Strength Based Mentoring

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 tha...

People exceptionally talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. The process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Tess Starman. Tess first became involved with TeamMates as an intern with the Central Office in 2015, and she is now the Research Specialist. She has been mentoring in the Omaha Public Schools chapter for 2 years. Her top five strengths are Context, Adaptability, Strategic, Learner, and Individualization. Here’s what Learner looks like for Tess: My Learner looks like a craving to know more. I like to say that my best friend is Google. My mind naturally gets curious about many topics. When I don’t know something, whether it is a cultural reference in a movie, a question posed by a friend, or a person quoted in an article, I instinctively look it up. I find my search for answers never ends; one Google search leads to more curiosity, which leads to ...

People exceptionally talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Darynn Ruiz. Darynn has been a mentor, and currently serves on the Sidney, Iowa TeamMates Board. Her top five strengths are Input, Learner, Discipline, Intellection, and Individualization. Here’s what Intellection looks like for Darynn: A few weeks ago, I asked a gentleman on my team what he was thinking.  His response still baffles me: “Nothing. I literally wasn’t thinking about anything.”  The idea of not thinking remains a completely foreign concept to me.  Intellection NEVER stops actively thinking, not even for a second.  Ever.  My mind is always working, thinking, processing.  Whatever the scenario, you can be sure that I have spent a lot of time examining every detail and possibility before I take action.  S...

People exceptionally talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Teri Nieveen. Teri has been involved in TeamMates of Freeman in a variety of roles. She has been a mentor since 2014, served on the board of directors, and became the assistant coordinator in 2015. Her top five strengths are Achiever, Learner, Individualization, Belief, and Developer. Here’s what Individualization looks like for Teri: My top 5 strengths are Achiever, Learner, Belief, Individualization, and Developer.  As I reflect on my strengths, I easily see my achiever as it is what drives me. I love to research and read about new things, a learner. My belief, my Christian faith, guides me in life.  I love the individualization and developer strengths; they have made me the teacher I am.  I s...

People exceptionally talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.  CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Tony Jensen. As the FFA Advisor at Freeman Public Schools, Tony has been collaborating with TeamMates on strengths implementation for years. In fall of 2016, Tony became a TeamMates mentor himself. His top five strengths are Futuristic, Learner, Harmony, Relator, and Discipline. Here’s what Harmony looks like for Tony: My top 5 strengths are Futuristic, Learner, Harmony, Relator, and Discipline.  For me, Harmony was the one strength from the StrengthsFinder that I didn't realize was a strength until I got my results.  Once I read the description and dug deeper into the meaning of the strength, I learned that Harmony allows me to be a peacekeeper and a consensus builder.  I come into contact with a variety of people every day and seeing them happy and content is importan...

People exceptionally talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the connections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is DeMoine Adams. In 2012, DeMoine came on staff with TeamMates, launching our Post-Secondary program, TeamMates+. Last year, he became TeamMates’ Program Director. In addition to being a staff member, DeMoine has also been a mentor in both Lincoln Public Schools and Gretna Public Schools. His top five strengths are Achiever, Focus, Discipline, Leaner, Strategic. Here’s what Focus looks like for DeMoine: My Focus puts me in a zone where I can channel all of my energy into something and tune everything else out.  It allows me to boost my number one Strength which is Achiever, while complementing my number three Strength which is Discipline. I have a lot of hats to wear in my position with the TeamMates Mentoring Program – from projects and never-ending e...

People exceptionally talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Audrey Watson. Audrey  works for TeamMates of Lincoln Public Schools, where she serves as a Project Specialist. Her top 5 Strengths are Discipline, Positivity, Achiever, Learner, and Responsibility. Here is what Discipline looks like for Audrey: Many of the people I know would be shocked that I am not choosing to write about positivity in this blog.  My top Strength is actually Discipline and I strongly believe that this strength describes me very well and I feel that I confidently name and claim it, but as with my other four strengths, I’m still working on aiming it. “People exceptionally talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure.  Their world is best described by the order they create.”  This is a strength of mine that I absolutely love bec...

People exceptionally talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from evidence of progress.   CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Stephanie Horner. Stephanie joined our TeamMates Team as a Screening Specialist in the Central Office in September of this year. In November, she began her mentoring journey with a 4 th grader in the Omaha Catholic chapter. Her top five strengths are Empathy, Ideation, Developer, Learner, and Positivity. Here’s what Developer looks like for Stephanie: I would define the Developer strength as the ability to highlight, encourage, and rejoice in the gifts of others. Essentially, this strength focuses on seeing the potential in others, honing their specific gifts and talents, and cheering for every progression in development toward their full potential. In my day-to-day life, my Developer strength is most evident in my ...

People exceptionally talented in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decision or choices. They anticipate obstacles. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Janae Solomon. Janae has been a mentor since 2015 and last year took on the awesome challenge of serving as the Program Coordinator for TeamMates of McCook, Nebraska. Her top five strengths are Learner, Deliberative, Individualization, Input, and Developer. Here’s what Deliberative looks like for Janae: When I took the Strengths survey through TeamMates a year and a half ago, Ally warned us that there might be a strength we or our mentees would have a hard time taking ownership of because it had been previously been a label or a perceived flaw. That was Deliberative for me. When that came out as my number two strength, I thought “Yeah, I overthink things and take too long to make decisions. How is that a strength?” Thankfully, because of Ally and Tess’s strength...

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 Connectedness theme have faith in the links among things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has meaning. CliftonStrengths This week we have the opportunity to learn about the strength of Connectedness through the eyes of Maurie Deines. Maurie is the Co-Coordinator of TeamMates of Scotts Bluff County and is a mentor. Maurie leads with Connectedness, Belief, Responsibility, Learner, and Arranger. Here’s what Connectedness looks like for Maurie : I lead with “Connectedness”.  My second strength is “Belief”.  I think that both of those strengths work well together.  Gallup states that “people with Connectedness believe that there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason”.  Although “Connectedness” is my lead strength, it is undergirded by my “Belief” which is my foundation. Connectedness to me means that I often use relationships between people to benefit th...

People exceptionally talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Brian Klintworth. Brian is a mentor in Lincoln Public Schools. He also gives his time and expertise as a trainer for financial literacy mentor academies. Brian’s top 5 Strengths are Achiever, Discipline, Learner, Analytical, and Relator. Here is what Analytical looks like for Brian: I want you to think back to when you were in middle or high school and you gave thought to what you wanted to be when you “grew up”.  And then, I want you to compare what you wanted to be back then to what you are now.  My guess is that the career path that you ended up choosing is somewhat different.  As you got older, you found a better way to hone your strengths and determine what you were best suited to.  When I got asked in middle school what I want...

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. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Mallory Gregory. Mallory is the co-coordinator for the TeamMates program in Waverly, Nebraska. Her top 5 Strengths are Achiever, Relator, Learner, Responsibility, and Belief. Here is what Achiever looks like for Mallory:  "Mrs. Gregory, if you were an animal, what would you be?"  What a fun question to think about.  A senior student of mine asked me this exact question at the start of this school year.  I replied and said, "Well, I would love to be an eagle because it would be so cool to soar and see the beauty of our country from above."  My student immediately replied, "Well that's an interesting thought but I think you would be a golden retriever.  You talk a lot, your loud with a lot of excitement...a lot like a loud yi...