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 Responsibility theme take psychological ownership over what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.   CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Christy Scott. Christy Scott is a mentor and the Co-Coordinator of the TeamMates chapter of Waverly-District 145 in Nebraska. Her primary role in the district is as a High School Match teacher. Her top 5 strengths are Responsibility, Harmony, Communication, Relator, and Focus. Here’s what Responsibility looks like for Christy: When I wear my teacher, coach, or coordinator hat, my Responsibility drives me to create a plan, stay organized, and prioritize in order to get “it” done.     When I wear my mom, wife, or friend hat, being responsible makes me reliable and dependable to family and friends.   While I lead with Responsibility, it is usually never alone.   Communication and Focus help me to keep my Responsibil...

People exceptionally talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.   CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Dawn Stock. Dawn has been the Program Coordinator of TeamMates of Doniphan-Trumbull for the last three years. In addition, she has been mentoring since 2013, seeing her initial mentee through graduation and beyond.     Her top 5 strengths are Relator, Harmony, Responsibility, Adaptability, and Arranger. Here’s what Relator looks like for Dawn: One of the biggest struggles for me is speaking in front of a large group of people. I KNOW I can do it, but the build up makes me want to bolt.  However, if you put me in front of two or three people that are engaged, I thrive.  That’s what a “Relator” means to me.  It’s someone that enjoys the close, personal conversations with people in a one-to-one or small group setting.  It’...

People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Bob Arp. Bob’s TeamMates journey began in the fall of 2009 when he became a mentor in Columbus, NE. Less than a year later, he took on the awesome responsibility of Co-Coordinating the chapter. His top five strengths are Ideation, Strategic, Achiever, Responsibility, and Adaptability. Here’s what Ideation looks like for Bob: Do you know someone that seems to have a knack for coming up with that out-of-the blue, crazy and exciting idea?  Maybe that someone is you.  Well, I have been told many times over the years that this describes me.  I never thought of it as a big deal.  But I must admit that there have been many times when I have even surprised myself with a think-outside-the-box suggestion or solution.  As a youth, our church youth group w...

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 Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat everyone with equality by setting up clear rules and adhering to them. CliftonStrengths This week our guest blogger is Cathy Hanna. Cathy is the co-coordinator for the TeamMates program at Chase County Schools in Imperial, Nebraska. Her top five strengths are Responsibility, Deliberative, Consistency, Discipline, and Harmony. Here’s what Consistency looks like for Cathy: I am in my third year as Elementary School Counselor and as co-coordinator for our Chase County TeamMates Chapter.  I went to the Strengths Training this last summer so I am in the beginning stages of Strengths spotting.  We introduced Strengths to our mentors in September and to our mentees in November and have had great feedback from those who have been trained.   Consistency is my number three strength and defined by Gallup as being keenly aware o...

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 Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their lives. CliftonStrengths This week, our guest blogger is Annette Woodhead. Annette is the Regional Coordinator for the Western Region (or as she likes to say, “the Wild West”) of TeamMates Mentoring Program. Her top 5 Strengths are Responsibility, Belief, Developer, Positivity, and Achiever. Here is what Belief looks like for Annette: If you possess a strong Belief theme, then you have certain core values that are enduring.  Typically, this belief theme causes a person to be family oriented, relationship oriented, and even spiritual and provides direction to your life.  It also demands that you find work that is meaningful and matters to you….. a purpose. I don’t think until I discovered my “strengths” through TeamMates, several years ago, did I understand how I was wired, how God made me uniquely.  I a...

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...

People exceptionally talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. Clifton StrengthsFinder People with high Responsibility have a strong sense of ownership over the tasks that are given to them. If some duty is assigned to them, the will 100% follow-through with it. As a result, these individuals are seen as very dependable and trustworthy. They will do everything in their power to bring a task or project to completion. If they are not the ones to see it through the end, they check in with the person who is going to finish it to ensure it comes to completion. Therefore, people will naturally look to these individuals when they have things to delegate, because they know those with Responsibility will finish what they start. The internal motivation for this follow through is not to complete projects, like it is for someone with Achiever, but rather, it is b...