Significance®: Developing Your Leadership Skills

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

Explore Gallup's CliftonStrengths^® for Leaders Report and discover its ability to help you maximize the impact of your -- and others' -- unique leadership talents and strengths, in this Season 2 episode of The CliftonStrengths Podcast. Join Jim Collison and Dr. Jaclynn Robinson as they discuss the Significance^® theme, its power in a leadership role, how it can help or hinder you as you lead others, and how you can leverage it with the CliftonStrengths for Managers and CliftonStrengths for Sales Reports. Unlock the leadership potential of your Significance talent -- because everyone leads something.

If you are a leader with Significance, you want to make a big impact.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:04

One way they can also champion people and also maybe lead them to a sense of Stability is helping them ... sort through their priorities based on biggest impact.

Jaclynn Robinson, 6:05

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Season 2, recorded on January 31, 2023.

Jim Collison 0:06
In this CliftonStrengths Podcast series, we look at the CliftonStrengths for Leaders Report one theme at a time, and today's theme is Significance. If you're listening live, love to have you join us in chat -- link right above me to that if you don't see it. If you have questions after the fact -- maybe you're listening to this on YouTube or as a podcast -- you can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as a Senior Learning and Development Consultant and has joined me for Season 1 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we looked at Wellbeing at Work one theme at a time. And Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:52
Thank you! Today I'm excited.

Introducing Significance

Jim Collison 0:55
Yeah, great to have you today. Let's spend some time, we're talking about Significance. Give us that intro. How do we see Significance play out?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:03
All right! If you are a leader with Significance, you want to make a big impact. You're independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have on your organization or people around you.

What Is the Power of Significance in a Leadership Role?

Jim Collison 1:14
No, I love that definition. I oftentimes think, I think we as humans have this desire for significance or to make a big impact just built into us naturally. I think as we spend some time thinking about this, I want to maybe see in leaders how that separates out a little bit or how that becomes a success factor. So I'm excited to dig into this one a little bit. Let's talk about this. We're spending the season thinking about these themes in the context of a leadership role. So what is the power of this theme in a leadership role?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:48
An individual with Significance, they can thrive in a leadership position where there's greater autonomy, the freedom to make decisions (that's key), and then opportunities to lead others towards creating impact. When they can do that -- when they can exercise those factors, that is when they're really at their best and firing on all cylinders.

Jim Collison 2:09
Compare and contrast a little bit for me when this, this freedom to make decisions and then in opportunities to lead others towards creating impact. Compare and contrast those little bit. This idea of freedom making decisions, is that really just, I get to do whatever I want? Or break that, break that down a little bit for me.

Jaclynn Robinson 2:28
Yes. That's a good callout too. Those with Significance, whenever I'm coaching them, I typically say, you know, you might not feel at your best if you're just tucked away in a closet, and you're just doing individual contributor work, because you want to make significant impact. And so when you're in a management or leadership position, you have that opportunity to create impact -- to, to think about the decisions that are going to lead you there; to have a team of people that can help achieve that goal. The more people, the larger the impact you can create, because it's so hard to do things just on your own; it's really hard to build and expand. So that's what we mean by, by Significance and that independence to make decisions, that autonomy. Because you want to be able to create that impact. And sometimes I almost think of it a bit like Futuristic too, where there is that vision of the legacy I want to leave behind or the impact that I want to create. And so when you're in that position to be able to achieve that, you have that sense of independence and control; it's really helpful in getting to that outcome.

How Can Those With Significance Lead Others?

Jim Collison 3:31
Yeah, and, and it may sort -- you know, oftentimes we think about these themes sorting, and it may sort those experiences by legacy, right? What am I leaving behind? Or, for some people, it may be, What kind of impact in my leadership am I leading others to to leave a legacy? Like how can I encourage other people to do great things? That's having that influence, right? That's having that, that, that legacy that we leave behind. Let's spend some more time thinking about that. How could this theme then lead others?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:07
As someone who understands the value of feedback and recognition, this leader can really inspire other people to act by recognizing those innate talents that they hold. So that can quickly boost an employee's engagement; it can make them feel seen, heard and valued. And in turn, that ends up driving the success of the company or that ultimate goal that they want to achieve, because everyone is working at those natural talents and they're being reinforced and recognized for it. I love this theme! They're so, yeah, when it comes to recognition, it's, it's kind of like pos -- it feeds my Positivity because they're just so open with recognition and feedback.

Jim Collison 4:45
Yeah, it's, it's one of those where the "me" versus "we," I think in the "me" form, it gets, it gets maybe unfairly battered and is biased. I think sometimes, the Significance becomes the butt of a joke -- which, by the way, coaches, if you're doing that, stop doing it. Don't, don't make these themes jokes, right? They're not. They're what people are great at. And so, in the same token, with this, the "we" on this can be so powerful as it pushes people or encourages people -- and maybe that's a better word -- it encourages people to do great things. Or it encourages people to, to get out and get into the limelight, to be seen for who they are, right? Everybody's different in that, in that regard. But I love this idea of this, like a strong mentor, like a strong -- in the "we" position, this can really be strong with those that are learning and growing and coming up in whatever and whatever. You know, do you want to add anything to that? Does that, does that, does that bring to thought, bring to mind any things for you?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:58
I think you nailed it -- they can be such great champions. And earlier, you had mentioned sorting, and I think one way they can also champion people and also maybe lead them to a sense of Stability is helping them sort through where, sort through their priorities based on biggest impact. That's something that they might mentally do is, Where do I want to spend my time and attention based on what's going to have the biggest impact or land the best? And they might be able to help even their constituents, so to speak, and championing them towards those things that are going to create impact for that individual that they're working with. So I think they are really good at helping people recognize their talents, strive towards their goals, see the impact that they can create. Yeah.

How Could Significance Hinder Your Leadership of Others?

Jim Collison 6:49
Yeah. And the difference, I hear some Maximizer in that -- again, in that same domain, right. I hear some of that Maximizer -- bigger, better, but that drive towards recognition, the drive towards getting that recognition publicly or however that plays out, right, I think may separate those two. I have high Maximizer, and I have that drive towards it. I don't always need the, I'm not driven by the recognition piece as much. So some good ways to kind of separate that out. OK. How can this theme -- in the report, we talk about Helps and Hinders. Let's spend a little bit of time, How could this theme hinder your leadership of others?

Jaclynn Robinson 7:26
Well, for this leader, sometimes feedback is desired but not always easy to hear. Performance drives success, and if their performance or goals are veering off course, it can be upsetting to hear that and think about, OK, I've got to go back at the chalkboard, I've got to realign. So this can actually impede on an individual's desire to want to give this person feedback or recognition, if they've recognized that it hasn't been well received previously. So I would just say, Hey, don't get discouraged. Instead, realize that this feedback was likely given as a means of helping you and getting towards that goal or that legacy or that impact that you want to leave behind.

Jim Collison 8:06
Yeah, I like that. You, in a pre, in the precall, you and I were talking a little bit. And I'm looking for that next big thing to do in my own -- not, and not necessarily career, but it just in my own, in what I do. And we talked through some of those things, right. And I think it's important to find, for those with high in Significance, for them to find that next thing. OK, what's the next thing. I did, I've done this; what's the next thing? But driving towards that often, if they're, if they don't have that next thing, they may really struggle. Like I, I can't identify it, and then I flounder a little bit.

Jaclynn Robinson 8:42
Great point.

Jim Collison 8:43
As we think about, then, the 4 Needs of Followers, and in thinking about How does this -- as a leader, how does Significance, where do you think it fits in? I think you go across all four. But as you're thinking about those 4 -- Hope, Stability, Compassion and Trust, where does that fit in, do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 9:01
Well, what automatically comes to mind is Compassion, because of their ability to see the value in others and recognize them for it. So there's that sense of care, there's that sense of this person sees me. And that I think also lends itself to Trust, because that individual receiving feels seen, heard and valued, and it starts to build rapport. I think Hope, because they want to leave a legacy or they want to leave impact behind, and if they can verbalize that to the group in front of them, it helps inspire them and get them excited for what they're involved in.

How Can You Use Significance as You Lead, Together With the Managers and Sales Reports?

Jim Collison 9:38
If, if I was ever to follow a movement, and I've, and the leader had Significance and that Significance was lining up with the movement and all the, all the, you know, all the planets aligned so to speak, man, I want to be on that train. Like, right? I mean, you get the motivations lined up, and, and it could be super powerful. We're, also this season, we're spending some time thinking about these report dynamics. We have two additional role-based reports, one for sales and one for managers. CliftonStrengths for Sales, CliftonStrengths for Managers. As we think about this CliftonStrengths for Leaders and the CliftonStrengths Sales Report together -- if we were to use them together, what kind of, what kind of, what would, what could we look for from a success factor there?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:27
From the sales perspective, this leader can help inspire prospects by showing the impact that this partnership can create. So they might invite subject-matter experts or senior leaders onto that initial discovery call, or maybe a couple of calls in, with that prospect, so they can discuss ways they can support and offer strategic advice. So I think when they bring in those fellow experts or senior leaders, that helps that prospect go, Ooh, OK, I've got some really credible and wise people that are leading me towards a really positive and well-thought-through solution. So it's that best-in-class support that I think those with Significance can be really good at providing.

Jim Collison 11:07
We know from our work with millennials, and now Gen Z, that it's gone from being, you know, from, you know, a paycheck, right, to purpose in what we're doing. And I think this idea of pulling a company forward with purpose and mission is really, really important to, to those. By the way, not a millennial, not Gen Zer; it's important to me. So it's not, it's not like it's new. I think this is just one of those things we've identified, where people kind of go, Yeah, I want to work for something that matters, right? And so in the sales cycle, to begin to say, as we think about those sales opportunities, to be like, Hey, this product can change your purpose or mission in this way. Support it, provide for it, right, whatever, from that perspective. So to drive it that way. What about, as we look at the CliftonStrengths for Leaders and CliftonStrengths for Managers Report together, what, what could we see out of that?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:02
From a development perspective, this leader's talent for providing recognition and support to others, think it helps their direct reports see that they're valued and talented. So when it comes to goal setting, the boost of confidence and support provided by this leader helps them, I think, feel that they can accomplish anything.

Jim Collison 12:21
Yeah, it's important, I think, in this theme, with this, that we, we really lock in on this idea of leading and managing together. And then, because it -- and they can all be powerful, right, but this one in particular, especially in a public-facing setting, can be very, very powerful. And can make or break teams in some, in some regards. Hopefully, make it, not break it, most of the time, Jaclynn, as we think about wrapping this one up, any final thoughts on Significance?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:56
I think this is such a great theme. And people right now are kind of in that place of seeking to realign and, even as we were talking in the preshow, figure out what's next. This person might be the individual to just bounce some thoughts off of. They might help them think about what is the legacy you want to leave behind for yourself or for others? What is the kind of long-term impact that you want to create? So this could be a really great thought partner to help people think about what they could do, what's next for them, and feel recognized and inspired, because that person is sure to, you know, highlight the talents that they have, be their, be their champion.

Jim Collison 13:38
I love it. I think with that, we'll put a wrap on it and remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we have available now in Gallup Access, especially around this theme. And if you haven't, if you haven't tried it yet, go out to gallup.com/cliftonstrengths. Log in, hit the Resources, upper left-hand corner in the menu, choose Resources. And then in the, in the search bar, put "Significance" or anything -- any other of the 33 themes. I mean, you could put anything, but since we're speaking about the themes here. And all 6 seasons of Theme Thursday, the 2 seasons that we have available of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, and anything we've written on this theme comes up. It's a great way to continue to do a deep dive on this theme and some great things for you. So you can check that out. Stay up to date with all the webcasts by following us on Eventbrite. Go to gallup.eventbrite -- B-R-I-T-E -- gallup.eventbrite.com. Create an account, follow us there. You get a notification whenever we publish the, these episodes that we're recording live. Join us on any social platform by searching "CliftonStrengths," especially, a lot of things going on on LinkedIn right now. So make sure you're not missing out over there. And then make sure, on whatever platform you're listening, you Like, Subscribe, whatever, whatever the word is, to help us with visibility out there as well. Want to thank you for listening. If you're listening live, stay around for some of the midshow. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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