Arranger®: Developing Your Leadership Skills

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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 Arranger^® 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 Arranger talent -- because everyone leads something.

If you have Arranger high, you ... like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be rearranged for maximum productivity.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:02

As priorities change for the overall team or department, this leader can make the necessary adjustments and inform the team, maintaining a relative sense of calm and stability for team members.

Jaclynn Robinson, 3:37

Jim Collison 0:01
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Season 2, recorded on March 21, 2023.

Jim Collison 0:21
In this CliftonStrengths Podcast series, we'll look at the CliftonStrengths for Leaders Report one theme at a time, and today's theme is Arranger. If you're listening live, you don't see the chat room, there's a link to it right above me. Just click on that, and join us in chat. Or if you're listening after the fact, you can always send us an email with your questions. Send it to coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as a Senior Learning and Development Consultant and 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 0:54
Thanks!

Introducing Arranger

Jim Collison 0:55
We are spending some time talking about Arranger today. Let's get started with that intro. Let's dive in.

Jaclynn Robinson 1:01
All right. If you have Arranger high, you can organize, but you also have a flexibility that complements this ability. You like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be rearranged for maximum productivity.

What Is the Power of Arranger in a Leadership Role?

Jim Collison 1:15
We often think of this one, No. 1 -- just full disclosure, No. 1, so I'm probably gonna say some bossy things about it while I'm in here today. But, you know, you can't, you can't, it is one of those that I think we use the term orchestrator, right? I love to have plates spinning, that's another -- maybe that's a, that probably doesn't translate very well. But the idea of lots of things going on, lots of things circling around, lots of activity. And it's paid off -- this theme for me has paid off in leadership, and we're spending this season thinking about this through the lens of this CliftonStrengths for Leaders Report, which we see many of you using more and more often, which, which is great. But let's talk about it in the context of a leadership role. So how do you think the, what do you think the power of this theme is in a leadership role?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:04
I think with their eye towards people, processes or even both, depending on the person, this leader can drive departments towards goals by ensuring that resources are available, communication pathways are aligned among respective teams that work together, and the right people are in the right positions.

How Can Those With Arranger Lead Others?

Jim Collison 2:22
Yeah, I like that. The right people are in the right positions. Oftentimes, I think, very complex or very fluid, if, maybe that's a word to use -- very fluid situations, where things are changing all the time, things are, and, and, at least for me, I think it's, there's some thrill in that of managing all those pieces. Now for me, I have trouble remembering all of the details much longer than about 10 minutes after I've heard them, but in the moment, I can, I can remember a lot. Like it's, it's actually what helped me be a really good test taker when I was younger, is I could cram tons of information in. It only lasts for 20 or 25 minutes; I had no comprehension on it. But I could hold it long enough to take the test. Right? I'm pretty sure that was that Arranger theme working for me of remembering those details long enough, right, long enough to get them throughout. So when we think about, that's my example of how this could lead others. But how could this theme, how else could this theme lead others?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:26
Well, this leader can help team members identify how to manage or prioritize the various responsibilities and goals they have, since they have that efficiency lens and productivity lens. In addition, as priorities change for the overall team or department, this leader can make the necessary adjustments and inform the team, maintaining a relative sense of calm and stability for team members.

Jim Collison 3:49
We spent a bunch of time -- Maika and I, in Season 6 of Theme Thursday, talking about sorting; how these themes can sort things. And you reminded me of this when you said, "Make the necessary adjustments" or priorities -- like, changing priorities and that ability to quickly sort. Can you talk a little bit more about that, as we kind of think about that talent? Why is that -- in leadership, why is that important?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:15
It's such an, it's a fascinating talent. And it's, it's so important in leadership, because there's so many different aspects of the role that they have to keep top-of-mind all the time. If they're a senior leader, then they are really considering how their department might function with other departments, and they want to make sure the people and processes there are right. They have their own roles and responsibilities. They've got to make sure their department's hitting their roles -- or not their roles, but -- their own departments are hitting their responsibilities. They've got to have the mission top-of-mind. So there's just a lot that is constantly ruminating in their heads. And I think the value-add of someone high in Arranger, that talent they hold, is to be able to identify the priorities in each of those different buckets, each of those different responsibilities they have. So they can, to your point, make sure all the balls are in the air, and they're just kind of juggling everything all at once. And it's not just juggling it, where, you know -- what's a good, I'm trying to think of a good way of putting this that would just translate across the way. But I would say it's one of those where they're doing it in a way that is organized and efficient. It's not messy, the way that they're trying to manage everything in their life; it's very efficient and organized with each of those priorities they have.

Jim Collison 5:40
You said two words -- calm and stability -- when you were kind of talking about this. And I think that's the beauty of this theme in, in teams is, and in leadership, because when it's chaos, and if the leader is in chaos, everybody's in chaos. Right? I mean, and if the leader can be in a situation, I mean, I saw this a lot when we were first starting these podcasts, you know, 10 years ago. The technology just wasn't there. And it was really difficult to get all the pieces working together -- the audience, the chat room, the guests, all those things working, right? And, and the feedback I would always get from people when we were done is they were like, you know, that was crazy. But you remain calm. Right? And so it was, it was a situation where that calmness creates stability. We've been spending some time thinking about those 4 Needs, right? I'll just, we'll jump to that. And I'll just say, I think, when we think about Hope, Stability, Compassion and Trust, I think Arranger brings lots of stability to these teams. When things are in chaos, they're able to bring that calmness. I don't know, what else would you add -- thinking about that and the 4 Needs, what else would you add to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:59
That's a really good way of putting it. I would, I would loop Hope into that one. Because they're creating that sense of Stability when there's a lot of change. And they can help highlight how the priorities that they're involved with, the work they have -- we've got this. Let's make these changes, and this is why, and this is how it's going to impact us or the, the customer for the better in the long run.

Jim Collison 7:25
I always think of the analogy of sitting in the middle of a tornado. And the center is calm. Things are just spinning around, but you're not worried about it, because you're like, I'm in the center. I know, I know how to be here. And not just I know how to be here; I thrive under these conditions. Like, they excite me, I get, I'm motivated by them.

Jaclynn Robinson 7:45
Thrills and chills.

How Could Arranger Hinder Your Leadership of Others?

Jim Collison 7:46
It's weird to think I'm motivated by chaos, but it's, it's, I actually, as a kid, I would mess things up. I would create chaos just so I could fix it. Right. You know, there's a lot of other things going on there. Let's think about how this could, this could, how could this theme hinder your leadership of others? Let's spend a little time on that.

Jaclynn Robinson 8:06
Yes. I think a bit is you just tapped into, for folks that don't like chaos or a lot of change, this leader feels comfortable with changing processes or priorities or responsibilities. But that doesn't mean that others on the team feel this sense of comfort; they might prefer that more predictable and orderly work life. So when things do need to change, it's important, I think, for these leaders to highlight why, so that others recognize this isn't just change for change's sake, because this person is comfortable with it, but there is, there's a method and a reason for it.

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

Jim Collison 8:42
Yeah, well, I mean going back to the same example, I sometimes create chaos to, to get clarity or to fix it, right, because I enjoy it. I enjoy, like, Hey, let's mess this whole thing up, so we can fix it again. And that's, that sounds Restorative, but it really is this hardcore Arranger, loving -- once it's fixed, I'm kind of bored with it. Like, I don't get a lot of, I don't get a lot of satisfaction on the fixing part. I get more around the craziness right before you go to fix it. In fact, sometimes I come up with a solution, I don't even implement it. The solution is the boring part. I want the chaos of thinking through the thrill, right, the thrill of, Oh, this is going to be awesome, And then you come up with a solution, and you're like, Yeah, let somebody else do it. Just, just a reminder -- on the report, we have these Helps and Hinders and, and then including some action items in here. This is our interpretation of it, but it's certainly how it relates to you and the other themes that are associated with it, those that you're coaching. That, this is my, my Arranger getting very excited about this, thinking about all the things that you could be talking about in this context with someone or even yourself -- could get, could get pretty excited. We also, we're spending some time this season thinking about how this could have some report dynamics. How could we take the CliftonStrengths for Managers Report or the CliftonStrengths for Sales Report and put these two together? So Leaders and Sales, Jaclynn, as we think about that, how could we use those two together for productivity?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:10
Speaking of Arranger, how do you arrange these reports for productivity? This sales leader's talent for flexibility and organization, I think, can really support them and their sales team as they're juggling just all the different aspects of a sales cycle: prospects, clients, contracts, negotiations, budget, sales goals. So they're quite likely to have a process that helps them keep everything running efficiently, I would say, for their sales team. But also, anytime sales members need support there, they can help them figure out a best process that might suit them, based on their strengths.

Jim Collison 10:47
And maybe overachieve in areas where the sales process is complicated, or where the, there's a variety, a large variety of products. And listen, this varies, I think this also varies by the other themes that are around you, you know, in this. And so, you know, it could, it could be a variety. I mean, even in, I'm a short-term Arranger; in other words, I love, I'm a firefighter. I love being in the fight, in the action. If it goes too long, I get bored. And I'm like, Yeah, I don't want to deal with it anymore. Right? That's the way I'm, that's, my Focus and Discipline are pretty, pretty far down. So I'm ready to move on to the next thing. I think for others, that might be different. I think this is where it really comes in handy to have both reports, to kind of, and then spend some time looking at both and thinking about them together. What about with the CliftonStrengths for Managers? If we took Manager and Leader and put that together, what does that look like?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:43
Well, there's an energy that comes from improving workflows and managing processes to create better performance and efficiency for this person. So one part of improving workflow is to ensure that team members are in roles that fit the talents and strengths they bring. And I think as a result of that, that just natural interest they have in what does this person do well, and how can I put them in this role where it's really going to be efficient? Team members feel seen for the contributions that they can make and bring to the workplace. It's like, oh, this person knows me -- going back to even the way we think about engagement, for putting someone -- if we're allowing someone to do what they do best every day [Q^12® item Q03], they feel known. Arranger is one of those types of managers that is going to have a natural eye for that, typically.

Jim Collison 12:27
Assuming they know those individuals, when we think, let's talk about that for just one second. Like, how do they, as leader or manager, I mean, what kind of things can they do to make sure they know they're, who they're working, who they're leading, so to speak?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:41
They can always just come out and ask! What is it that you do with ease, excellence and enjoyment? Keyword enjoyment. We say there's, there's things that we do really well; it doesn't mean we want to do it all the time. And we might get typecast or stereotyped into that particular responsibility. So I think it's important to actually ask, versus assume, and check in with that person: What do you love to do? What do your best days at work look like? What is it that, that might drain you of your energy or might frustrate you in the workplace? And what might be some of those, you know, causal reasons, so that I can support you there? So just getting really curious about that person. And I know that can be difficult for large teams, if this is a leader, let's say, with a department of, you know, 125 people, but those direct reports that that leader has that are managing teams, getting to know their strengths -- so just looking one level above or below you could be really helpful.

Jim Collison 13:43
Yeah, and I think giving, you know, sometimes we, we make some assumptions about people or we, they make some assumptions about themselves, but those have not been tested. And I think in this leadership cycle, giving them the opportunity to test those, those, hey, I have these things that I like; I think I want to try them. Giving them some opportunities to try it before they buy it. And sometimes we come out of these engagements, and we're like, oh, you should do this. And then we give them the biggest responsibility and it's like, oh!

Jaclynn Robinson 14:19
Timeout!

Jim Collison 14:19
Yeah, like, hey, you know, let's grow into that. It's still, there's still an experience part of this that needs to exist. Right. And knowing that, I think, is the difficult part; knowing is this right? Is this the right size project or task or growing somebody in that? That's the hard part of being a leader or manager, I think, oftentimes is it sounds great on paper, but when you're actually dealing with people, a lot harder, a lot harder to do. So a lot of work there. Anything, as we kind of wrap, as, wrap this one up, bring it in for landing, as we think about Arranger, how would you, how'd you put a bow on this?

Jaclynn Robinson 14:59
Well, I'll tie in what we just talked about, actually, because people are looking for learning and development or this opportunity to maybe realign or redesign their role. Arranger can be that, that person who leads with curiosity, asks questions -- what is it that you want to do more of? To your point, maybe there's a different role or position they want to explore. And this, this Arranger leader might have a big eye for some internal agility or movement, where another department might be able to take this person on, or they can shadow this other department. But maybe there's some internal movement that can happen within a company, or even internal movement within that person's role, that can help them continue to thrive. And as an Arranger, not only do they tend to have that natural knack for what people do well, but they also have an eye for what's efficient and productive. And so if it's not working, to your point, they can help them maybe cultivate the skill set so that it does work or they can help them find the right fit.

Jim Collison 16:06
Love it. I think with that, we'll --

Jaclynn Robinson 16:07
So for your next one-on-one, Arranger managers or Arranger leaders, maybe it's leading with curiosity, curiosity about what that person wants to do more of, today team.

Jim Collison 16:18
Yeah, I love it. I think with that, we'll give it a wrap. We'll want to remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we have available now in Gallup Access. Head out to gallup.com/cliftonstrengths. Sign in there, hit the Resources tab, put Arranger in there. Everything we've got on it to date should show up for you there. Stay up to date with all the webcasts by following us on Eventbrite: gallup.eventbrite.com. Create an account, follow us, and you'll get notifications whenever we post anything new. Join us on any social platform by searching "CliftonStrengths," and thanks for listening today. If you enjoyed it, share it, you know, hit the Like button, subscribe, whatever, leave comments -- leave nice comments, because I have to approve them. And appreciate you. If you're listening, if you are listening live, stay around for a little bit of the mid-show. With that we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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