Happy Strengths Wednesday!

We are so thankful for everyone who contributed as a guest blogger this year. We hope that by taking a look at each of these strengths through an individual’s lens, your eyes were opened to the diverse ways each of these talent themes manifest. I think we can often put strengths in a “box”, saying, Communication looks this way or Strategic looks that way, etc. We get stuck in this rut of talking about the strengths, rather than letting the strengths talk for themselves. This year, by allowing unique perspectives on each of the strengths, we aimed to let the strengths speak- to see how they each show up in unique ways, based on a person’s other themes, life experiences, generation, and more.

Despite being at the end of this year’s “A Look at” series, I want to encourage you to continue to allow space in your life for your strengths, and the strengths of those around you, to break out of the box you’ve put them in. As we head into this new season, here are a few questions to ponder. Discuss them with a friend, journal them by yourself, or contemplate them in your mind.

What is something you have done recently that you are proud of? Which of your themes contributed to this?
How have each of my strengths matured over the last school year?
What is the best way you receive support from others?
Which of your strengths could you not live without?
Describe a recent challenge or stressor in your life. How were your strengths a detriment to the situation? How were they an advantage?
Are there any of your top 5 you struggle “owning”? Why is that? What could you do to help you gain more ownership?
When was the last time you recognized and named a strength in someone else?

Want to dive even deeper in your strengths journey? Check out our video blog, Genn & Mille and subscribe to our YouTube channel for conversations and activities around strengths, mentoring, and generational differences.

Comments

Strengths Activity: DBT House

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

Achiever: Fulfillment from Accomplishment

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

Strengths Activity-Strengths Collage

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

Strength Based Mentoring

Search This Blog