Understanding and Investing in Your Self-Assurance Talent

In this Theme Thursday Season 4 webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Self-Assurance.

The Influencing theme of Self-Assurance describes an instinctive awareness of ability. People who lead with this theme tend to know what they bring to the table, and confidently bring just that. They trust themselves as a resource, and know of the boundaries to their own mastery. This theme is about internal decision making, trusting their gut and intuition.

If you lead with Self-Assurance, you're at your best when establishing and furthering trust, thanks to your certainty and confidence. You bring weight and influence to topics others may doubt. At your best, you're calm and stable, because you place your trust in your own self, not in something that could waver or change. External factors might be more dynamic or unpredictable, but your direction doesn't' rely on those.

Raise your hand for work that you are certain aligns with your own abilities and talents. Look for where your interests, skills, and mission merge together. You'll always be stronger where you feel you have an amount of ability rather than just a curiosity or enjoyment. That being said, your best way of learning new skills is to pay attention to space where you already have some awareness. Be brave and gather more skills to lead you toward mastery, building upon what you know you can confidently offer to others. You're at your best when you rely on yourself, when your inner resource and direction is needed.

To curate the best environment for your talent, ask for which rules cannot be broken, and perhaps for someone to clue you in when you're stepping too close to them. With that conversation behind you, you can proceed with greater independence, and perhaps more certainty. Ask about what goals other people have. This will help you know where you can rely on others' mastery. You have the instinctive ability to know yourself, and also to resource expertly to the best in others.

You might not respond quickly to external needs, because you're led by internal stability, your own gut. This might mean you're not as sensitive to emotions of others that could otherwise change the course of action. It may also mean you're not as excited about knowledge or discoveries that create external points of understanding. Worry less about being naturally in tune to these, and instead find complementary partners who you can trust to inform you when it matters.

Working with people who have high Self-Assurance, you can expect certainty. They may not always know the answer, but they likely believe in themselves as the best resource to finding a solution. Expect a willingness to try, even without first doing research or mastering something new. This could be seen as a higher tolerance for risk, perhaps because they are less worried about external variables, knowing they can rely on themselves to solve any potential problems.

Recognize and celebrate when they have done something well that would have scared or slowed down other people. Their ability to boldly go in the direction that intimidates others makes them an outstanding individual contributor, and a brave leader.

To stretch and challenge someone with high Self-Assurance, challenge them. Invite them to firm up their stance on issues or ideas through debate and safe conversation. Help them translate their intuition in to statements and action. Consider positioning them in situations where there is not already a defined rule-book, because they are at their best when they get to call the shots. They thrive when they can make decisions.

Partner with someone with high Self-Assurance by asking for their guidance. If appropriate, you could present them with options and tap into their intuition to find the best path forward. Share what you're certain of. This helps them understand how you can be better partners -- what are the topics, relationships, or times you want the baton and can be excellent?

If Self-Assurance is one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:

• Collaborating with Others: Consider the most important goal you will achieve in the next year. Name one person you're certain will help you accomplish this faster or more effectively.
• Nexting Your Intuition: What's something you've always been interested in? Interview an expert who can tell you more about this.
• Lend your Self-Assurance: What cause, person, or idea needs your platform? Lend your voice by speaking on behalf of someone.

If Self-Assurance is not one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week through the following challenge items:

• *Could be for everyone*: Name the value you're certain you bring. Your Signature themes are a clue. What can we always count on you to be/do/know/say?
• You may be more interdependent than independent. When it comes to choosing a course of action, who are your best thought partners? Get feedback from one of them on an important goal you have.