1. What are your top themes, and what are the patterns of behavior that result?
According to Gallup (2016), The Strengths-Based Leadership Guide reveals my top five
themes to be Achiever, Connectedness, Intellection, Deliberative, and Learner.
Achiever
Achievers instinctively strive to do things right and see shortcuts as unprincipled,
thoughtless, and careless. Typically refusing to produce sloppy work or to engage in unethical
practices, the chances are good that Achievers will put forth much effort and expend a lot of
energy whenever they work or study. Usually, Achievers question whether they could have
accomplished more than they did, thus, their restless drive to excel motivates them to be highly
productive each day.
Connectedness
Leaders who are connected with their teams encourage diversity and refrain from being
surrounded by people like themselves (Gallup, 2016). By welcoming all kinds of people into
their circle of friends, family, and acquaintances, they bond with individuals without expecting
them to conform to my way of thinking, working, or living. However, they hold tightly to their
core values because their values are the foundation of their internal moral compass. By nature,
these leaders accept individuals as they are, not as they wish them to become because they sense
a bond that exists among all people. This bond transcends race, religion, sex, creed, and
nationality, inextricably linking all of us together in an inexplicable way (Borek, Lovett, &
Towns, 2005, pp. 183-185).
Intellection
By nature, Intellections have an active mind and examine new ideas and unfamiliar points
of view. As a lifelong student they are their own best teachers (Gallup, 2016). Driven by their
talents, they greatly enjoy reading and are often found studying to acquire simple facts or to
deepen their understanding of a favorite topic. Because they tend to be well-read, Intellections
routinely enjoy dialogue with intelligent people to better understand the current state of affairs,
choosing to converse with individuals who are pursuing new ideas or other innovative insights.
Deliberative
Leaders identified as Deliberative generally feel good about the quality of their lives as
long as they get to choose the people whom they befriend (Gallup, 2016). They put much
thought into making each selection because they prefer to have a few close and trustworthy
friends rather than many acquaintances. Driven by their talents, Intellections only give
compliments when certain a person deserves recognition. Flattery is not their style; honesty and
sincerity are. Therefore, Intellections think long and hard before acknowledging someone’s
achievements or contributions. Working diligently to separate their private life from your public
life, Intellections are careful about what they say, intentionally avoiding discussions about their
personal problems, successes, finances, work, or history. Intellections customarily remain silent
rather than join conversations that involve the sharing of intimate or personal information,
generally trying to change the topic altogether. However, when those attempts are unsuccessful
they are likely to excuse themselves from those discussions (Gallup, 2016).
Learner
By nature, Learners are excited to discover new facts about historic events and key
people, commonly relying on experts who have conducted in-depth research on various periods
of history. Over a lifetime they have increased their knowledge by being kept in the information
loop, gravitating towards people who converse about ideas at a deeper and more thoughtful level
than most individuals are capable of doing (Gallup, 2016). Engaging in idle conversation seems
like a waste of time for Learners. Instinctively, they devote themselves to gaining knowledge and
acquiring skills and are happier with life when they have time to make more discoveries (Gallup,
2016). Traditionally, Learners bring an upbeat perspective to instruction, training, or tutoring,
regarding education as one of the essential elements of a well-lived life. As a rational thinker,
Learners exhibit good judgment and exercise sound reasoning.
2. How Do We Communicate?
Leaders begin communicating with their subordinates by establishing relationships as
they work alongside the subordinates, then bond with them through thire mutual experience
(Gallup, 2016). Because achieving goals is very important to leaders, they sometimes choose
people for their teams that they care the most about to accomplish projects. This demonstrates to
the team that each member is equal, thus inspiring feelings of trust and respect. By breaking
down projects into smaller, achievable goals, leaders communicate with their teams that they can
feel good about the way they approach work. This encourages the team to attempt massive
projects and gives each member confidence while validating their own approach to work (Rath
and Conchie, 2008, pp. 103-104).
Leaders frequently communicate with their teams through nonverbal ques by carefully
analyzing opinions (Gallup, 2016). They allows for verbal communication with team members
by giving honest feedback, hoping to help the team to avoid pitfalls and mistakes (Shallenberger,
2015, p. 185). Using this as a point of entry into deeper conversations about other parts of their
lives, leaders communicate their appreciation and admiration in a visible manner. This provides
stability in the relationships and demonstrates the leader’s desire to steer the team towards wise
choices (Rath & Conchie, p. 152).
While some subordinates may respect leaders for their intellect, others may not
communicate their views with clarity. As a result, leaders with good communication skills
encourage people to muse and reflect on their strengths and weaknesses (Gallup, 2016). The time
encouraged for introspection communicates that the leader desires the subordinate to bring the
most they can to relationships and opportunities, especially encouraging them to use their full
intellectual capital by engaging them in dialogue (Rath & Conchie, 2007, pp. 195-196).
Furthermore, leaders with this quality desires their subordinates to join with them in the learning
process since the shared experienced offers opportunities for personal growth and bonding (Rath
& Conchie, 2007, p. 199).
3. What Drives Us?
There are many elements that are beyond our control, but people who take shortcuts are
very unprincipled and have unethical approach to work and life. Sloppy work ends with sloppy
results so everyone should be motivated to accomplish more every day. The same amount of time
one devotes to poor behaviors creates bad habits that are hard to break (Gallup, 2016). However,
with discipline, anyone can set and achieve goals that can have significant payoffs throughout a
lifetime. People who make progress in their careers and life do so by having plans and dreams,
then set out with a plan to achieve those plans and dreams. Not only are they driven by
accomplishing their goals, they are motivated to do more when they accomplish goals that
accumulate towards a greater reward (Gallup, 2016).
For example, some students waste many of their college years because they fail to take
advantage of opportunities to learn new ideas and gain marketable skills. Witnessing their
failures has motivated this student to be committed to the long hours of study and research that
will eventually help him achieve his own plans and dreams. For example, milestones such as
earning a 4.0 GPA may not be important to some students, but every time I see my name on the
Dean’s List, it reminds me that there is a greater goal that I am working towards: graduating from
college with Summa Cum Laude honors. Because this is the goal I established when I began my
college career, I have worked very hard to achieve high levels of academic success which has
forced me to learn how to take time to do things well. While this does not explain what motivates
others, Kouzes and Posner (2007) believe that receiving rewards is an intrinsic motivational
factor for everyone (pp 172-174).
4. How Do we Set Direction and Make Decisions?
Leaders know how to make things happen by establishing short-term and long-term
goals, and will work tirelessly to get things done. By possessing the ability to make an idea a
reality, leaders influence their teams by selling their ideas. By speaking up and taking charge,
transformational leaders achieve large tasks by influencing the team, but not at the expense of the
team (Forman, Jones, & Miller, 2004, pp. 90-92). Teams are more than the sum of their parts and
each one works at his or her own individual pace. Because they are constantly absorbing and
analyzing information, effective leaders help the team make better decisions and work more
effectively. This has a direct and immediate impact that inspires behaviors that lead to greater
effectiveness (Shallenberger, 2015, pp. 142-144).
A team is also more than a group of individuals with similar strengths and backgrounds.
Each one possesses their own unique style and their contributions vary according to their
strengths and weaknesses. Since teamwork is essential for an organization to be productive and
succeed, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (2012) believe that extraordinary things happen
when leaders engage in the five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. They
Model the Way
Inspire a Shared Vision
Challenge the Process
Enable Others to Act
Encourage the Heart
Although the context of leadership varies, the fundamental behaviors and actions of leaders who
engage these principles have seen extraordinary things happen (p.15).
5. How Do we Overcome Obstacles?
Kouzes and Posner (2007) suggest that we audit our talking and listening behavior skills
as a means of overcoming obstacles (pp. 245-246). The authors feel that leaders should get into a
routine of asking more questions than giving information, then paraphrase what others have said
for clarification. It’s not the leader’s job to always give advice and win arguments, it is to pay
attention to what others want and need (2007, pp. 245-246). Leaders must learn that being
sensitive to others is no trivial skill; rather, it is a truly precious human skill that requires
receptiveness to other people and a willingness to listen. This is how we begin to overcome
obstacles.
Leaders should work to turn obstacles into motivation. Obstacles are opportunities that
we are given to challenges into successes (Kouzes and Posner, 2007, p. 2). By keeping the team
looking forward, physical and mental energies can be concentrated on what needs to be done
immediately as they work towards short-term and long-term goals (Gallup, 2016). This can
create new opportunities for leader and subordinates to further bond because it provides
opportunities for deeper collaboration. Simple facts deepen our understanding of others, and
unexpected challenges brings to surface evidence that makes the team aware of their strengths
and weaknesses. Through these kinds of earnest discussions, leaders and their teams overcome
obstacles.
6. How do we build and maintain relationships?
Confident and competent teams have solid relationships built on strong trust (Kouzes and
Posner, 2012, p. 21). F.E. Fiedler’s (1964) contingency theory of leadership proposes that the fit
between the favorableness of the leader’s situation determines the team’s effectiveness in work
accomplishment (pp. 101-102). This theory assumes that leaders are either task oriented or
relationship oriented, depending upon how the leaders obtain their primary need gratification.
Task oriented leaders are primarily gratified by accomplishing tasks and getting work done while
relationship-oriented leaders are primarily gratified by developing good, comfortable
interpersonal relationships (p. 103).
According to Fiedler, intergroup relationships are built or destroyed based on the fit
between the leader, the team, and the situation at hand. For example, relationship-oriented
leaders perform well in leading product development teams and can get new products out the
door faster. Because the situation has a positive task structure, a strong position of power, and the
leader-member relations are good, leaders are more effective and relationships are built and
maintained (Fiedler, 1965, pp. 115-117). However, if there is a misfit between the leader and the
team, it is unlikely that the team will be effective and will most likely have an undesired effect
and outcome. Leaders are unique in that they have unique strengths, but goals are always
dependent of the unique arrangement between the leader and the team (Rath and Conchie, 2008,
pp. 26-27). Essentially, these are some factors that determine the way leaders and their teams
build and maintain relationships.
7. How do you recognize each other and celebrate success?
Successful leaders understand that accomplishments are codependent upon their ability to
lead their team and the team’s willingness to follow the leader’s advice and directions. When
teams succeed in achieving goals it is most commonly the leader that receives recognition. Just
as public recognition or bonuses increases the leader’s sense of worth and improves his or her
performance, public celebrations of the team’s accomplishments contribute to the team’s well-
being According to Kouzes and Posner (2012), “celebrating together reinforces the fact that
extraordinary performance is the result of many people’s efforts. By visibly and publicly
celebrating people’s accomplishments, leaders create community and sustain team spirit (p. 326).
To encourage team performance, Kouzes and Posner recommends that leader get
personally involved to
Find and create occasions to bring people together.
Be sure to make connections to the fundamental principles when you explain why you are
holding a celebration.
Find out about people’s stories to discover what they are doing to make the organization
successful. Write them down in a journal to make sure you capture them.
Never pass up any opportunity to publicly relate true stories about how people in your
organization went above and beyond the call of duty.
Hallways, elevators, and cafeterias, in addition to meeting rooms, are all acceptable
venues for telling and posting good stories.
Make sure that people understand how they are “part of the whole” and that lots of others
are working to make them successful, even if they don’t know them. • Repeat this phrase
at every celebration: “We are in this together.”
Plan a festive celebration for even the smaller milestones that your team reaches. Don’t
wait until the whole project is completed before you celebrate.
Get personally involved in as many recognitions and celebrations as possible.
Have fun when you’re celebrating and laugh and enjoy yourself, along with others.
End each of your team meetings with a round of public praise (pp. 326-327).
Leadership does not simply involve establishing goals and working towards those goal; it
involves energy and enthusiasm, or synergy, which signals to everyone that their
contributions and efforts make a difference. In part, this is the way we, as leaders, recognize
each other and celebrate success.
References
Borek, John, Danny Lovett, & Elmer Towns (2005). The Good Book on Leadership. Nashville,
TN: B&H Publishing.
Fiedler, F.E. (1964). A Theory of Leader Effectiveness. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Fiedler, F.E. (1965) “engineering the Job to Fit the Manager.” Harvard Business Review, 43.
115-122.
Forman, Rowland, Jeff Jones, & Bruce Miller (2004). The Leadership Baton. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan.
Gallup (2016). Strengths-Based Leadership Report (Data file). Retrieved from
https://gx.gallup.com/services/pdf?v=pdfGeneration.prince.7.0.binPath
Kouzes, James M. & Barry Z. Posner (2007a). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Kouzes, James M., & Barry Z. Posner (2012b). The Leadership Challenge (5th ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Wiley Brand
Rath, Tom & Barry Conchie (2008). Strengths Based Leadership. New York, NY: Gallup Press.
Shallenberger, steven R. (2015). Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful
Leaders. New York, NY: McGraw Hill education.
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