How to Improve Your Wellbeing With Significance®

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 Significance, 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 Significance talent to fuel your wellbeing. Join Jaclynn Robinson and Jim Collison on this CliftonStrengths Podcast to discover how.

You are at your best when doing high-visibility, high-impact work with a team of people contributing to the cause.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:23

[People with Significance] have a calling ... to be a champion for recognition. We definitely need it. Amazing things happen when organizations get recognition right.

Jim Collison, 8:25

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 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 Significance. If you're listening live on our live page -- gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/live; that's our live page -- there's a link right above me here that'll take you to the YouTube instance. Love to have you log into our chat room. We'll be taking questions a little bit later. Or if you have questions after the fact, you can always send us 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. And Jaclynn, always great to see you, and welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:10
Thank you. Hello!

What's the definition of Significance?

Jim Collison 0:15
We are spending some time talking about Significance. Why don't you read that definition for us.

Jaclynn Robinson 0:59
All right. So the Significance theme -- once, those with Significance want to make a big impact. They're independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have on their organization or the people around them.

Jim Collison 1:13
Big thinkers in this case -- and big doers, oftentimes. Yeah, big impact, love it. How does that relate to you? And then maybe how does that relate to others?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:22
How it relates to you: Well, you are at your best when doing high-visibility, high-impact work with a team of people contributing to the cause. How it relates to others: Others you work with know what they're doing and the value it is bringing to the team, department, customers or even community. Really good at just letting people know what they're doing that's creating impact. And that's what people want. We're seeing that more and more, if we just even bring in what the workforce research is telling us. People want to feel connected to the mission and the purpose.

How does Significance look when it's thriving vs. struggling?

Jim Collison 1:53
Yeah, no, that has become a big element just here in the last, in the last few years, thinking about that. This is also one I think I get -- a lot of people ask me if I have. Because a lot of what I do here, you know, with the webcasts, looks like it. I think it's more Woo than, more Woo-Communication than anything, but I do get people to ask me about it. So maybe I'll learn some things from it here today and will be able to explain a little bit better. When we look at it from a wellbeing context, Significance: What does it look like when it's, when it's thriving? And maybe what does it look like when it's struggling?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:30
So thriving, I think of thriving as when this person's working alongside credible, influential people who are also dedicated to seeing the vision come to fruition or the initiative come to completion, knowing that it is driving change for the positive. Struggling is when working in a more solitary environment where the work being accomplished goes unnoticed, and the impact being made feels pretty subpar. Sometimes this might even result from the leadership team and their misdirected focus on items that won't or don't create lasting impact or positive change. That can be a real struggle.

Jim Collison 3:07
When hands are tied, when it doesn't -- the, I think this is one where, when, when there's no hope of those things coming, it can be hard. Again, that can relate to any one of these themes, but we're thinking about big impact, we're thinking about, and that, I think sometimes a big impact doesn't always necessarily need to be in size of employees or in value of an organization. I think that big impact can exist in a single other human being, from that standpoint of having that change agent, so to speak, for it. We have some best practices there -- in Appendix 1, we got some best practices for this. When we think about it in terms of wellbeing, you've picked one of the wellbeing elements to match with Significance. Talk a little bit about that.

Jaclynn Robinson 3:55
I did. And I, I am calling an audible on this one. I did financial wellbeing, but I really liked the original draft that I put forth. So that's what I'm gonna read for you. So with financial wellbeing, this person's financial motivations might be about creating financial stability for their family and next of kin. So they may want more information about creating a trust, setting up a college fund for their children, or passing down those familial antiquities to those near and dear to them. What you'll find in the book -- and this is, this is also true, but I wanted to, I really wanted to make sure we touched on that aspect -- some with Significance might want to show that they're financially secure. And so they're spending more than the budget might allow for, and that's where it's helpful to kind of dial it back and say, Where is my money best invested? So you'll see something closer to that in the book, but I wanted to go with my original edit.

Jim Collison 4:53
Yeah, I like your original. I like your edits on that. We'll say a live edit today. In the sense that, you know, oftentimes, I mean, I think with financial wellbeing, a lot of people struggle with it. And it's kind of, it can be a real drag on their wellbeing, right -- besides career wellbeing, which we know can have the biggest impact, I think financial comes or can come in in a close second. And so someone who can help others with their finances making, like, saying, "Come be a part of something bigger," or "Here are some things you can do to be a part of something bigger." I mean, don't you think that can, that can play into that as well?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:34
Yes, for sure.

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

Jim Collison 5:38
There are 4 other elements in the back of the book as well that Jaclynn has pinned, available for you to use in your coaching or for yourself in your organizations. Again, Appendix 1, Wellbeing at Work. So Jaclynn, with this in mind, how can we use, or how can this be used -- again, sometimes we think of this theme in the term of "me." How can we, let's talk a little bit more about how it can be used as "we," as it's used to support others.

Jaclynn Robinson 6:06
Yeah, so if you're a manager or you're leading a team, it can be used to help team members or colleagues understand the impact the role is making on the larger goal or initiative. If you're on a team, since feedback and/or recognition helps you identify whether you're making positive progress or not, you also tend to be really good at giving feedback and recognition. And this helps others feel valued for their efforts that they're putting forth; it makes them feel seen as well. And then as an individual, you, you are adept at sorting the responsibilities in your life, based on what is high value or impact. So remaining cognizant of that fact, I think will help you sort through what's a high-priority, high- impact responsibility from those more mundane or trivial responsibilities. And you have to remember, there's some things that you just have to do. It's just a part of life; it's a part of the role. But I think Significance can be a really good sorting theme, when you have a lot on your plate, to say, What is going to give me the most value and the team the most value or my family the most value? And start to kind of eliminate some other things from there.

Jim Collison 7:12
You know, I kind of heard you just say its, its superpower is recognition. Like, that's kind of, can you, I mean, I guess I hadn't really thought about that that much. We kind of think sometimes in this, this, these Individualization or Woo being, you know, being able to celebrate people. I never really thought of Significance. Can you, would you dig in a little bit more on that? And, because I think there's something there that I don't maybe see being used enough.

Jaclynn Robinson 7:39
I don't think so either. And they're really good at it -- those that have it. Because it's so top of mind, they recognize how feedback and recognition helps them know if they're on the right path to whatever that impact or goal is they want to make. Because it's so top of mind for them and it's so valuable, in the way that they proceed through life, they're just naturally really good at providing feedback or recognition to others. And they do so, I think, quite graciously, much like Positivity. They just, they go forward with it. But their motivation for doing so is different. They know how helpful it is. Positivity wants someone to feel good. Significance wants that too, but they just, they know how helpful it can be when you get that feedback or recognition.

Jim Collison 8:25
The power of Includer driven towards recognition. Like wow. Because we know the power of recognition. Like it, it is, I think recognition's more powerful than people actually realize. And when someone gets recognized in a meaningful way, like it just, it will move mountains for people. And I just, I don't think we get -- I think we're getting better at it, but I don't think we do it enough. You know, I just think we've got a great opportunity. Significance, I'm going to call, call on you. If you're listening to this, good chance you have it, especially if you're listening to it in the future. Good, you chose this to listen to it to learn something. And I think you, you have a calling, in some ways, to be a champion for recognition. We definitely need it. Amazing things happen when organizations get recognition right.

Jim Collison 9:17
In Appendix 2, we have a framework that we're working through. Well, I just, as you, as I said, that I think about these times in my life where I've been recognized in a way, and just the super rocket fuel that gave me for, for engagement and motivation -- I'm kind of fired up just thinking about it. In Appendix 2, we have a framework to work through for these wellbeing elements -- a very simple one, one you might want to think you might want to add your coaching, but to walk us through this with Significance.

Jaclynn Robinson 9:47
Yeah, so for Significance, you can Ask Yourself: How can my community get better? What can I help change? You're really good at creating impact, so this is where you could lean into Significance. Ask Your Team Members: How does the work we do every day have an impact on our communities? And we're hearing this a lot too. So this might, you know, sometimes we think community wellbeing, and it's undervalued as well. But a lot of Gen Z are starting to come in saying, "What are we doing? What's the impact that our organization is creating on the environment around us?" So this could be a really good question for those that have Significance high. And then Take Action: Establish partnerships with community organizations that share your team's purpose. And that's a really great and beneficial way to loop both of those together. And I'm telling you, I'm hearing from hiring managers. They're going, Questions we never got asked in interviews, we're getting asked now about what are we doing in our community? How can we support our community? Significance. You can do it. You can, you can help highlight What is high impact? What's going to offer the most value? And let's get involved.

Jim Collison 10:56
Mission and purpose, right, it being more than just a paycheck, it being more than just a place to come and work, or even just be a part of, but how are we having a positive impact on our culture, our environment, our locale, our whatever, right, fill in the blank, our industry. Some of those, some of those kinds of things. Well, you've got me, you got my brain really spinning on this idea of recognition, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna spend some time thinking about this. It's, recognition, just to be honest, is an area I really struggle in. And so any edge?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:32
No. I think you do so so well!

Jim Collison 11:35
I think I do it well in one area, and that's in the verbal. That's telling people -- I have no problem, when I see a great job, when I see things being done in the moment. But there's more to it; that's one dimensional, right? I think there's opportunities that I have and that we all have in other areas to make it multidimensional, to make it more than just what we're already good at. But, but how can we recognize people in other ways. Apart from Significance, I think we have a huge task ahead for us to do it in this way. And so I think I've got some things to learn. And I think I'd like to lean into some of those. It's hard. I watch some of those people who do it -- at Gallup, we recognize really well. And I watch people do it and I'm like, Oh, I wish I could do that!

Jaclynn Robinson 12:20
They just land the plane with that style of communication and the way they thread in quotes or stories. It's phenomenal.

Jim Collison 12:28
And they spend some time doing it, and I always appreciate it. Jaclynn, any other final thoughts on Significance as we wrap it?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:38
You know what, so there's a quote that this just reminded me of, and it goes back to Margaret Mead. And I've said this a lot, but always remember that you are absolutely unique, just like everyone else. Significance has a really good way of recognizing people and seeing how the uniqueness they're bringing is driving change and impact. So props to you -- those high in Significance. Keep living your best life and spreading that love and joy to others.

Jim Collison 13:04
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.