How to Improve Your Wellbeing With Analytical®

Below are audio and video plus a transcript of the conversation, including time stamps.

Your CliftonStrengths^® can empower the 5 elements of your wellbeing -- career, social, financial, community and physical. But how does this happen if you are struggling in one or more of these elements? If you have Analytical, Appendix 1 of Gallup's Wellbeing at Work book has Strengths Insights and Action Items that can move you from struggling to thriving as you apply your Analytical talent to fuel your wellbeing. Join Jaclynn Robinson and Jim Collison on this CliftonStrengths Podcast to discover how.

[People with Analytical] tend to find enjoyment in getting into the details and can create simplicity out of complexity. That really is the power and edge that they bring to the table.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:19

If this person [with Analytical] is a manager or leading a team, when employees are in that heightened emotional state for whatever reason, they're really good at bringing stability.

Jaclynn Robinson, 6:38

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and welcome to the CliftonStrengths podcast. On this podcast, we'll be covering topics such as wellbeing, teamwork, professional development and more. Now enjoy this episode.

Jim Collison 0:10
In this CliftonStrengths podcast, we'll look at the Strengths Insight and Action Planning Items from Appendix 1 in the Gallup book Wellbeing at Work one theme at a time, and today's theme is Analytical. If you're listening live, we'd love to have you join us in the chat room, just a link right above me. It'll there take you to YouTube. Sign into the chat room. And if you have questions after the fact, you can always send us an, an email: coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as a Gallup Learning and Development Consultant and was the primary contributor to Appendix 1 in the Wellbeing at Work book. Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:46
Pleasure, sir! Thank you.

What's the definition of Analytical?

Jim Collison 0:47
Let's dive into Analytical. I could use some work on this one. What does it mean to be, what does it mean to be Analytical?

Jaclynn Robinson 0:55
Oh, well, for our Analytical folks, they tend to search for reasons and causes and, you know, consider all factors that might impact the situation. They're really practical and prefer the realities of life over the mysteries of life. That's how I would interpret our Analytical folks.

Jim Collison 1:10
It's a super, it's a superpower I don't understand. Let's talk about how it relates to the individual and then how does it relate to others?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:17
So as an individual, they tend to find enjoyment in, you know, getting into the details and can create simplicity out of complexity. That really is the power and edge that they bring to the table. And they probably get a lot of energy from reviewing information and, you know, whether it's facts, data, resources, verbatims that offer insight into personal or professional endeavors or interests. From the "How it relates to others perspective," you know, I see someone high in Analytical as being very adept at helping people consider all sides of the equation. And, you know, they're really good at playing devil's advocate and ensuring there's reliable information to support the project, the initiative or the responsibility that's being discussed at hand.

How does Analytical look when it's thriving versus struggling?

Jim Collison 2:01
It's a theme that I've really learned to trust for my own benefit. So early on, seeking out people, it's, I think, sometimes folks like us, when we look at folks with high Analytical, we go, "Oh, they're gonna think about it; it's gonna slow things down. They're gonna pick, they're gonna poke holes in it." It's actually become really, really helpful as we think about how it relates to others. I kind of crave it now, when I'm doing some things and I find someone with high Analytical, to say, "Can you help me think through this?" And so it's just been a, it's been, it's one I've really kind of learned to appreciate and use often. So if you're in the community, and you have high Analytical, I do love to hear from you. Let's just, let's just put it that way. As we look at this theme of Analytical in its thriving versus struggling, what do we see there?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:54
If they're thriving, it's, you know, they feel like that reliable source or conduit to themselves or others. This person might have the information they need readily available. And as a result, they can make well-thought-out and timely decisions. But when they're struggling, I think it's almost the opposite. So without that relevant information, the decision-making and the execution of tasks can become really hindered. And that could lead to frustration or impatience that not only affects them, but the team. And the team or others around them can see them as being, you know, overly critical or even demanding.

Jim Collison 3:30
Yeah, and, and on a team, I think the awareness of it is key in this -- like, like any of them, right, it's key in that. Let's talk a little bit about, in each, in the, in the, in Appendix 1, we break that down by the 5 categories in wellbeing. You've got one picked for us; walk us through that.

Jaclynn Robinson 3:48
I'm thinking social wellbeing for this one. So from a social standpoint, a game that involves strategy allows this person to connect with friends and family while simultaneously feeding their enjoyment of fact, knowledge and problem-solving.

Jim Collison 4:02
What is that? What do you think that looks like from a practical standpoint? Just put those words, put some, put some, you know, put some flesh on that, on those bones.

Jaclynn Robinson 4:11
Yeah, I think about it as game nights, just planning a game night, whether it's every Saturday or every other Friday, whether it's with friends or family. But I think those that have Analytical high, being able to play a game that involves trivia or I think about a game like Splendor, where you're, where you have to really think about your play but also the next person's play, is a way to just feel like you can have that social wellbeing piece but also be feeding your desire for, you know, analytics or insights or kind of getting into the weeds and going, OK, Have I been looking at it from all angles so that I can win this next game?

Jim Collison 4:54
Yeah, mind blown a little bit on that one. I'd never put the two together of a game night, someone high in that. I always think of it in terms of figuring out problems at work. And this is, man, this is so great, again, looking at through this framework of wellbeing of thinking like, no. Games have, have Analytical processes in them -- maybe sometimes the more difficult, the better, right, in that, and, and providing those. I'll be honest, at the end of a day, I don't want to think -- because I don't have it high -- I don't think through that stuff. So having someone else think it through with me or doing some of those kinds of things can be kind of beneficial. Anything else you want to add to that idea or that -- I love that -- to that concept?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:35
Yeah, I know. Some, we, I think it's natural to go to that place of if they have Analytical high, maybe they're fun killers. Like, let's just talk data and information. But there is a way to really feel energized off site or, you know, outside of the workplace. And that's one way you can just look at all angles, the minute you do something that's about trivia or insights or, or strategy. And sometimes we'll even think about someone that leads with Strategic, but those high in Analytical would get a lot of excitement out of doing something like that too.

For those with Analytical, how can it be used to support others?

Jim Collison 6:09
Maybe even great in the financial wellbeing area, when we think about thinking the, thinking through some of those scenarios as well. We, we have 4 other elements in there -- speaking of that, we have 4 other elements with some, some tips in there as we, as we go through that there in Appendix 1. And we'd encourage you to use that as a tool with others as you're walking that through. So with Analytical -- and again, this is my favorite part; it's quickly becoming my favorite part, as we dig through this -- How can we use it to help support others?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:38
So if this person is a manager or leading a team, when employees are in that heightened emotional state for whatever reason, they're really good at bringing stability. By helping employees start to assess the situation through facts and reason, they can kind of ground the emotional state and bring in that pragmatic or practical state. And then from there, a new plan can be created. If they're on a team, and they're just thinking colleague to colleague, they can help people by considering all angles of a work project, just to ensure that all the bases are covered.

Jaclynn Robinson 7:10
So for example, what data is present -- might be a question they're asking or, you know, are the articles that are being referenced, are they peer reviewed? If it's a design, you know, has that design been tested? So they're going to be that person that can help really play devil's advocate and just poke holes for a reason, just to make sure that that, that person feels that they're on solid ground moving forward. And then as I think about them from an individual perspective, because they gather facts and information, they tend to be pretty confident in their decision-making. And they're known as being credible, valued individuals in the workplace.

Jim Collison 7:49
I so like that, as we think about taking that and focusing it on others. And I love that idea of, of helping people think through things, right. I mean, sometimes, we haven't always thought that through -- that's been said a lot about me. "Did you think that all the way through?" Yeah, maybe not. No, I've maybe haven't even thought about the way I was gonna start it; I just started it, right. And so I love, I love that. Do me a favor, as we think about it from an individual standpoint, because I often, I often think we don't, how does -- from a wellbeing perspective, what do you think an individual thinking about their own wellbeing, How can they use that to support themselves, do you think? I mean, where does that, where can, where can that kind of jump in to, to help themselves? Because I think they're, they're almost, we almost always think about it helping others or helping teams. But how might that help themselves?

Jaclynn Robinson 8:50
You know, I think because they're really good at drilling down into the details, if something feels "off" for them in their life, they just, there's this gut feeling, "Something feels off." Maybe just covering their own bases and looking at everything that they have on their plate, Where am I still missing information or data that's going to help me feel more confident? Some of that anxiety or inner turmoil or conflict might come from needing information. And maybe if they take a moment, and let's just say they're going through their own chaotic environment. If they take that pause and just go, OK, let me look at everything I have. Financially, am I doing OK? Socially, do I need more information there? Careerwise, I've got a lot of projects, do I have what I need? That could help them feel more comfortable and confident moving forward.

Jim Collison 9:36
I like that. I like that. I like those thoughts. In Appendix, in Appendix 2, we've got a framework. We've kind of built a framework to work our way through this -- a couple, couple questions and then some action items. When we think about this in terms, can, can you kind of walk us through that framework?

Jaclynn Robinson 9:54
So first question is to Ask Yourself. So "How do I show the people most important to me that I care about them?" Sometimes, if there's a lot of practicality, the barrier label we sometimes think about with, you know, Analytical as being too critical or covering the bases. But "How do I take a pause and, and just make sure that people know that I appreciate them?" I think is a good question that someone high in Analytical can ask. "How do I show the people most important to me that I care?"

Jaclynn Robinson 10:25
Ask Your Team Members is our second question that we have in Appendix 2. So maybe a question is, "How does the work we do every day have an impact on our communities?" I think about that one, because mission and purpose has been so high for people in the workplace. And someone high in Analytical can really help people think about that and asking that question, "How are we impacting our communities?" Do they have the data and the facts or the resources that they can then bring and, you know, share with the team that helps them connect the dots of "Oh, this is what we're doing. And this is that impact that we're creating."

Jaclynn Robinson 11:02
And then we have our third element, that's, that's -- or I shouldn't even say element -- we have our third piece of information that's in Appendix 2. And that is Take Action. So "Share individual goals so team members can provide support and encouragement." You can help people think about how to measure those goals if you have Analytical high.

Jim Collison 11:24
I like, in that action item, I like it when, with folks with high Analytical -- and it usually can, sometimes it gets paired with Strategic, which is, which is even better -- when they tell me they're in that mode. Like, Hey, I've thought this out, or I, I've been through this before, and I thought it out before we did it. Right. Tell me that; let me know, right, from an Action Items standpoint, let me know you've done that in the past. I like it, because then I want to sit back and go, "Oh, OK. They've thought about this. Let me listen to what they really have to say."

Jim Collison 11:59
So I really think -- we've spent some time in Theme Thursday, when we talked about this, in coaching, we said, sometimes it's good to ask for permission when you're sharing something. "Can I -- I've got, I've got an opinion. Can I share that with you?" I think sometimes folks the high Analytical -- and by the way, all the themes, this is appropriate with, but just ask for permission. "You know, I've thought through this before. Can I share that with you?" instead of just spewing it out, right? And "OK, I've thought about this, and you're gonna listen." Let's just make sure that the other end wants to listen as well. Any other, any other thoughts before we wrap this up?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:36
I just think about them in this day and age as, you know, going back to any, maybe you're using Google Maps, maybe MapQuest -- whatever you use to look at maps -- I always think about Analytical as that street-level view, and what a difference they can make in the workplace. And if you have Analytical, what a difference you make to others around you. Especially when there's just a lot happening, they can help just create simplicity out of complexity. And so use that; lean into it. We appreciate it. And yeah, that's all I'd have to say.

Jim Collison 13:12
I love that, because the genius in thought is taking something complicated and making it easy. It's easy to take something and make it more complicated, right?

Jaclynn Robinson 13:22
Very much so.

Jim Collison 13:23
Very easy to do that.

Jaclynn Robinson 13:24
I think that's my talent; it's overcomplicating things.

Jim Collison 13:27
The genius in it is taking something very complex and making it easy. So, folks with high Analytical, thank you for your contribution that you do. You probably often don't get thanked for that, but thank you, for those listening with high Analytical. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of the CliftonStrengths Podcast. Make sure you like and subscribe wherever you listen, so you never miss an episode. And if you're really enjoying this podcast, please leave a review. This helps us promote strengths globally.

Jaclynn Robinson's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Achiever, Strategic, Maximizer, Positivity and Relator.

Gallup^®, CliftonStrengths^® and each of the 34 CliftonStrengths theme names are trademarks of Gallup. Copyright © 2000 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.