Context: Learning to Love All 34 Talent Themes

On a previous Theme Thursday Season 1 live webcast, we discussed the Context theme with Gallup Learning Solutions Consultant Jerry Hansen.

Perspective and background are important for people with strong Context talents. They value the retrospective viewpoint because they believe that is where the answers lie. They look back to understand the present. From the past, they can discern blueprints for direction. And, counterintuitively, they become wiser about the future because they can see its seeds sown in the past.

Curt Liesveld, our beloved, late colleague and friend described Context as a "thinking theme," adding that, "it's one of the reasons people are smart." Curt explains that individuals with high Context like to understand the background of different situations, whether it is historic, cultural, personal or something else. Someone with prominent Context talents likes to have these details as they get to know someone or something.

Context is the 30th-most-frequently found theme in users' Top 5 among Gallup's CliftonStrengths database. In fact, only 9% of people who have completed the CliftonStrengths assessment have Context in their Top 5. The theme most likely paired with Context is Input, whereas the themes least likely to be paired with Context are Command, Significance and Focus.

Our guest, Jerry Hansen, says his Context talents make him an observational person. He can quickly recall stories from the past and he says he rarely needs directions to a location if he's been there before. Out of general curiosity, Jerry will often find himself feeding his Context by asking people where they are from, or even researching the lives of his own ancestors. He is always yearning to find the background of a situation no matter where he goes.

To learn more about Context and how Jerry uses it in his everyday life, watch the full video or listen to the audio above.

Jerry Hansen's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Maximizer, Context, Input, Learner and Achiever.