Strength Based Mentoring

People exceptionally talented in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.    CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Christian Warneke. Christian has been a mentor in the Omaha Catholic chapter since fall of 2014. He has been a strengths-based mentor since 2016. His top 5 are Restorative, Positivity, Woo, Individualization, and Includer. Here’s what Restorative looks like for Christian: Four words and funny YouTube videos. Sometimes four words, maybe even fewer, or a quick YouTube video, are all you need to change someone’s day. We’ll get to this later. A favorite quote and life motto, of sorts, I’ve followed for the last decade come from Sir James M. Barrie, the playwright who brought Peter Pan to life. “Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves,” he said. This is what Restorative means to me: doing what I can to improve peopl...

People exceptionally talented in the Includer theme accept others. They show awareness of those who feel left out and make an effort to include them. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Cindy Borland. Cindy has been mentoring in Cambridge, Nebraska since 2014. Last fall, she became the Program Coordinator of the chapter. Her top five strengths are Includer, Harmony, Arranger, Positivity, and Developer. Here’s what Includer looks like for Cindy: I would define the Includer strength as ability to bring others together, so everyone can feel part of a group-stretching the circle wider. This strength understands that judgement hurts people and that acceptance is a way to bring others together and raise awareness that no one should be ignored or left out.  In my day to day life, I use the strength Includer at my work and at home.   After I found out that Includer was by top strength, I understood the need that I have had throughout my life to ensu...

People exceptionally talented in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Jay Wright. Jay has worn may hats in TeamMates, including Mentor, Program Coordinator for Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools in Sioux City, Iowa, and most recently, as Regional Coordinator for the Eastern region. His top five strengths are Context, Achiever, Developer, Includer, and Learner. Here’s what Context looks like for Jay: I can still remember when I fell in love with history.  We were driving to the 1982 Peach Bowl to watch our beloved Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Atlanta.  (Relive the Hawkeye win here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujQQ96qV3U4 ).  The Hawkeye win is not the moral of the story however.  For me, the highlight of the trip was the stop at Chattanooga to see the Civil War battlefield which was, for 6 year old me, life ...

People exceptionally talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Beth Roberts. Beth is the Regional Manager as well as the Regional Coordinator for the central region of our organization. Beth’s top 5 Strengths are Empathy, Woo, Developer, Includer, and Communication. Here is what Communication looks like for Beth:                 Award-winning film composer John Powell states “people may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.”  I love this updated language of “actions speak louder than words.”  Communication is one of my top five strengths and one that I use everywhere I am.             Communication is simple how I convey my own thoughts, ideas, and beliefs to the world. ...

People exceptionally talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Sue Kennedy. Sue is the Regional Coordinator for the northern region of our organization. Sue’s top 5 Strengths are Positivity, Includer, Woo, Arranger, and Futuristic. Here is what Arranger looks like for Sue:                 The executing theme of ARRANGER is number four of my top five.  Before learning more about ARRANGER I really thought this theme was COMPETITION.   At my best when dealing with multiple things , and living in the moment, is when I’m most productive! As a child growing up on a ranch I worked along side my Dad who had an incredibly GREAT work ethic.  There was a driving force when...

People exceptionally talented in the Includer theme accept others. They show awareness of those who feel left out and make an effort to include them. Clifton StrengthsFinder People who have high Includer have a sixth sense for exclusion. They naturally can see and feel when someone is not included; even if someone is sitting in a circle, they can tell if that person feels included or not. This talent doesn’t just come with the ability to feel exclusion, but also have the need to eradicate it. Includers take action when they see this happening, so that everyone they encounter feels like they are a person know is known and seen. They naturally want to expand the horizons of what others may deem a “group.” They constantly want to make their circle larger by bringing more people in, not for the purpose of more connections, but to avoid exclusivity. As we know, often times a certain strength can be confused with another when observing a person due to the similar output of t...