Understanding and Investing in Your Context Talent

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

Context is about comprehending the present by knowing the past. There is a value in being able to not miss things that have been relevant and important in the past, especially as you are thinking about how to move through the present and into the future.

If you are high in Context, you create safety by ensuring that mistakes are not repeated. You can promote inclusivity by understanding individual and group histories. When Context is at its best those high in it are well informed. They are prepared for anything. They can calmly reference what they know when faced with a problem. It is helpful to show the path that lead to where you are today, and explore the steps on how you got there.

Raise your hand for the opportunity to help people understand what they're currently a part of. Help them understand who came before them, and what stories led us to where we are today. Set the scene for where you are based on what you've been doing. Context brings the amazing ability to show where you've been, and give a glimpse into what could happen next.

Ask for the history even if other people don't think there is a history. Ask for a strengths-based understanding of history. Ask for the most important failure. Ask for the most important success. You can hear from these questions that they're all looking backwards, but doing it in a supportive way that garners excitement for the future. Look for other ways to read history. Worry less about being creative on your own. Look for advisors you can go to in order to inform you on where they've been.

Expect some curiosity from people high in Context on where you've been before, not just what you're doing today. If you don't have high Context this can appear as resistance, but for people high in Context it is just showing that they care. Context isn't looking for risk, it isn't necessarily looking for a plan, it is looking for historical understanding. Context is telling stories for the reason of doing the right thing. People high in this theme aren't just great story tellers, they are great story listeners.

Recognize the roots that they provide for thought. When they can get their understanding of history in a place that other people can digest it creates a solid understanding that opens up others' minds for creativity. Context creates a lot of great roots that allows things to happen that wouldn't otherwise be credible. Recognize someone by looking at their own history. Look at now just where they are, but where they've come from.

Give someone with Context the chance to practice sharing what they know to get into others' heads. Context doesn't need an audience, but it can benefit from having one. Give them information, and then help them sort. Guide them through all of the details, and let them navigate you towards the points that are standing out.

To partner with someone with Context, share some personal history. They are going to know you better if they can know where you've been. Tell them what pieces of history help you move forward. Help them realize what pieces are relevant to improving your own performance.

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

• Find a local totem that has helped define the folklore of your community.
• Find someone who has been working on your team the longest, and ask them about what daily life was like for them when they first started.

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

• Storyboard your personal history.
• What gives you confidence in your decisions?