-step, and with huge patience.
• Adaptability: A better word for this Themes is "Responsiveness".  You respond to situations, and there is mostly people involved within a specific relationship.  For instance, Achiever will also respond under pressure, but predominantly task driven.  Adaptability loves to respond to the challenge and pressure within some kind of relationship.
• Connectedness: Everything is connected - within a unique relationship.  Nothing happens on its own or due to chance.  It happens within a connection.  Within a relationship.
• Empathy:  You feel the feelings of others.  Empathy cannot exists outside of relationships.
• Harmony:  Peace.  Unity.  Harmony.  Strong relational.  You need to create or uphold harmony.  You influence relationally through bringing harmony and valuing it.
• Includer:  Leave nobody out.  Include everyone. Includers has a sense for someone that feels excluded.  The inclusive nature of teams, groups and pairs are crucial to an Includer.
• Individualization:  The value of the individual, and the value of the uniqueness of each person, is what Individualization is all about.
• Positivity: Being positive and energetic happens within relations.  You "rub off"' on others.
• Relator:  Relator literally means "relating to".  A relator believes in, and values two things more than any other:  trust and loyalty.

The most important aspect to get to grips with when you have strong Relational Themes (or when you connect with someone who does) is to understand that it has a strong "sensing" nature.  You sense thing - be it feelings, uniqueness, how to respond, conflict, energy or trust.  You are tuned in to sensing.  This nature of the Relational Cluster is also the one aspect that hose who does NOT have it strongly, struggles to understand.  How can you simply just "sense" it?

That is the beauty of being predominantly relational.

Next post:  the last of the four clusters:  the Strategic Thinking Themes.

Visit our Website:  www.africanmosaic.com 

Being predominantly INFLUENCING

According to the Clifton StrengthsFinder, the talent themes that has a predominantly influencing nature, are Activator, Command, Communication, Competition, Maximizer, Self Assurance, Significance and Woo.
These themes mostly has an influencing effect on people.  Therefore it is also utilized in that manner. The best way to understand the so called Influencing themes, is by understanding that it has a "we" or a "let us" approach to a given situation.  When you take other people out of the equation, an Influencing Theme cannot function to its full potential.

To explain it better, let's look at each one individually:

• Activator:  Most people would frown on Activator being an Influencing Theme.  The idea of "Action" leads to think that it should be Executing.  But what one must understand about an Activator, is that their energy mostly lies into influencing OTHERS to get going and to start.  That is why, with activators, their thinking, feeling and behaving centers around the thought "When can WE start"...
• Command:  Someone with a strong Command, really gets energy from being an influence on others.  The commanding edge must have its flow towards influencing others within any specific context.  Command cannot function in isolation - and this is true of all the Influencing Themes.
• Communication:  The essence of Communication as a Theme lies in "verbal thinking", thus meaning that you need to express your thoughts.  It is mostly verbally, but can also be in written form or even within an art form.  Thing is, someone with Communication want to Influence others by their need to Communicate.
• Competition:  You need to measure, and therefor you need to influence.  You need something or someone to compare yourself against.  Winning is important, and that in itself is an influencing act.
• Maximizer:  Maximizer is, along with Woo, one of the strongest Influencing Themes there is.  you cannot maximize without influencing.  The basic essence of Maximizing someone or something means that you influence someone or something, and get them to new and higher levels.
• Self Assurance: Being Self Assured means you are an influencer.  Self assurance rubs off on others in one way or the other.  This gives you energy.
• Woo:  "Winning others Over" - you cannot do that without strongly influencing someone.  This is, with Maximizer, one of the strongest Influencing themes.

I need to repeat the importance of the "Cluster trap" when using the Clusters in your coaching or development:

Something that one must be very careful not to do, is to fall into the trap of generalization of these clusterings. Not having specific Influencing Themes high in your mix, does not mean that you cannot influence people, make an argument, communicate or helping people develop or change.  Skills can be learned. That is the edge we have of being human. But when it comes to sustainable energy, and outlasting the rest within a field, someone with strong Influencing Themes will be more suited towards a situation of influencing others, in the same manner that someone with strong Relational Themes will be more suited towards a situation where people and relational interaction is predominant.
Share your thoughts....?

Next time:  More on the Relational Cluster.

Visit our website at www.africanmosaic.com