CliftonStrengths® Podcast S3 Launch: How to Feel More Energized at Work

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

Energy. Motivation. Drive. Productive employees want these to characterize their work life. Managers want their teams to possess these in abundance. And organizations envision an entire engaged, thriving workforce that overflows with these qualities. How can talented individuals bring energy and motivation to their workplaces? And how can talented managers foster a work environment that is energized, motivated and thriving? Join Gallup's Jim Collison and Dr. Jaclynn Robinson and discover how, using your unique talent themes, you can bring new energy and motivation to your role, your managing, your coaching.

[Study] what has brought you joy and energy over the past year. ... What are some opportunities around [you], personally and professionally, to engage in more of that?

Jaclynn Robinson, 12:09

As a manager, focusing on development is one of the best things you can do to have more people wanting to join your team, but also to retain the members that you already have.

Jaclynn Robinson, 26:36

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Season 3, recorded on November 3, 2023.

Jim Collison 0:06
In this CliftonStrengths Podcast series, we'll look at how to feel more energized and motivated at work one theme at a time, and today's theme, of course, is the Season Launch. If you're listening live, we'd love to have you join us in chat. It's above or below, depending on the platform that you're in. If you have questions after the fact, or you're listening to the recording of the podcast, you can always send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as a Senior Learning and Development Consultant and joined me for Seasons 1 and 2 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we looked at Wellbeing at Work and our CliftonStrengths role-based reports. And Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jim Collison 0:27
Well, hello, thank you. We're back. I'm excited!

A Review of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Seasons 1 and 2

Jim Collison 1:03
It's, it's early November. We'll be launching these in 2024. For folks who are listening to this in 2025 and 2026, they don't care; they're like, just get to the point! as we're spending some time together. But it's exciting to be back for Season 3. Again, Season 1, Wellbeing at Work; you had contributions to that. And then we spent some time on the role-based reports and we really dug into those. Those are all available as podcasts in YouTube. Jaclynn, before we get kind of cranking on the Season 3 kind of outline, any thoughts, as you look back to Season 1 and Season 2? And for you, maybe in your own personal growth, doing these, this is what I've found over the 10 years I've been doing podcast: I learn by doing. And they've been very influential on me. Think about the last 2 years of doing this -- things that you've learned by, by working through these podcasts?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:57
It keeps me, it keeps me on my toes and it keeps me sharp, I'd say, with strengths knowledge, with the reports and just various ways that we can use them. I think it's been validating after we did the wellbeing episode, because that's still so pertinent to people today, in terms of, How can I use my, you know, talents in a way that increases my wellbeing and reduces burnout? So that was wonderful. And then, yeah, like I said, anytime we talk about strengths, it's just so, it's nice to be able to just take a thoughtful approach to it and pause that go-go-go nature that so many of us probably have in life and with work to say, OK, how can this really show up? And what might that look like? So I would say it feeds my Strategic Thinking themes to have that think time and just really get creative on, What would this look like? How could this show up? And to pick other people's brains that have some of those themes. What could this look like for you? And get their insight as well. So it's been fun.

Jim Collison 3:01
I think we have to remember, this is you and me, and it's our opinions. And I think sometimes people feel like, Yeah, well that's, that's not me. Yeah, it isn't you. And we're just trying to get your, your, you thinking about this; we're giving some ideas. We're, of course, we've got standard content, some standard materials and things that we can work through, some experiences that we've had. You in the chat room give us additional thoughts. But this is really a journey for you -- both coaches and those being coached, this is really a journey for you to spend some time thinking about, How does this really come together for me? I think it was really good for me when we spent time on the Leaders, Sales and Managers Reports together, thinking about those roles, and, you know, I came up with that phrase, "Everybody leads"; "Everybody manages"; "Everybody sells something," right, as we, as we were going through those, that season.

Jim Collison 3:56
And I still continue to think about those role-based reports in the context of, OK, what role am I in right now? Right? And, and actually, in this podcast, I'm in all three of those roles, right? It's my job to lead; it's my job to manage; it's my job to sell, right, or influence, is kind of the word that I use. So it's good for me in that context of always reminding myself, What role am I in, or what role do I need? And how am I going to go about that? How am I going to go about that role? Or what themes can I use? What strengths can I pull forward, to really make it work best for those around me and, of course, for me? And so it's a continual learning experience for me. I don't know, Jaclynn, is that, any thoughts on that, as you think about Season 2 from last year for you?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:42
I'd agree. I'd agree. When I work with sales folks now or those that are on a sales team, but they're not the direct salesperson, I think about that Sales Report and helping them see from that influential standpoint. Or if I'm working with managers, you know, this is how you kind of use the Manager Report. But you might want to pull in the Sales Report as well and think about your sphere of influence that you have with your employee base. So it's definitely kept it very top-of-mind for me, too. That was a very fun season, just thinking about the, I believe, as you called it, the report dynamics. You had a lot of phrases that you could copyright last season. You were on fire. But --

Jim Collison 5:28
Let's ask the chat room, too, as we're gonna dive into some stuff here, as we think about ahead for Season 3. And really, the goal today is to give you some tools to think about how to listen to Season 3. Jaclynn, I have spent the last couple of months kind of thinking through the strategic questions that we want to use to kind of get, to kind of prompt you. But let's look back for a second for those in the chat room. What did you, for those of you who joined us for that, and if you haven't listened to it, it's OK; it's still there for you. You can go back and binge on it a little bit later, if you want to, either through the podcast or on our YouTube channel -- however you want to get to that.

Jim Collison 6:04
But what did you learn? What kind of things did you take away, either wellbeing-wise by theme? And maybe even personal to you -- pull a theme out? What did you learn about yourself in that? And then maybe through, as we looked at our role-based reports, and, and maybe you don't have those role-based reports. That's OK. You're in some, maybe you're in some roles where you're, you're leading, managing or selling, and, and how did that help you? How did going through that help you? We'll give you a chance to throw that in chat here in just a second. Let me, as you're doing that, Jaclynn, let's reset for, as we think about Season 3, you and I have kind of looked ahead. We mentioned this, that kind of the purpose of this is, How to Feel More Energized and Motivated at Work. As we think about that title, again, How to Feel More Energized and Motivated at Work, you, me and Reilly spent some time kind of coming up with that title. But as you think about that, give, just give me some initial impressions. What are you hoping to get out of that? Where are we headed with that?

Jaclynn Robinson 7:02
Ooh! Well, where we're headed is, from a strengths-based approach, How do we find that, that spark of energy again? If you feel like you're still in that process of realigning or redesigning your life or, you know, we're, as you mentioned in November right now, so you might be on fumes as you finish off the, the last of this year. Well, going into the new year, what could that look like? How can you start thinking about your talent themes in a way where you feel more engaged, where you feel like you're thriving and firing on all cylinders when you come into the workplace, where you feel like your, you know, wellbeing is, is up to speed? And what might that look like for you? But then if you're a manager, how can you support people based on your own themes, so that they feel more motivated and energized at work? So I think it's, it's kind of, it's taking a step back and assessing our situation, to say, what's working well for me? And what might be the area that's creating that barrier to my wellbeing, to my engagement, to really leaning into my strengths?

Jaclynn Robinson 8:09
And so we want to start kind of pulling that out of you. And the hope is that as we're going through these, you know, sessions together, if we're talking about one of your talent themes, whether you're an individual or a manager, you can say, Ooh, yep, that's working; that's working; that's the area that I need to think about. And we're going to give you some tips on how you can start to rectify or start to, to fix that situation.

Introducing Season 3: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 8:35
You mentioned the three pillars, as we think about strengths, engagement and wellbeing. And I think in the context of this season, we need to, we're going to be spending some time trying to think through all three of those. That's, of course impossible to cover everything in the few short minutes that we have to do this. But Jaclynn, like you said, to get kind of you thinking about this -- for you to start the journey. It's not the whole journey. Right? I think sometimes people come, they're like, Give me more! Well, the whole journey is your responsibility. Like the, go on that with a coach, with your team, with, with the, the folks that around, with your family. I think there's going to be some things that, when we talk about friends and family, that are going to tie into this.

Jim Collison 9:18
You alluded to the structure in what you just said, which is super awesome: We're going to begin with the individual. We really have 4 questions for, for the individual we're going to go through. And so, if you're new to this, what we do in The CliftonStrengths Podcast is we have some recorded questions that, honestly, you kind of get sick of me saying by the end of the season. You're like, OK, Jim, enough, enough of the question! You've said the same thing. But we, we do that because sometimes folks are new, coming to each one of those episodes, so we kind of go through that. But so first, we talked about the individual, and then we talk about the manager. Jaclynn I want to ask you -- the goal today, I'm gonna read the question, and then I want you to respond to it a little bit, Why is that important? We're going to start with the individual, and the first question is this: What are ways an individual with this theme -- we'll insert that theme there -- can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs, where, where they have clarity and resources needed to carry out their work? Talk a little bit about what, what are we trying to get with that?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:18
We're trying to reduce burnout. If I think about our, just our basic needs, if our head is spinning around, because there's so many tasks and priorities to get done that there's no focus. And you get to the end of the day going, I chipped away at a little bit of everything, but nothing got done. It drives us up the wall. It's frustrating to many of us, if not all of us, because you just feel like nothing, nothing came to fruition. Beyond that, if you do even know what's expected of you, let's say you do know what's expected, but you don't actually have the resources to carry that out. Maybe it's one of those days where technology just isn't your friend, and it keeps crashing on you. And so that's slowing down your work process. Or there's a piece of material you need, or you're short-staffed, and you're just trying to, as a team, work together and, you know, hold things down until you have some new hires come in. All of that can be really frustrating. And so if you can think about your theme, and how that can support you in this process, so you can get clarity and you can either figure out a workaround to that barrier of your productivity, or just communicate what that need is so that you can receive it, then it increases your wellbeing. It gives you that sturdy foundation to stand upon. So it's really important.

Jim Collison 11:45
Question 1, we're talking really kind of the basic needs. Question 2, What are ways an individual with this theme can feel more energized by focusing on their individual strengths and development? Maybe one looks back -- does this one look a little more forward than we're, as we're thinking about development? Can you talk a little bit about that?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:46
Ooh, maybe a, maybe a, I can see past, present and future here. Because it might be studying what has brought you joy and energy over the past year -- and if you don't think that far back, the past month. And then that is really that jumping-off point to say, Ooh, this is where I have joy and energy. What are some opportunities around me, personally and professionally, to engage in more of that? And when it comes to the professional workplace, once you know what those opportunities might be, or at least you know what you do well, then you can communicate that with your manager or with your colleagues, so that you have more of those opportunities potentially available to you.

Jim Collison 12:44
We didn't set it up this way, but I do sense a little bit of a hierarchy. Jim Harter, Dr. Jim Harter, often says, It's hard to be thriving when you're suffering in some ways. And we kind of start with the basic needs, and then it would be tough to do personal development if you're suffering from some, some basic needs, right. And so we think about using these themes for our own personal development, for our development. I love Question 3, then, ties in really nice to this, because it takes it from -- this is the taking it from the me to the we, right? In what ways, as an individual with this theme, can we feel more energized by building partnerships, right, finding purpose, within their role? Talk a little bit about -- I love the way you phrase that! Talk a little bit about that.

Jaclynn Robinson 13:31
It's, How do I fit into the collective? What am I doing that's creating impact? How am I offering value? We want to come into a workplace and feel like we're doing something that matters, versus, you know, just maybe plugging away at a computer or being out in the field and not knowing any of the impact you're creating. And then that other piece is feeling siloed. So, you know, it's, it's, it's one thing when we recognize the purpose that we're bringing to the workplace and to customers or clients. It's another one you can also see the purpose you're bringing to a team, and you feel that sense of cohesion and collaboration. And so it's being a part of something greater than self is the way I would frame that up. Which is important to all of us.

Jim Collison 14:15
Yeah, and I think is the exponential factor in growth, especially in team growth. Like, how am I taking my, the, these themes and contributing them to the greater, to the greater whole -- whatever that may be in those settings, right? To really, to get at, yeah, to get at the heart of that. Question 4, on the individual: What are ways an individual with this theme can feel more energized through learning and development? It's, the key word, I think, on this is learning. As you were thinking about what we're going to kind of cover in that, what are some, how do you think we'll, we'll come at that approach?

Jaclynn Robinson 14:52
I think that is the, you know, if I had to frame it up, it's the "What's next?" question that some of us have. What's, what's next for us? What's coming down the line? What do we see for our future? What might that look like? And if you're a CliftonStrengths, you know, fan, we know Futuristic, they're all, they're in the future. That time frame differs, but they're in the future. But all of us are curious about, you know, learning and growth: How can I receive brain gain? What do I want to do next? How do I want to stretch myself or feel challenged? Otherwise, we feel really bored and stagnant. And so that's helping you think about curating those next steps for yourself.

Jim Collison 15:35
I love that progression, as we think about basic needs, strengths development, partnerships we're building, what does the future look like? Right, I mean, that builds kind of this nice stair-step kind of approach for, for the individual. Man, I'm getting excited about this! Maybe we should just stay on and do Arranger.

Jaclynn Robinson 15:56
Climbing up the mountain, and then you're at the peak, and you're like, What's next? I've just climbed the mountain. Feels good! What's next?

Introducing Season 3: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 16:03
And, and, and kind of behind the scenes, for you guys joining us today or listening on the podcast or finding us on YouTube: We intentionally started with the individual, to build this a little bit like an onion, and so that someone could come to this podcast and listen to the first 10 minutes of it, 10 to 12 minutes of it, maybe; or maybe less, maybe 7, and get something for themselves. Right. And then for those who are in managing roles or leading roles, whatever, can, now we can, so if that's all they listen to, and they, they punch out after that, OK, they've got what they need. Then we're going to spend some time talking about the manager.

Jim Collison 16:43
And this is an area, right, we've been focusing on the manager for a while now. We've been talking about that, that piece. And so, 4 questions to think about how we help managers in this. And this may be one for coaches to pay attention to as well, on some questions they could use or some things they can learn. Before we dive into these manager questions, Jaclynn, anything you want to add, just to the explanation or the importance of the manager, as you think about these?

Jaclynn Robinson 17:12
Well, going back to what I think still shocks a lot of people -- and us -- is 70% of the variance of an employee's engagement resides on the manager. Managers can really create that culture where employees feel like their basic needs are stable and met; where they can help individuals feel seen, heard and valued; where they support their development; where they help them know not just what they're doing, but why they're doing it. And so this next, you know, this second half that we're going to focus on is to support the manager, so that they know how they can create more of that thriving culture where people are energized and motivated at work. But as you said, Jim, too, if you're a coach, and you are coaching managers, these will be some good pointers as you're looking at their own Top 5 or Top 10 report, and wanting to give them maybe some tips or some tricks that they can be thinking about.

Jim Collison 18:08
You won't be surprised: The structure is very similar to what we talked about with an individual, right. So we begin with this ques- -- which I think is, listen, I think this is a great way to learn, right, to cycle through those things and to know, OK, this is coming up, and then this is coming up. That's, for me, those are really important ways for me to clearly understand and then be able to articulate them in the future here. I'll be honest -- I mean, as we're recording these, the reason I do these launch sessions is to work through the content one time with the, with the, the host, the guest -- whatever; whatever we're doing -- to, to, in my own mind, to build that infrastructure, right. I, Communication No. 4; I'm talking through our structure. I'm, I'm learning this, so that we can do this, when we do these each season, I've got a good structure in my head. It's in there now. It's nailed, right? We're hoping, for some of you, this is doing the same thing: setting that expectation for you. Let's roll through those 4 Questions. Question 1 on the manager: How can a manager with this theme, whatever that is, support others with their basic need? What, what do you mean by that? What are you hoping to get through?

Jaclynn Robinson 19:19
What are some of the questions that they might be asking in one-on-one meetings or in team meetings to help get a, get a pulse on their team? Do they know exactly what they should be focused on? Do they have that North Star when they come into work? Or am I just, you know, having this one-on-one conversation or team meeting, and I'm recognizing that there's a lot of confusion or frustration? And if so, how do I lead with curiosity and start to get a better understanding of what's happening through my own talent lens? So that's what that one will be about.

Jim Collison 19:53
And I think a really key by-theme tool for managers to have -- this is really, really important. Again, if, if, those of you who are managing, if they're missing some of their basic needs, all the other stuff you do, including recognition, which is super easy, may get missed, because they're, they may be suffering in other areas, right? Really important to kind of think through, and maybe even think through it from their own, I think we're going to come at it from a manager's perspective, because we've already talked about the individual. But there may be some things to pull out of that -- coaches, that may be an area for you, maybe you insert "coach" in there as well, as you think about managers. As coaches, sometimes we're managing those that we're coaching, or that we're that we're leading. Question 2: How could a manager with this theme help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual? Talk a little bit about that.

Jaclynn Robinson 20:29
Ooh. Sometimes, it's quite easy to get into that task-oriented mindset. And we forget about the relationship piece of developing people and recognizing people. So this is that opportunity, through the manager's talent lens, to take a pause and say, How can I build those relationships so I see the individual on my team as a human being, and not just for the role that they're in?

Jim Collison 21:17
Love that. And, and that "valued," we know a lot from the, the data, that idea of being valued, seen and heard -- all really important concepts from a manager. Thinking about it from a theme perspective, this is one of those questions I'm super excited about, like, I think I am gonna learn a lot. I don't think I do that very well. Like I think that's an area, I have all these forward-facing Influencing themes. And while I'm trying to get people moving, or I'm trying to influence them to do something, I'm not always thinking about, Have they been heard? Have they been seen? And, and are they valued? I'm kind of more like, "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! let's go!" And so --

Jaclynn Robinson 21:59
I haven't seen that side of you; I always see the recognition-happy side, meaning you're, you're so open and free with recognizing other people and developing them.

Jim Collison 22:08
Yeah, it's an, it's an area I need to grow in, though. I'm excited for that. I'm gonna, I'm gonna take some things away from -- when I saw that, I, as we were planning this, I was like, Oh, that, that's an area that I could, I could work on. The third question is this: How can a manager with this theme build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration and community? I love this one! I don't know if we'll have enough time. This could be a whole podcast, by the way -- that, this question, but talk about that one.

Jaclynn Robinson 22:36
It's just, the word that comes to mind here is hope. How am I creating hope for my team? And how am I helping them feel like a team? So what are the things we're doing that's driving impact? How are we taking pride in the work that we're doing? Because we are all aligned, and we have this sense of camaraderie and trust and rapport, and so much so that we champion one another. But if we recognize someone else needs support, or they might not even be, you know, completing the work in a way that is of excellence, we trust each other enough to be able to help them and cultivate that skill set or support them along the way. So I just, I love that one, because it's about trust, rapport, hope, camaraderie, just all the good stuff that makes us feel like we're -- I don't want to say it again, that we are part of something greater than self. So I would say it makes us feel like we're part of a collective, because it's like, Ah, there's this, there's this, you know, community that we have with one another, and it's trusted, and we've got each other's backs.

Jim Collison 23:48
These themes that we have give us the ability from both and contributor -- I'm contributing to a team with this theme -- and then thinking about, I'm managing to the contri-, I'm managing the contributions of these individuals to this team, and how do we manage those? And that multidimensional aspect of it is fascinating to me. Some people do this really, really well. I'm a kind of in-the-moment kind of guy. So I'm constantly on the fly, trying to sense what, OK, how's the team feel? What are they doing? Where are we going? What, are we getting things done? Are we doing? You know, Are we, are we actually doing? I can, I can talk for a while; then, eventually, I just need to do. You know, I just, Hey, let's get some stuff going! It gets me in trouble, because sometimes I go too fast. I get ahead of things that, "Hey, we're not, we didn't get consensus!" I'm like, "I don't care!" So it's a big fault, but --

Jaclynn Robinson 23:49
The collective consciousness is not with you. They're like, Wait! Where are we going? Why are you taking us there?

Jim Collison 24:49
I tell the Gallup teams all the time, "Just keep me on the tip of the spear. Just keep me on, cause that's really where I'm best. You pull me back in too far, and I start cutting internal folks." So the, the final question -- and before we get to the final question on this, I want to say, if you're listening on YouTube or there on LinkedIn Live or Facebook, if you've got a question, a comment, you want to add to this, Have we thought about this?, whatever, throw that in chat now. We'll have a few extra minutes here at the end to kind of handle your questions. During the recording of these, when we're recording a live, if you're listening to this, there still may, we're recording between November and March of 2023 and '24; you could still join us live, if you're listening to this on the podcast version of it, which, this will air January 8. It's crazy I know those details, but that's the way it's going to work out. We'd love to have your thoughts and comments in chat. Drop those in there now, and we'll, we'll cover those. Jaclynn, let me ask you the last question on this: How can a manager with this theme support the growth of each team member? And why is that important?

Jaclynn Robinson 25:55
Biggest, I would say, reason that a manager might really want to focus on this is it's a good sign of retention. And it attracts employees, it attracts new people, new prospects to the company or to the team. So learning and growth, what we're seeing is that is the largest draw for your Gen Z and millennial generations. They are so drawn into a workplace where there's going to be that opportunity to be coached up and developed. And I always say that doesn't equate to a promotion; it's just, Am I going to receive that, that Brain Gain? We're also finding it's the No. 1 reason all generations start to leave a company -- because you feel bored or stagnant. And so as a manager, focusing on development is one of the best things you can do to have more people wanting to join your team, but also to retain the members that you already have. And so, you know, having that individual career development plan is going to be so important. And then reviewing that plan throughout the year is also incredibly important. And this will just be through the lens of your own talents. What might that look like? If you're a Learner, it's going to look probably quite different than someone with Intellection or with Belief, in terms of how you want to keep that top of mind, keep the development plan top of mind.

Jim Collison 27:16
Staying motivated and energized in 2024 is going to be a challenge, I think, for a lot of folks. I think we're coming up on a very difficult year.

Jaclynn Robinson 27:24
Don't say that! Bless everyone's hearts, we've been doing this across the world. It's just a roller coaster of emotions. Organizations, society -- I just want to give everyone a hug.

Jim Collison 27:36
For sure. Big group, big group, global hug, which is why I'm excited about this series. I'm going to ask you a question I didn't prep you for, so this is going to be totally on the fly, but --

Jaclynn Robinson 27:46
Strategic Thinkers now -- we're like, gear up!

Using Your Strengths to Stay Energized and Motivated

Jim Collison 27:49
As you think about your own, as you think about your own themes, as you think about your own way of staying motivated -- just because we work at Gallup doesn't mean it's pixie dust and Disneyland, and it's always awesome, right? We have our own, we have our own challenges. We connect, oftentimes we connect in the, in our pre-preshow, I often call it, to spend some time just talking to each other, see how things are going, right, spend the time doing that. As you think about your themes, and you think about 2024, and I'll say, Jaclynn, How do you plan to stay energized and motivated in the next year, using your themes? Let's just set an example here of how, kind of what we're looking for. Can you talk a little bit about that? Would you, you know, and again, I didn't prep you for this. So it's off the top of your head. But what do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 28:37
That actually is easy, because I've, it's been top of mind, in terms of just supporting my own wellbeing and staying energized. And I've leaned into Positivity quite a bit, I would say, of just -- I don't know how to, I don't know how to describe it or put it in words, but it's, it's a feeling that just helps me ride through the waves and ride through any of the emotions that come being a human. And then I've leaned into Relator significantly more as well, because Achiever has been in absolute overdrive. It, thankfully, it is the gift that keeps on giving. But as you all know, Achievers can burn out. And so that balance has been with Relator and checking in with colleagues and just sending texts. So I've got quite a number of different group texts going and Teams pings going, where I'm just talking to colleagues. How are you today? Where are you today? How is your dog? And so that gives me that sense of connection, when I might be on the road or just in the work. And that's what I certainly plan on continuing to use as we go into next year.

Jim Collison 29:54
Your Positivity, I have it 6, but your Positivity always sparks mine. It's, it's interesting. I may, as we're talking, I may have come in really frustrated, and you'll say like, "Happy Fri-yay!" Right?

Jaclynn Robinson 30:11
I don't always see my Positivity, probably because it's just like we say -- it's like your nose; it's on you. But I was telling Jim pre-preshow, I love seeing people with Positivity. So I love connecting with you for that reason.

Jim Collison 30:25
Yeah. Well, you spark it. You started, I'm like, Oh, yeah. OK, it is Friday. Yeah, OK, we're getting to, you know, we're getting to the end of the week where, where, you know, we've got some things where this is going right or whatever. And, and for me, in that collaborative sense, that brings -- and even what you said about using your Relator, I value that from a partnership perspective, because you are interested. You ask, like, "Hey, tell me about this." And then you listen, which is, which is awesome! Not everybody does, including this guy sometimes. I need to get, I need to get better at that. Chat room, if you want to drop in, maybe this is a good exercise for you, as you're thinking about 2024. And you're thinking about even right now -- it's OK if it's right now, whatever -- a theme, and then maybe how you plan to lean on that a little heavier for the next year. It'd be, we'd love to see those. We'll throw them up on screen, talk a little bit about them.

Jim Collison 31:23
I think, Jaclynn for me, Arranger-Woo, 1 and 2, I've decided I am going to connect individually, even though it sounds like Individualization -- I have that 9, so I'm gonna use, I'm gonna use that too, and Communication, which is 4. To, to, I'm gonna stop doing emails. And I've said this before, but I'm really going to do it more: I'm gonna stop these email chains. And that meeting should have been a call. And I'm gonna call people. And I've already started doing some of that; I'm gonna do a lot of it in 2024, to give people individual time. I'm gonna get back to that. Now I've got some things cleared off my plate from a work standpoint, from a, you know, we, the beginning, the first half of this year, we put a brand new system in that took 100% of my time. So I have some more time freed up, and gosh, I feel, I get so energized by those calls. People, I'll connect to them, and they're like, "You must have done 100 of these today." I'm like, "Yep. And this one's the best one because it's you!" Right? And I walk away just all energized, and it's great for me.

Jim Collison 32:29
So again, the purpose of that, and again, we'd love to hear from you in the chat room; if you want to drop that in there, we'll show those on screen. What theme? What are you gonna use? How are you going to use it? For me, that just gets me, it gets me pumped up. And it's one of those things I know it works. Like for me, it works. If I, if I clear my Friday afternoons, and I spend Friday afternoons connecting with people, that's all I do. Friday afternoons, it's connection time. Block it; I plan to talk to people. I leave the week more energized than I started. Right? As you, as you think about your weekly schedule, Jaclynn, then we'll get to some comments coming in on chat, Is there a way for you to set that, something like that up, where, and maybe it's different than mine, but set something up to continue? Like every week, I'm plugging this in? Thoughts on that?

Jaclynn Robinson 33:23
Yes. I'm doing a little bit of that this afternoon, where I'll do a bit of a Take 5, you take 5 minutes, and you just connect with someone you haven't talked to in a while. Usually, I will build it in by text message or Teams group chats. And that's the most effective way for me to just be tapped in and tuned into somebody at work, just to see how they are. Because we are very close. We've got quite a few Q10s [item 10 of Gallup's Q^12®]. You know, we talk about Q10, I have a best friend at work, a lot, if you're aware of our engagement survey. If not, it's a question on our, or I should say, a statement item on our survey. But we genuinely have a lot of friends at work that we have trust and rapport with. So yeah, if I can't do the call, it's the, the text or the Teams ping.

Jim Collison 34:15
I love it. I love it. What I love, it's different. I, as you say that, that's not, I, that wouldn't, I don't like long text-grouped things. That's more work for me. I want to get people on the phone and have this face-to-face kind of thing; that's energizing for me, and yet that works for you. So that's, that's awesome. Because that's, yeah, go ahead.

Jaclynn Robinson 34:38
So to your point, it works. It also works as a result of the role. So that's another thing just to consider, even for those listening in is based on your role, you might not be able to pop in that phone call, because you might already be on phone calls or on the road or sessions, and so it's one part, probably personality and one part role -- to say, where can I find a meeting in the middle? Because you're right -- I love when I can pick up the phone I haven't heard from, I haven't heard the actual voice in a while, because it's only been email or text. But if we don't have that opportunity, I'll take a text. Like, I'm also the generation that likes text that has their phones on silent. So when it rings, we're like, Who's calling? What? We don't even hear it ring, because it's on silent for one, but --

Jim Collison 35:28
I don't answer my phone, and I rarely answer text. It's just, it's just the way it goes. I'm, and maybe I'm the weird one. I want to do, I want to do Zoom. I want to do this. Like, this is what I want to do. This is meaningful to me, and so that works. We got some, we got some good comments; keep them coming in on chat. We'll spend a few minutes going through these. LaShaun says, I plan on leaning into my Activator and Relator. Helping start and get fresh starts to things a brings life-giving creativity to my projects. It energizes me!

Jaclynn Robinson 36:00
I love that! Well said! Brings life. That's what I just connect with. It's like, brings life to creativity.

Jim Collison 36:07
Yeah. Ryan says, Thank you about more phone calls, I find many people hide behind both emails and texts. Just saying. No, you're not, listen, we need to understand that too, for us, like, as I say that it's easy for me to be a little heavy-handed on it, to say, you know, there are times, yeah, you know, it's way more efficient to just start a group, a group text conversation. And I need to be, I've struggled, the team I'm on currently does that a lot. And I've struggled with it. I'm like, Stop! Because my watch goes off every time they have a message. And so, you know, and, but learning, that works really well for that team. And I'm learning to adapt; I'm trying to figure out, I'm trying to figure out some ways to use some of my stuff to, to make it work.

Jim Collison 36:58
Mlamli says, Last year, I visited Gallup, sat in your chair, and pretended to be you. That's, that's -- they were probably getting a group tour, went by the studio. Yeah, sometimes, they go by the, they go by the studio. So Facebook User here, you'd have to give Facebook permission with a name; sorry we don't have that: Adaptability has been needed for a few years now; see it as a good talent to learn for 2024. I agree. Some Empathy, Input, Activator and Positivity. I can fill in on your, on your Adaptability, Jaclynn, I can help in that. I'm super adaptable. I'll lean more on my Strategic and really get to know it more, No. 8, and Communication 11, which comes naturally, but I've struggled with seeing that it's valued by others before. And Jaclynn, that, I think that, that phrase -- "struggled to see its value from others before," I, it's, listen, that's real. That is a -- it's not, it's, it's easy for us to say these things, and I'm gonna do this stuff. But we live in a world of other people who have to receive it. Right? That, and that's the hard part. You know, that's why team, teamwork is so, is so hard at times, to get teams rolling. Because to, for it to be heard, valued and received is, is, you want to, you want to add anything to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 38:22
It's a good point. And that's where the trust and rapport comes in too. Because if we don't have it with those we're working with, they might not be just honest with how it's showing up in a positive way or in a way that might be a hindrance to people. But when it's a trusted confidant, then you, you can receive what they're saying without being defensive, and you look for ways to accommodate and meet in the middle. That's a good point.

Jim Collison 38:47
I think there's, we have a saying sometimes with recognition -- to, to get, you often have to give first, right? It's just ... and I think sometimes in relationships with these, with these themes, with these strengths, we gotta give them first; can't just expect to get them. Like, OK, here's my, here's my need. Meet it. You know, and you're like, well, not sure it really works that way. Now we don't, I don't think we intentionally do that. But it's just part of, I think it's part of the human nature. It's hard for us to get past some of those selfish roles or selfish needs that we have. And that's a whole nother thing to dig into. But, but in a healthy situation, I think sometimes we gotta give before we can get. And, and that's, that's just the hardest part -- trust. Like, OK, I'm gonna give to you, and I'm going to trust this eventually. And by the way, no guarantee it will. That's the hard part too, right? It's like, Hey, I'm gonna pour my life into you, Jaclynn, and you may never give anything back, right? And, but that's the, the experience, right? That's the human experience.

Jaclynn Robinson 39:56
Hurts the Relator. It's like, I've invested! You don't want to invest?

Jim Collison 40:01
It's, it's what stops us, right, oftentimes, but you got to take the risk. Got to take those risks, so -- memes, that's, this is, memes are so great. We have a family, we have a family Discord channel, it's just our family and the kids and stuff. And we have a channel on it that's just memes. And so the kids can, can put in all their memes that they're seeing -- it's kind of fun. A couple more here. Susan says, Leaning into Responsibility to do more energy, to do the more energy-draining steps of owning a business. Yeah. Plan to use a reward system -- that's awesome. Two hours writing, then a networking event. Like, so apparently, the networking event is the, is the reward for that, right? Writing is not -- I love that. I love that. Jaclynn, you want to add anything to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 40:51
That's good. That's a really good tactic for any of us, when there's something that you're not looking forward to. It's like, what can I give myself at the end of this, to start to create that discipline for those needs that we have to do?

Jim Collison 41:07
Yeah, it's food for me.

Jaclynn Robinson 41:08
Make it feel like a "get to do" instead of a "need to do" or a "have to do."

Jim Collison 41:11
I have morning chores that I do, that I have to do, you know, for, I go through all the coaches that have certified or recertified on a daily basis and do some things with them. And I say, No snacks until I've gotten through. No snacks (because I love snacks), and it's apparent. Last one. Mlamli says, The volume of my Learner strength's too high. I can't get enough of learning. And I'm not shy to spend on knowledge and development for my team, I derive energy from teaching and coaching. Like it! I like it -- some things to lean into for, for 2024. Jaclynn, as we, as we wrap this launch call, so to speak, and we get ready next Friday, we'll start recording these. Again, those are live, and then maybe you're listening to this, this podcast, by the time you listen to this, will actually be, it'll be early January, if you're listening to it on the podcast or on YouTube. We'll have started launching these then each week, every Monday 6 a.m., these, 6 a.m. Central, these will come out for you. Any thoughts as we wrap it up? Hopes, dreams before I end it?

Jaclynn Robinson 41:45
Well, my hope is that, you know, if you are listening in, there's one Aha! or insight for you or the person you coach or manage as we're going through this process. And it's, you know, I love these series that we do, because I learned so much from you all as well. And so I really feel like anything we put into the podcast is the heart and soul of our collective. The stories we hear, the best practices that we, you know, hear from you all, the learnings that we have within Gallup, and so I'm just excited to once again put everything together into this collective whole, so that we can have a discussion on energizing and motivating people. Because we're at a point in time where people need it more than ever, once again, just because of everything that's happening in, in our worlds, personally, professionally and, you know, in society. So stay tuned.

Jim Collison 43:16
While it seems one-way communication, it's actually two: We talk to you, and then you, you feed back to us through the chat room or through comments, or sometimes we meet you at the Summit; some of those kinds of things, we hear back from you. So all that's super important to us. Not necessarily efficient to do a Zoom call and have everybody communicate this way, but a very efficient way of getting the information out there. We'd love to hear from you, however, however that works for you, whether it's a text message or a one-on-one call, we love all the ways --

Jaclynn Robinson 43:16
An email, a Teams ping, LinkedIn --

Jim Collison 43:19
I mean, we appreciate that. Well, with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantages of all the resources -- or advantage -- of all the resources we have available now in Gallup Access. Head out to my.gallup.com. For coaching, master coaching or to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, you can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. We'll get somebody to talk to you about how you do that. Do you want to join us for the, the Gallup at Work Summit, for the 2024 version, head out to gallupatwork -- all one word -- gallupatwork.com. Registration opened yesterday -- that would have been the second of November of 2023. And you can sign up to meet us there. Jaclynn and I got a chance to do some fun things there, meet some of you there in person. And, and I got the opportunity to host the virtual breaks, which I'll do better if they ask me back. I'll do better this year than I did last, because we'll learn from the mistakes that we made doing it. But check it out now. Details, all the details -- and there's still some more coming, but they're at gallupatwork.com. We'd love to see you at the summit. Stay up to date with all the future web, all the future webcasts, now in our Facebook group. Used to use Eventbrite, but we're moving away from that. Search, find those just by, on any social platform just by searching "CliftonStrengths." And of course, if you've enjoyed it, hit those Like and Subscribe buttons, no matter where you're at, so others know that as well. And we want to thank you for joining us today. We get excited about this, and we're excited to have you go on the journey with us. I can't believe it's finally here, Jaclynn; we're finally doing it! I'm super excited about Season 3. Thanks for saying "Yes" to Season 3, and thanks for being here with me. Thanks for everybody who came out and joined us live. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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