Skip to main content

Ideation: Thinking Outside the Box

By


People exceptionally talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
Clifton StrengthsFinder

People with high Ideation are what the world might naturally describe as “creative.” These individuals have a knack for coming up with fresh, new, and original ideas. These ideas often come from being able to see situations from a new perspective and connect the dots. They thrive in brain storming sessions and are often a valuable part of a team that is “stuck in a rut.” They receive a lot of energy and excitement when they are in a space which allows the free flow of ideas from their brain. They are often described as people who “think outside the box,” being forerunners and innovators that come up with brand new routes that haven’t been taken before. Although Ideation manifests in situational settings, it may also manifest in an individual’s life through their love of art, music, or writing.  

Those with high Ideation are idea generators, but these ideas often do not have value associated with them, meaning one idea isn’t judged as better than another. Rather, their ideas are often given in bulk. Sometimes the individual may have other themes that “sort” these ideas, like Maximizer, Strategic, or Restorative, which naturally work in tandem with their ideas to decide which is the best for the given situation. On the other hand, some individuals may need great thinking partners who can help them sort through their ideas with them, in order to discern which option is best. Pure Ideation itself does not necessarily give value to the ideas, so theme dynamics [another theme in the individual] and/or complimentary partnerships [another person with differing themes] are necessary for implementation.   

15.9% of our mentees and 8.1% of our mentors have Ideation in their Top 5 talent themes. If you or your mentee has Ideation in your Top 5, honor that strength by allowing your mentoring time to be a place in each other’s lives where your ideas can flow. Think outside the box about new activity ideas you can do together. During this brainstorm, write down all your ideas. Then talk through each one and decide if it’s possible to do. Then, consider charting a timeline and deciding when it would be best to do each activity. By giving space for Ideation to flow freely, even during your mentoring time, you will be growing and honor the strengths of your mentee.


-Tess

(Image Credit: http://breakingborde.rs/wp-content/uploads/ideation-illustration.jpg) 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Strengths Activity: DBT House

By
The featured activity this week has become a recent favorite of the TeamMates Strengths Team. I learned of it by attending the Green Hills AEA Conference this past summer. The breakout presenter, Louise El Yafoori, taught on mitigating culturally sensitive trauma. This activity comes from the practice of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. While it can be used in very targeted ways for working with certain groups of kids, we found it a powerful reflective exercise that we all could benefit from. We facilitated this activity at our annual strengths day at the Gallup campus this year and the results of this learning and self reflection were highly impactful. Consider doing this activity with your mentee as a way to deepen the conversation around strengths and talent by incorporating discussions of values, role models, support systems, and more. Activity Instructions:  On a blank piece of paper, sketch out a house. Your house should include: a foundation, walls, windows, a door, roof, ch
1 comment
Read more

Achiever: Fulfillment from Accomplishment

By
People exceptionally talented in the Achiever theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive. Clifton StrengthsFinder We are excited to hear from Stephanie Pravecek about Achiever this week. Steph is the Events Coordinator for TeamMates and leads with Achiever, Responsibility, Discipline, Consistency, and Relator. People with high Achiever are hard workers, list makers, and doers. It is very difficult for Achievers to take a break when there is a task at hand that needs to be completed.  Once one task is complete it is on to the next and then the next. Achievers set out each day to accomplish at least one task but, there is much more fulfillment when multiple things are crossed off the “to-do” list for the day. This does include weekends and vacations, as REST or RELAX are not words you often hear in the vocabulary of an Achiever. As a guest blogger this week, I am going to put more of a personal ton
54 comments
Read more

Strengths Activity-Strengths Collage

By
Conversations are a great way to recognize, own, and develop our strengths. But sometimes, I find my mentee and I have the best dialogues when we are doing something kinetic. This week's featured strengths activity is hands on!  In the picture above, you see a great example of this week's activity, a strengths collage! Our own words and descriptions of our strengths are powerful, just like strengths conversations, but sometimes, when we look to other's words, we can help expand our understanding of our talent. In addition, sometimes our words just don't "cut it", and pictures or images might evoke a more accurate feeling regarding your talents. Through this activity, you and your mentee will look to magazines, newspapers, and advertisements in order expand your strengths language as well as practice strengths spotting.  What you will need:  A piece of card stock or journal page Various magazines, newspapers, or advertisements.  Glue Scissors 
1 comment
Read more