Spending More Time in Your "Appreciation Room" via Strengths

On a recent episode of Called to Coach, we hosted Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach Dallis Fontenot.

Dallis is a Corporate Development Manager with a medium-sized construction firm in Idaho that employs approximately 270 people. Dallis likes to say, "I build the people at my company, who then build things." Dallis always felt a yearning to counsel others and began to feed that need by fastidiously studying Strengths through Gallup books and videos. She took the leap in January of 2014 and became a Gallup-Certified Strengths coach. Dallis uses her coaching skills at work, at home and in her community. She has conducted over 15 Discover Your Strengths workshops in her area.

Dallis uses the strengths of team members to identify collective team assets and potential challenges. She also uses strengths to bring top leaders together even if their strengths appear to contradict one another. Dallis uses seemingly opposing strengths to build a stronger team of two. Dallis also focuses on the interplay between emotional maturity and maturity in one's strengths. She believes there is a connection between raw strengths and poor emotional intelligence, while mature strengths correspond to greater emotional intelligence.

Dallis also reminded listeners that everyone has two theoretical "rooms" -- an "appreciation room" and a "depreciation room." In the former, a person is reminded of all the good they have done and the traits people appreciate, while in the latter they are reminded of the bad things they have done and less admirable facets. Dallis said each room is true and authentic, but that every person needs to decide where they want to spend more time. Knowing and understanding one's strengths helps people live the majority of their lives in the appreciation room. Indeed, according to former Gallup scientist, Daniel Kahneman, each person needs at least five positive interactions to emotionally balance out one negative interaction. By spending most of one's time feeling appreciated by knowing and using one's strengths, a person achieves greater emotional health.

To learn more about Dallis and how she uses strengths to help people live happier, more productive lives, watch the full video or listen to the audio above.

Dallis Fontenot's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Activator, Positivity, Restorative, Ideation and Connectedness.