Lead with Strength first. As a Strengths Coach, this just makes sense. In fact, it makes sense to most of us coaches out there. Easy to say, not necessarily easy to incorporate or live out daily.
What is this strengths stuff we are always on about? Well, let’s start with Talent first. According to Dr. Clifton, the Father of Strengths-based Psychology and the Grandfather of Positive Psychology, he believes talent is a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors that come naturally, and are the greatest source for true potential and power. Thanks Dr. Clifton, couldn’t have said it better myself.
So, what is strength then? Strength is the ability to consistently produce a positive outcome through near perfect performance in a specific task. So, finish with Strength, but start with talent. Again, thank you Dr. Clifton.
What really drew me to becoming a Strengths coach, is the philosophy behind Strengthsfinder. Why waste time trying to perfect our weakness’s? The world is real quick to point out where we lack, what we need to get better at, and where we suck. It’s awful, and its not right.
Instead, let’s work on our alreadynatural talents, develop the hell out them and live life truly, in our very own strengthszone, yes? Yes. Yes. Yes. This was and still is very attractive to me.
So, this is where the ‘get a coach’ comes in.
The tricky part about leading with Strengths first, is that it probably won’t just naturally occur without a little support, coaching and spending time developing yourself. Enter ‘get a coach’.
We need to understand HOW to utilize our talents, partner and pair our talents, and which talents to pull out in certain situations. We need to be reminded and asked about times when we REALLY rocked it, when we were literally unstoppable…on fire if you will. Those are the moments we want to re-create, we want to live those moments again and again and again. Chances are, we are so caught up in our daily lives and telling ourselves ‘I suck’….that we have forgotten how truly powerful we are.
So, talent x investment = Strength.
As my friend John Maxwell always says, ‘Anything worthwhile is uphill.’ The most beautiful things in life take work, time and investment.
Becoming a coach has been a life changing experience for me. I walked away, literally…from a healthy 6 figure income just over a year ago to chase MY dreams, instead of someone else’s. I walked away because the values were no longer in alignment with mine. So, am I serious about strengths based leadership, absolutely. 100%
Helping people develop their greatness is the most rewarding ‘job’ I’ll ever do. I firmly believe this world needs a complete shift in how we view employee’s, management, leaders, and of course women (don’t’ get me started on that…we’ll save that for another day).
We need to celebrate success. Not consistently point out flaws. We need more ‘heart’ in the workplace, and we need confident forward thinking, strength based people to help us get there.
I’m Katy, and I want to lead with strengths first. Join me.
In Strength,
Katy Loewen Co.
Leadership & Success Coach
www.katyloewen.com
Katy@katyloewencom
