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

When you're looking at the week ... or ... month ahead, ... consider where you still need answers or resources that are going to help you prepare for or conduct your work.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:34

As a manager [with Futuristic], if you're leading with genuine curiosity about your team members' future goals or aspirations, ... you care about making those aspirations a reality.

Jaclynn Robinson, 8:48

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths^® Podcast, Season 3, recorded on January 26, 2024.

Jim Collison 0:20
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 Futuristic. If you're listening live, you can join us in chat. Or if you're listening after the fact, 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 joined me for Season 1 and 2 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we looked at the book Wellbeing at Work in Season 1 and the CliftonStrengths role-based reports in Season 2. Love to have you go back and listen to those. But Jaclynn, always great to see you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:52
Thank you.

Futuristic: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 0:54
We are spending time this season thinking about bringing energy and motivation with your themes to work. By the way, you can insert "home" or "play" into that, into that same spot, right? It doesn't have to just be work. But today we're talking about Futuristic, and this is a fun one; I have a little theme envy here. Let's talk about the individual first. What are some ways an individual with Futuristic can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:22
Well, as a Futurist, it's not uncommon that you are looking at the forecast of what's on your plate, what you have on your to-do list that's coming up next. So when you're doing that, when you're looking at the week ahead, or maybe the month ahead, in your calendar, and really looking at, What do I have that's coming, you know, coming up shortly? Consider where you still need answers or resources that are going to help you prepare for or conduct your work. So for example, if you have an upcoming presentation, what information do you still need in order to put it together? You know, is it data? Is it resources? Is it knowing who's going to be in the room, so you know who to cater the presentation to? But thinking about that ahead of time and getting the answers can help you avoid any snafus or, you know, obstacles in the future.

Jim Collison 2:11
Think it may be a situation, too, -- and I want you to respond to this -- where you might need to plan some time to think about the future. And I know that sounds weird, but we get so busy in the day, that from a basic needs standpoint, we may need to set aside time that's just future-thinking time that, by the way, I don't think has to have results tied to it. Like, that's one of those things to dream, to look ahead, to say what could be, to be in a place where you just get to kind of roll, kind of roll through the possibilities. I don't know, respond to that. What do you think about that?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:47
Oh, yes! Oh, yes! I would agree and underline that -- that think time to just ideate and create and dream is very helpful.

Jim Collison 2:58
Yeah, and it may take some intentionality in that. It may take some planning about the future to plan for the future, right? One of those kinds of things, to say, Hey, you know what, I have a, I need this much time each week, or I'm going to set aside this time, or I'm going to use this time, you know, after dinner, whatever -- what, however that works for, I'm going to wake up early and give myself some intentional, intentional time to, and not just think but dream and feel. Like, I think when we, right, when we think about these of Futuristic, to me, anyways, as I think about it, is one of those, like Empathy^®, I think it's like one of those feeling themes in some ways. We -- the, the future is not actually there. We haven't actually done anything yet. We're thinking about the hopes and dreams and the value of success in the future. That creates an emotion, right, and I think we need some of those kinds of things. I don't know, would you add anything to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:54
I think you just summed up so well, when we think about individual strengths and development, how people can be, people with Futuristic can be energized by that. It's that, it's give yourself the opportunity to think or let people know, if it's the workplace, how important it is for you to be able to think. Because thinking about the future is key. That's where the energy is.

Jim Collison 4:16
I just got chills thinking about somebody with high Futuristic thinking about the future. You know, just in that moment of like, of dreaming of what could be. That, that is a you know, mid-20s or early, early teens or late teens for me. So I can, it happens, there's some cool things with it, but I think those high with Futuristic, you, when you think about that, that's pretty cool. What are some ways an individual with Futuristic can feel more energized by focusing on their individual strengths and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:46
Yeah, so if we take what we're talking about and just kind of put some, some guardrails around it, this could take the form of thinking about and preparing for an assignment or visualizing how to carry out work. It could be planning how to communicate a vision to somebody. As team members, sometimes we have to help other team members catch up with a task, or we're onboarding into a project. How do we want to communicate the impact they're going to have with this project? But regardless of whether it's on a practical matter or a creative matter, just having time to let your mental juices flow, where you can plan or create, is going to be what's energizing. So I think it's exactly what you had mentioned, Jim, and then those might be some examples of the way it could show up when you're giving yourself that freedom to think and, and, and/or create in your head.

Jim Collison 5:37
Yeah. What are some ways an individual with Futuristic can feel more energized by building partnerships and finding purpose within their role? I might have alluded to some of this, but what are your thoughts?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:46
Oh, yeah, this is fun! It's like a moth to a flame or a beetle, a flower. Someone with Futuristic finds other people that are also Futurists. And there's a lot of fun and engagement in just being able to talk about the future, whether it's shared team goals or personal goals, where you just want to share it out with other people about, you know, what's on your focus board or what your, what your future goal is for the year or what your word of the year is, it's just fun to have those conversations. So I think anytime those folks are paired together, there's going to be a lot of fun and excitement and smiles on the faces. But regardless, pairing with folks who are purpose-driven and inspiring can really engage individuals with this theme as well. So it's not just about the Futurist, but other people that are just, they've got a message or they're inspiring, and it's like, yeah, I can see the future even through what you're sharing with me. Or you've got maybe such, such focus or such direction that I can see this picture, and then you're going to help us get there. So it's pairing with individuals like that that can really just help you put a little more fire behind that, that dream that you have or that creativity that you've got in your head.

Futuristic: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 7:03
Yeah, we see a lot of this paired with Strategic^® as well, right. I mean, those, those two follow each other sometimes. And so just kind of thinking through what could be and how are we going to get there, working well together? I get kind of excited thinking about that. I love those kinds of sessions where we can look both near and far. I mean, listen, the future is just a second from now. That's the future. It's here. It's here and again. It's here now. Right. And so I think sometimes we think both short- and long-term successes in these for that individual. As we think about the manager, let's transition to that, and we think about the manager with, with Futuristic, How can a manager support others with their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 7:51
Well, as someone that naturally looks ahead at what the future holds and appreciates knowing the goals or forecasts for the team, this individual can really help the team gain visibility on what their quarterly and annual work is going to entail. And that can create stability when employees know what to expect. And if you can tie hope into that -- "Hey, this is what you are focusing on this quarter or this year. And this is how you're creating impact." And you're tying it back to that impact or to that mission, then that can be really inspiring for them.

Jim Collison 8:22
What about -- and I love this question. This has just been my favorite question of the season: How can a manager with Futuristic help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual? I'm interested in what you have to say on this one.

Jaclynn Robinson 8:35
This -- and for anyone with Futuristic listening, you might do this too. But there's a genuine curiosity about what people want to do for their future. What are your goals? What are your aspirations? So as a manager, if you're leading with genuine curiosity about your team members' future goals or aspirations, you're really listening in and then following up with how you can support through, you know, development, mentorship, skills-building opportunities, or just being that champion for them. You know, if it's a personal goal, it shows that you care about making those aspirations a reality.

Jim Collison 9:09
Yeah, I think as a manager with high Futuristic, it gives you a great opportunity to see some, to build development into the individual. In other words, this is what could be for you, and the -- this is what I can see for you, if we do some of these things, or a variety of things that are out there, to help the individual who may not dream, who may not see, who may be in the day-to-day. That's a, then that means they need to be very, very powerful in the day-to-day. And that doesn't mean we need to rip them out of that to be, all of a sudden to think about the future, but to partner with them, right -- to come alongside and say, "Let me think about the future for you. How does this sound?" Right? "What are some things here? What could you do?" I think of that, you know, the, we have that question of, How can a manager with Futuristic build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration and community? To me, that's inspirational. Right? What else do you think on that, as we think about that question? Build trust.

Jaclynn Robinson 10:13
I think that's, yeah. Build trust and inspire. I think it's, it's once -- well, everything that you just said. And then I would say, even when that team goal is clear and in your mind, as a manager, How are you going to help paint that picture out loud? Because, to your point, some people might just be thinking present moment or one day ahead; they might not be looking at that bigger picture. How can you help them, how can you, with your words, communicate that vision that you see in your head? I've heard, you know, it's, one of our internal strength coaches say, how do you help other people see, touch and taste the vision that you have in your head? Because when you can do that, and you land that message, it's going to be really motivating and get people moving forward. So even if they are just present moment, now they're excited for the future, and what it could be.

Jim Collison 11:09
Well, that, that idea of bringing collaboration too, of looking ahead to get ever -- Hey, this is what could be. You know, we have, we have a big initiative that, that, that was, had a press release yesterday in the city of Omaha. And it was purely inspirational. Purely, like, they don't, there's no money tied to this thing yet. The, there's no, nobody's bought anything; there's no, but it was purely this, Hey, look at what could be for this piece of land, so to speak. And very Futuristic, right? And sometimes, if we don't do that, we don't get the, we don't ever get there. Of, someone needs to say, "Hey, you know what? This is what could be." Because today we're using that piece of land to play ultimate frisbee at lunch. Right? You know, and they're like, Hey, you know, we could build a stadium there. And you're like, Oh, right. And I mean, it just, so a manager with that, from an individual perspective, can bring that inspiration, right, can bring that, can both inspire, but -- to the individual. But to the team collectively, drive them forward in a way that may help them achieve things that naturally they never would have gotten to, because they're day to day, or they're functioning day to day. Right. I think that's just really, that's very, very powerful for Futuristic and this idea of team collaboration. Yeah. As we think about wrapping this one up, Jaclynn, How can a manager with Futuristic support the growth of each team member?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:38
Well, so I think you touched on this really well, because it's easy for someone with Futuristic to talk about the future. But not all team members are going to see the future; some are going to struggle. So when it comes to those who might not know what the future holds, I love what you said about, Let me think about the future for you. And you might ask a question: "Hey, what do you love to do right now? Let's think about potential skills, partnerships or tasks that can help you build on that. Let's cultivate that and build it into your individual development plan. And we'll just keep having these quarterly Check-Ins to see how that's going for you." So you might be establishing their building blocks one block at a time, because they don't see the whole, you know, empire that they want to build within the organization yet. So it might be much easier for you to work with those that do see the future. Those are just some strategies for those that might have a hard time and maybe don't even want to look a year ahead. It's like, can I just live in the moment? And we think about themes like Adaptability^® -- "Let me just be in the moment." "Great. What do you love doing now? And how can I support you? And we'll check back in in 3 months. You might not be thinking about it, but I'll follow up with you at that point in time." But yeah, I think the career goals and development is something that's going to be naturally top of mind for someone high in Futuristic.

Jim Collison 13:59
Before I ask you to wrap this, I think, we are here today, you and I and everyone in the chat room, are here today because 12 or 13 years ago, a group of people with high Futuristic got together and said, Hey, you know, we could do this really cool coaching community thing. Now they didn't think about the -- I don't know if they thought about this. But this is a direct result of it. Right. And we have spent -- you and I have spent the last 3 years and, and you know, all the things we've done around Theme Thursday, Called to Coach because some people took a chance and said, you know, Hey, this, this is what could be, and then kept pushing it forward, always pushing out that Futuristic bubble, so to speak, of staying 3 to 5 years ahead and inspiring others to continued action in the day. Because, listen, Futuristic doesn't happen -- again, it's in the future. It hasn't happened yet. Something has to happen in the day for that to be successful. And those, those folks have to work together. Jaclynn, with that, would you wrap it for us? Any final thoughts, as we think about Futuristic?

Jaclynn Robinson 15:01
Yeah, I think maybe, if you have Futuristic high, it's thinking about how it shows up for you, first and foremost, so you can think about how to cultivate it for yourself and others. So with Futuristic, we see strands. Some might think a week ahead into the future. I know someone that put a 30-year resume together about their future. Some are going to think about Futuristic and their own goals; some might be thinking more about their goals and other people's goals. Some think about the world -- what's the future of the world look like? Some are going to be thinking more local level. And so that's probably going to be helpful, first and foremost, is, What does this look like specific for you? And then how can you apply or maybe pull out some of what we've talked about today, to help shape it in a way that's going to be constructive for you in the workplace, as a team member and/or a manager?

Jim Collison 15:51
Such a great reminder! You know, you and I sit here and expound on these things. These are our thoughts. We don't know you. You've got to work; we're hoping to inspire you. We're going to lean into Jaclynn's Futuristic for a purpose and mission, for why we're doing this today, so that in the future -- by the way, all these podcasts are very Futuristic, because most people are gonna listen to them in the future. I mean, we have, we have, you know, 15 or 20 with us today, but most people are gonna listen to these in the future. So by nature, they're a Futuristic exercise. I think that's why you do so well on them. It's really up to you. Right? And the things that -- and you, not you, Jaclynn, but you over there, but you the listener -- What, how can you be successful with this? And Jaclynn, appreciate your, your thoughts on that as well.

Jim Collison 16:41
Well, with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available in Gallup Access. Head out to my.gallup.com. Sign in. New Top 5 report that's out there -- super, super cool. If you haven't checked that out yet, you might want to. You know what's weird? Seven years from now, someone's gonna hear me say that, and they're like, That's an old report. That's the, that's the crazy thing, right? You know? It was like, Oh, man, it was new back then. Check it out today. It's available for you -- for everyone. And you can download that and interact with it. For coaching, master coaching or if you want to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, you can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Join us for the 2024 Gallup at Work Summit. You and I -- I think I can say this; I'm going to say it anyways -- you and I are going to be, you and I are going to be spending some time with the virtual crowd again this year. You, more time, so you're going to get more of Jaclynn and less of Jim, which should, which should be super cool.

Jaclynn Robinson 17:31
J and J, at it again!

Jim Collison 17:32
You're right. Whether you're in person, you'll see us, or if you're virtual, you'll see us. We're everywhere! Join us at the summit: gallupatwork.com. We'd love to have you both -- either virtually or in person (in person is better, but whatever you can do, join us). Stay up to date with all the webcasts by following us on Facebook and LinkedIn -- following me is the best way to do it -- or searching "CliftonStrengths" on any social platform. If you enjoyed it, hit those Like and Subscribe buttons, and by all means, if you found it helpful, share it. Find your Futuristic friends, share this with them. We'd appreciate that as well. For those listening live, stay around for a little bit of a postshow. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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