A Look at Strategic

People exceptionally talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.    

CliftonStrengths

This week, our guest blogger is Marcie Kostrunek. Marcie is the Program Coordinator for the TeamMates chapter of Cozad, Nebraska and has been a strengths champion within the chapter. Her top 5 strengths are Input, Strategic, Responsibility, Developer, and Learner. Here’s what Strategic looks like for Marcie:

To me the Strategic strength is approaching a situation and looking at it from many different angles and then coming up with the best possible solution. As a middle school teacher and a busy mom I use my Strategic strength all day long! Teaching middle schoolers involves being on your toes all the time. In our school we have a lot of students that come from poverty and broken homes so I use my Strategic strength to think of ways that we can reach out to them in unique and new ways.

My strengths are: Input, Strategic, Responsibility, Developer, & Learner. I use my Input and Learner strengths to read, research, and discover new ways to strengthen my life in many different facets. Input also helps me to categorize and organize myself. My Developer strength helps me to see the “awesome” in life. Everyone is unique and gifted in different ways and I love helping kids find out what their unique talents are.

I was very blessed because the teachers in my life have seen and encouraged my talents since I was young. A teacher I consider to be a mentor to me was my Speech and Drama coach, Mrs. Koch. She encouraged me to try new things and to reach for the stars. High school speech involved being organized and resourceful. Especially back in the old days before Google :) Mrs. Koch pushed me to try theatre as a freshman and now I help direct the middle school musicals. I believe that it is my chance to impact the lives of students in a positive and influential way, much as Mrs. Koch influenced my life.

I recently attended a Courage retreat at my school with the 7th grade class. At the end of that day everyone there was challenged to find an Act of Courage that they could do. I chose to stand at the end of the day and announce my Act of Courage for all the students to here. Why did I do this? I chose to let my students see me vulnerable as I confessed that I aimed to be a better version of myself daily. I chose to let them see that even adults need the Input and encouragement of others to achieve their dreams. I chose to be a Strategic adult and Develop new skills so that I can be a Responsible person in their lives. My strengths have blessed me in my life and I am honored to share them with my students everyday.

-Marcie