Discipline®: How to Feel More Energized at Work

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

Productive employees want energy, motivation and drive 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 individuals high in Discipline^® bring energy and motivation to their workplaces? And how can managers high in Discipline foster a work environment that is energized, motivated and thriving? Join Gallup's Jim Collison and Dr. Jaclynn Robinson and discover how, using your Discipline theme, you can bring new energy and motivation to your role, your managing, your coaching.

Someone with this theme is at their best when there's a routine that really allows them to tackle their personal and professional goals and tasks efficiently.

Jaclynn Robinson, 3:42

[People with Discipline are] also building partnerships, because they can reduce miscommunication, and they can build cohesion and rapport when people have that level of structure and organization.

Jaclynn Robinson, 6:52

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths^® Podcast, Season 3, recorded on January 19, 2024.

Jim Collison 0:21
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 is my nemesis, Discipline. Dr. -- if you're listening live, you can join us in the chat room, or if you have questions, you can email us after the fact: 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 and 2 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we looked at Wellbeing at Work in Season 1, and then in Season 2, we looked at the CliftonStrengths role-based reports. Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:56
Hello. Good to be here, as always.

Jim Collison 0:59
Great to have you this season. We are talking about bringing energy to work with your themes. I feel like I've been living that a little bit through this podcast series.

Jaclynn Robinson 1:08
Yes! It is so top of mind for us all the time now.

Discipline: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 1:12
Yeah, yeah, it has been, it has been, as we both have struggled as we're recording this. We've had different things going on. And so we still need to bring energy to this. Today, we are talking about Discipline. Let's start with the, with the individual. What are some ways an individual with Discipline can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:32
When things start to get busy at work, taking that pause to reestablish clear expectations for, you know, just your performance in general can be so helpful. Think about drafting up details about those key responsibilities and priorities or the key goals that you have. And then make sure you've got those deadlines or, you know, performance metrics in place, so that you can measure really where you're at and where you need to be. And then, once you have that lay of the land, it can start to settle some of the anxieties that can happen when you go, Oh my gosh, there's everything, and now my schedule looks different. Get the lay of the land, and then you can start to make adjustments to your schedule that's, that's going to benefit this, this new routine -- the new responsibilities that you have on your plate.

Jim Collison 2:19
I kind of see this, my wife has Discipline in her Top 5. And it's really all of them, just to be honest; she has high Empathy^® too. And we see that all the time. So today's --

Jaclynn Robinson 2:30
She's our poster person today. She's our billboard.

Jim Collison 2:34
I'll have a few things to add. I think for her, that reset, like you were talking about, of kind of getting, OK, let's get back to what's most important, or let's get, let me, let's clear all distractions. Let's clean away the clutter. Let's -- and I can see that happening in her at a level, especially when, as she gets frazzled or she gets under a lot of stress. That, kind of like that resetting to zero. Like, I got to clear all chaos, so that I physically can be at zero; then I can move forward. And she just won't move forward until the chaos is clear. Like, there's no, and there's even Discipline in that of like, nope, not going -- it frustrates me, because I'm like, Can't you even do just a little bit? Like, can we? -- Nope. Can't move forward until it's all clear. Right? And that's not everybody. Right? That's not everybody. And that's not always Discipline, but that's, kind of plays out, you know, kind of plays out for her that way. What, so with individuals with high Discipline, How can they feel more energized by focusing on their individual strengths and development, then?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:42
Well, someone with this theme is at their best when there's a routine that really allows them to tackle their personal and professional goals and tasks efficiently. So whether it's a workout routine, family or friend time, you know, having a 9 to 5 schedule, it's, it feels like you have set hours, maybe specific nutrition habits, it's ideal to really keep track of where you're getting the most energy within your day-to-day schedule. So that if things do get chaotic, you know, you can always ensure you built in that time for those structured and energizing moments that really help reground you. So that's what I would say.

Jim Collison 4:16
We're talking about Discipline, but in in a lot of regards -- coming back to my wife -- she's a regular nap taker. And we're talking about bringing energy this season, and I think that's one of those things. I mean, it's a discipline. Like, sometimes us non-Discipline people think, like, You're kind of being lazy. You know, why are you taking so many naps? There's things to do! High Activator^®. There's things to do -- Achiever^® -- things to do, right? There's things to get done. And yet I think, when, when we think about that energy component, we do know those naps can be, can be helpful -- for her, that works, right. I don't know, Jaclynn, respond to that. As you think about giving, giving back some energy, I think, or resting -- let's put it that way -- to get more energy, and being disciplined in that, I don't know, does that conjure any additional thoughts for you?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:10
Yeah, I like what you just mentioned, because for her, it sounds like that's her Reset button that kind of gets her out of rumination or that frozen sense, when there's so much, you know, busyness happening around you that it can impede on the schedule. And if you don't get that reset, it's really hard to even think about how to change the schedule, because changing a schedule, changing that predictability, that routine, can be hard. So I love that that -- for, for her, that sounds like her mental refresh. And I like that you brought it up, because everyone's gonna have their own, if they've got that Discipline. There's something that tends to refresh it. And you just tapped into wellbeing, too, so, it's like, yeah, gives her energy, the reset, it helps her wellbeing.

Jim Collison 5:54
Well, and certainly, she leans on that Discipline to be consistent with, Hey, I'm gonna do this regardless. Listen, we've been married for a long time -- 30+ years. And I, I used to really give her a hard time about those naps, and she doesn't care. She's like, I'm gonna take them. That's part of who I am. And so it's, it's pretty great to, and that's her, she wouldn't have the energy that she has without it. When we think about, when we think about individuals with Discipline, how can how can they feel more energized by focusing on -- Did I say this? -- focusing on their individual strengths and development? Did I ask that question?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:35
Yep, that's the one. I know.

Jim Collison 6:36
So let's move to the next one, which is, How can they do that by building partner, partnerships and finding purpose within their role?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:44
Yeah, having the capability to create an organized and structured team dynamic, that is one of the ways that they can feel energized, but they're also building partnerships, because they can reduce miscommunication, and they can build cohesion and rapport when people have that level of structure and organization. So think about, if everyone's clear on what they're supposed to do, and there's deadlines in place, really gives people the clarity they need and then the freedom to go on their own and use their own strengths to get things done within that time frame.

Jim Collison 7:17
Yeah, it's, Discipline is, individually for me, one I lean on more cause I don't have it. It's, it's 34. Like, it's all the way at the bottom.

Jaclynn Robinson 7:28
You and your wife are a powerful partnership.

Discipline: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 7:29
Oh, it's, it was a huge conflict until we figured that out, like, till we both got the reports and we're like, I was like, Oh! That makes sense. That makes sense now. So that's some work -- I also think Discipline was the one on YouTube where it said, Yeah, Jim needs a little more work on coming up with some things about Discipline, because he doesn't have any. So, and that's all, that's all true. Let's talk about the manager on this, because I think this is one, someone high with Discipline can really add -- and listen, all the things can add value. But I think Discipline brings, in a team setting, can bring a lot to a team. And so, How can a manager with Discipline support others with their basic needs? What do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 8:12
I think naturally, we all gravitate towards the fact that this type of manager can create a lot of structure and clarity, so people know what tasks they're focused on, what that deadline should be. That person with Discipline's going to do those Check-Ins. So basic need is, you know, knowing what to do at work. But one that we might not often think about is the materials and resources piece, so they can get the work done. So this manager could deliberately allocate, you know, those budgetary resources for acquiring and maintaining tools and technology. They could regularly review and adjust the budget as necessary, just to ensure it aligns with the team's needs. So essentially, create structure to make sure people are getting the resources they need, because they're naturally probably going to be pretty good at already creating tasks and deadlines for folks.

Jim Collison 9:02
Do I know what's expected of me? Do I have the materials and equipment [Items Q01 and Q02 of Gallup's Q^12®]? And I think, as we think about -- oops, sorry.

Jaclynn Robinson 9:08
Ooh, balloons! Whose birthday is it? We going to celebrate with them!

Jim Collison 9:11
Two great questions, I guess. For the audio folks, they're like, What? What happened? Balloons just came up on the video. But it's a Mac-specific thing, because I don't have the Discipline not to do that. But do I have the materials? Do I know what's expected of me? And do I have the materials and equipment? And that's what I think of that, when you said of having those regular thoughts about the individuals that they manage, to say, to be asking those, to have the Discipline to ask those questions all the time, of Do, do the individuals I'm managing have those things? And then of course, Q03, Do I get the opportunity to do what I do best every day? And I just think that Discipline can really bring that, from a basic needs standpoint. Not that the others can't. But it's just a powerful aspect of Discipline of making sure that's happening consistently on a regular basis, in a way that's meaningful to those individuals. So I love that. I love how you, how you brought that out. How can a manager with Discipline help others feel -- and this may be one that's a little counterintuitive, so I'm excited to hear what you say. How can a manager with Discipline help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual? I don't think we think of Discipline in this context a lot. But how can it, Jaclynn?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:22
That Discipline strength can create that structured and supportive environment, where employees know that their contributions are valued and their development is a priority. So essentially, they'll do that by maintaining clear expectations, offering consistent feedback -- These are the tasks at hand. These are the deadlines. How are you doing? Where can I support? And they're fostering that results-oriented culture as a result. So those three alone -- expectations, feedback, creating that results-oriented culture -- demonstrate the care and support that they have for their team's success and wellbeing.

Jim Collison 10:59
I love that -- well, well-needed, definitely, on a team, to make sure performance is tracked. We know where we're going. We know what we're doing. We've got expectations going forward. I think that ties into this idea of that third question of, How can a manager with Discipline build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration and community? Continue along that theme. What do you think about that?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:22
They can serve as a driving force in maintaining that structured and quality-oriented work environment. So one thing they might do is create a feedback loop, where team members can start to provide input on, you know, their processes. They can suggest improvements. And then essentially, by implementing those strategies, they can start to demonstrate more of that unwavering commitment that they've got to, you know, achieving and maintaining those high standards for the quality of the team, the quality of the team's work.

Jim Collison 11:50
You've used the term high standards a couple of times, as we think about this. Does Discipline always -- going off script a little bit -- does Discipline always come high standards? Or can, can you talk a little bit more about that, as, you know, My coworkers are committed to quality work. And, again, a question from the Q¹² -- How people live without the Q¹², I do not know. My whole life has become -- I ask myself questions about that as I manage myself, but talk about those high standards a little bit more.

Jaclynn Robinson 12:20
Yeah. And I think that's a good way to sort between Maximizer^®, where we think about quality, and our Q¹² survey, where we have an item about, My coworkers are committed to doing quality work -- little "q," meaning people know what excellence looks like in the role. That's just a standard practice people need, to know if they're doing poor work, good work or great work. And so when you have someone with Discipline that can create enough structure to have feedback loops in place, maybe every team meeting, they leave, you know, 10 minutes of space, it's naturally built in -- they're going to stick to it because they like structure -- so people can give their thoughts and share feedback and best practices, etc. That feedback loop is helping the team sort through excellence or quality. So thank you, because I think that is one to sort through, so that we don't have that confusion. And if you have someone with Maximizer and Discipline, and they, you know, theme dynamics, they might really be focused on quality. But Discipline doesn't necessarily have that strand so much as just the, the structure and predictability and the efficiency that they prefer in life, to create that more controlled, predictable environment.

Jim Collison 13:30
I'm, I'm glad you mentioned that, because that's, I lean on Maximizer to fake Discipline. Like when I don't --

Jaclynn Robinson 13:36
Good one!

Jim Collison 13:37
So I, I generate, I generate activity with it. Otherwise, I'd just be, I would get nothing done. Or I'd be doing a lot of things -- as a, as a young adult, I did a lot of things and didn't finish anything. And as I got older, learned how to, that Maximizer, of actually finishing things to get, you know, to get, to get it done, to do -- because I do more with the Maximizer part. And so it's, we, in the preshow, we talked a little bit about how some of these, how can we can use other themes to make up for that. I'm glad you talked about Maximizer, because that definitely plays a role for me with it. Now if you have Maximizer and Discipline together, you're awesome. So let's, with the, with the last question, as we wrap this up, How can a manager with Discipline support the growth of each team member? You've kind of alluded to this, but talk a little bit more about it.

Jaclynn Robinson 14:28
They could develop structured learning plans for team members. And those plans might outline the skills and knowledge that they need to acquire, you know, that next phase in their career trajectory. So if they're focused on a promotion, that outline of, These are the skills and the knowledge that we need to build on, so that you can get to that next step. For some, they're very comfortable in the role that they're in, and there's nothing wrong with that, but they're still going to want brain gain. So how, what are, you know, some mentorship opportunity or skills training that they can acquire, so that they can continue to grow and develop and achieve their own respective goals? So I think this person would just be more structured, in terms of their development plan and making sure people are on track and hitting those milestones. Don't worry, you didn't cut me off; I threw that in as an audible. I was done. And then I was like, Wait a minute! There's more!

Jim Collison 15:28
I got one more thing to say. One more thing to say. The Discipline is, the lack of it, is showing in that. As we, as we put a final wrap, and Jaclynn, I'm gonna ask you just kind of, to kind of summarize it, it is a great opportunity, as we think about these themes and as we think about the power of Discipline, in all of the themes, we have a responsibility in, in their use and how we deploy them forward. And I think we've got great opportunities here. Discipline doesn't take away energy. I think sometimes as we think about it, it can be a, some people see it as a downer. And its positive side -- everything we've talked about today -- brings energy, brings power, brings purpose, brings, you know, brings completion, brings what people need. So don't let it -- Discipline friends, if you feel like you've been beaten down in the past, you bring energy. Continue to do that. You can bring energy with this. Jaclynn, wrap it up for us.

Jaclynn Robinson 16:26
Yes. I think you touched on a good point there: Discipline can bring energy. Discipline brings clarity and stability, which people seek in the workplace and even in their, their own personal lives. And someone that has Discipline and uses it in a really mature way, they can create that stability, they can create that clarity, but then they'll give others the freedom to use their own talent themes to, you know, get the work done. And then they can simply just keep them on track and do those Check-Ins as a, as a support system or accountability partner, depending on whether you're a manager or a team member. So as you mentioned, Jim, embrace this if you have it and think about ways that it can actually become the root or the foundation for teams.

Jim Collison 17:14
Indeed. Make it awesome!

Jaclynn Robinson 17:15
What a family!

Jim Collison 17:16
Yeah, no, right on.

Jaclynn Robinson 17:18
These don't turn off when you go home.

Jim Collison 17:19
We would not, we would not be where we are today if we did not have Sarah's Discipline. So it, while it grinds me sometimes, it's been awesome, and I have really come to depend on it. So with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we have available in Gallup Access. Check them out: my.gallup.com. If you go to gallup.com and go up to the Search bar and just put in this theme, Discipline, you'll see all the webcasts we've done on that. Just choose "Discipline theme," and you'll get all the resources. It's pretty awesome. It's a pretty easy way to get it done. For coaching, master coaching or if you want to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, we do that as well. You can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Join us for the 2024 Gallup at Work Summit, if it's still early 2024 --June of 2024. Afterwards, we still have stuff going on. Check it out today. Head out to gallupatwork.com. Stay up to date with all the future webcasts by searching "CliftonStrengths." You can search Gallup too; that sometimes works, get us there. You can find us on any social platform. And if you've enjoyed it, we'd ask you to hit the Like and Subscribe buttons, and please share it -- great opportunity to do that as well. Thanks for listening today. If you are listening live, stay around for a little bit 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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