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

You can try to invite some balance into your work life where projects, responsibilities, partnerships, priorities -- all that good stuff -- they're getting the ideal amount of attention that's required to do your best work.

Jaclynn Robinson, 1:16

Manager and team [can] think together about any additional resources [they] might need or barriers that [they] see, so that we're finding alignment and consensus or ... that meeting of the minds from the very beginning.

Jaclynn Robinson, 7:26

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Season 3, recorded on February 2, 2024.

Jim Collison 0:05
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 Harmony. If you're listening live, join us in the chat room or if you're listening after the fact, you can email us your questions: coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as a Senior Learning and Development Consultant, joined me for both Season 1 and 2 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast where, where we looked at Wellbeing at Work, our book. Season 2, we looked at each of the role-based reports that we have one theme at a time. And Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:56
Thank you.

Harmony: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 0:58
Jaclynn, we're spending the season talking about bringing energy and motivation to work. Today, we're talking about Harmony, and let's talk about the individual first. What are some ways an individual with Harmony can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:16
Well, you can try to invite some balance into your work life where projects, responsibilities, partnerships, priorities -- all that good stuff -- they're getting the ideal amount of attention that's required to do your best work. So as someone that can naturally be attuned and kind of sense when something feels off, when something's conflicted, I see people high in Harmony that can do this -- not just in the room, but internally -- tune into yourself to really gather that knowledge of where it's coming from. Where do you need to restore your sense of balance and harmony within the workplace? Are you anxious because maybe you and another colleague are misaligned on expectations? Are you tense because the time required to do the work is more limited for you? So just some examples, but whenever you feel like everything is in perfect motion, How have you split up your day to be able to accomplish that and find that Harmony? When something feels off, where might that be coming from?

Jim Collison 2:12
You use the term balance in that, as you were talking about that. And I really, I want to, I want to ask you another question about that or focus on it a little bit. Because I think sometimes we only come at Harmony from a relationship standpoint, or relationships that are happening on the team. But thinking about the team's productivity from a balance perspective, or thinking about the team's interactions from a balance perspective, makes me -- I don't know, it's just I hadn't thought of it in terms of balance before. Of -- we often think, we often think of it in terms of happiness or, or, right, getting along. But that, a team that's in -- you think about a car, automobile that where a tire is out of balance, and it starts wobbling, right, and bringing that tire, kind of rebalancing it to bring it back so, so that it's, that it runs correctly. I don't know. Does that, as I, can you respond to that at all, spend some more time thinking about that?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:19
Yeah, it makes sense to me, because even if the tire is out of balance, it's creating tension or potential conflict. And so I think sometimes we think about one part of Harmony, and maybe what the outcome could be of, you know, conflict. We don't like it; it could be unproductive. But to understand where the conflict's coming from, there's that tension or that, there's that feeling that something's off balance or not right first. And so that's the part that I think sometimes we forget about with Harmony. And those that I've been close to, when I pick their brain and say, "How else does this work for you? What else could this look like?" I hear that a lot. And I think we just, if we have it lower, we might not be as attuned to that being a strand of the talent.

Jim Collison 4:04
Yeah, love that. I was teaching a class yesterday, and someone had said a statement, and I could have swore it was Harmony. And she actually said, "No, I have high Individualization." And it's interesting that the combo of those thinking through, of making sure that, for her, making sure that she understood the needs of everyone on an individual basis from a team and how those two -- we're not talking about partnerships, but --

Jaclynn Robinson 4:31
I could see that.

Jim Collison 4:33
Just a situation that happened to me yesterday, you know, thinking through that. And I wanted to -- since we have a bunch of strengths coaches listening -- I wanted to say, "Oh, you have high Harmony." And then I was wrong. And I was guessing, and it wasn't right. She had high Individualization. And it's like, Oh, interesting to think through that. So let's think about this, though -- What ways an individual with Harmony can feel more energized by focusing on their individual strength and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:58
Ooh. Well, I kind of teased this out. One feasible opportunity is to really pay attention to when work life feels most harmonious, and to identify what those responsibilities are that you're, that you're doing, or what's the expertise that you're providing or cultivating in that moment? But maybe a more challenging or optimal way of gaining energy is to think about those more challenging parts of the day. What can you learn from them? Because going down that path, although it might feel like a challenge initially, you can start to create harmony internally, and gain that energy once again, because you're not avoiding the responsibilities, but you're learning how to maybe cultivate the habit or cultivate the skill set. So that you're not only going to perform more optimally, but you're going to have energy, energy out of it.

Jim Collison 5:50
I love that idea of practicing --

Jaclynn Robinson 5:51
Long-term output. Yeah.

Jim Collison 5:53
Because sometimes you can't do it. it's, you're in a situation, you can't, whatever is wrong, you can't make right. Or whatever is causing problems, you can't intercede. Well, however that, however that fits in. But bringing energy by thinking through that, I mean, could be one of those ways, where, if you can't be directly involved, you could be solving or working through that problem internally -- I love that. I actually do that sometimes for other things, where you're like, Yeah, I'm not going to actually, I can't actually influence this, but I'm gonna think through it. And it brings some, it brings some adrenaline or whatever -- I'm struggling to think -- dopamine. It floods the system with dopamine -- feels good in the moment, and some good opportunities to bring some energy back to it. What, what are ways an individual with, with this Harmony can feel more energized by building partnerships and finding purpose in their role?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:52
I think someone high in Harmony -- and I know I do this with people that have Harmony high -- people sense that this is an individual that will be attentive to their ideas or their feedback or concerns, because someone high in Harmony is seeking to gather consensus before moving forward, or they're, you know, looking for ways that they can support -- I said it earlier, but -- balance or reduce tension. And that behavior really instills trust and respect and rapport. So this can be used on a broader scale when addressing expectations, maybe prior to engaging in a partnership or team opportunity. They can bring people together first, where everyone can start to find alignment on expectations and next steps. And that can help foster collaboration and reduce any, you know, future tensions or obstacles, so that everyone is driving towards the purpose in a more fruitful way.

Jim Collison 7:41
I love that idea of consensus, the, as you, bringing that -- and, you know, I don't know, we could probably spend the rest thinking about the difference between consensus and agreement, as we think about those two words. Of course, culturally, in other languages, those might be different. But again, yeah, because --

Jaclynn Robinson 8:05
Meeting of the minds. Meeting of the minds might be one that we all get as, like, yeah.

Harmony: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 8:10
Well, yeah, and, and agreement, you know, and compromise is another, right -- the, the, that is the world sometimes of this person with Harmony, of helping all of that come together in a way to make things work, right. I think it dovetails nicely. Let's talk about the manager, because I think this plays, this is a really important role it plays in. So how can a manager with Harmony support others with their basic needs? Let's start there.

Jaclynn Robinson 8:40
Yeah. Well, once goals or assignments are established, from that team perspective, they could have the team provide their own input of how they want to get the work done, or maybe even divide up the work if they have that opportunity. And then they could provide thoughts into additional resources that might require -- I should say resources that they might require or barriers that maybe they foresee. So it's two-way feedback. Once goals or, and assignments are established, How does the team want to get involved? How do they want to divide up the work? Manager and team, Hey, let's think together about any additional resources you might need or barriers that you see, so that we're finding alignment and consensus or agreement or, you know, that meeting of the minds from the very beginning.

Jim Collison 9:30
How does that, as we think about, you know, this helping others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual, talk a little bit more about how that, getting that alignment, as you just said, helps in that area.

Jaclynn Robinson 9:47
Listening to the needs and wishes of their direct report. So we're hearing that when we're thinking about basic needs, but also just, even from that individual perspective, it's something that, you know, they could invite into those one-on-one conversations they're having. When they're listening to the needs and wishes of their direct reports, they can start to identify where that individual is thriving and harmonious at work or feels balanced, and where there might be some discord or conflict. And then, in an effort to defuse any, you know, obstacles that might be getting in the way of their wellbeing and productivity, the manager can start to help them think through solutions. And those careful considerations that they're putting forth with the employee can help them feel cared about. So it's, Hey, let's, let's think this through together. Let's reduce this tension or this conflict that you're feeling.

Jim Collison 10:37
You and I both have Harmony fairly far down. Do you ever -- this is totally --

Jaclynn Robinson 10:42
By far -- No. 34 for me.

Jim Collison 10:44
I was trying to be kind.

Jaclynn Robinson 10:48
I claim it.

Jim Collison 10:50
Not the way it works, so don't, don't follow a Jim says here. But you ever, do you ever get that sense you've been, you're being Harmonied by a manager? And all of a sudden you're like, Oh, my gosh -- I'm the one out of balance. Like, have you, you know, you're like -- So I'm the problem? And you're now trying to bring me back in? And what, I mean, I have, you have that real, I have that realization at times. And I'm like, Oh, it's me. Yeah, I actually need, OK, I see what's going on here. Yeah. In that, one of those realizations when you have a manager who has this high Harmony, and it's so, they've sensed, they're trying to bring your, I can only admit for me, I am the problem in the group; I am causing the disunity. And they're like, Hey, can we talk? I don't know. Have you, have you, can you talk a little bit about that?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:47
I've seen it with friends and -- friends that have this high colleagues that have this high, siblings have it high, where that level of conflict or tension that I have, even if it's just a bad day, they're mirroring that. I can see it on their face that I'm the problem. They just try to talk it down or, you know, they might slowly say, "You know what? I'm gonna edge away. I think you've got this."

Jim Collison 12:14
"Have you considered?"

Jaclynn Robinson 12:15
But it's funny.

Jim Collison 12:16
There's trigger words in there, right? "Hey, have you considered?" Or --

Jaclynn Robinson 12:20
Ooh. Yeah, I'm sorry.

Jim Collison 12:24
I think it directly relates, you know, as we think about this idea of building trust and inspiring and deepening team collaboration and community, it's that recognition of it, right? It's, it's, and I don't think in my younger years, I would recognize -- in fact, I might even take offense to it. As I've gotten older, being more sensitive to that, you get that self-awareness of, of like, OK, I need to come in line here. Talk a little bit more about how a manager with high Harmony can build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration beyond, even beyond that.

Jaclynn Robinson 12:58
They can help them see the bigger picture of what the team or the department goals are, and what this team itself is striving towards. So when they're able to help them see the bigger picture, there can be more agreement on what those goals are. It's Oh, OK, now we're all in alignment with what's expected of us, what we're striving towards, in relationship to the team or the department. And then afterwards, team members will more easily be able to align with each other at that more local level, in their partnerships that they have together, or, you know, if there's three people of the team working together. And then, they can have their differences of opinion, say, OK, well, we can agree to disagree here, because we know now what our actual team goal is and what we're striving towards. So I think it's going to allow them to sort better if they can just help, as a manager, highlight the bigger picture -- this is what we're all aiming towards.

Jim Collison 13:51
I think it's also one of those themes where what, what's around it has an influence. So we, I see, oftentimes, I see Harmony-Empathy, but different maybe than a Harmony-Activator or a Harmony-Maximizer. Right. And so this is one of those where I want to challenge folks listening, as we think about, if you're listening to this, you have high Harmony, or maybe you're on a team that has high Harmony. We, in the preshow, we heard some, some, some folks had chimed in with teams they had worked with this where I think is a great opportunity to think of that, those theme dynamics. And as we think about building trust, inspiring and deeping -- deepening team collaboration, some great opportunities there, in the context of what's around it or what's with it or what comes with it. I don't know, would you add anything else to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 14:38
No, I love that. It's what else can you anchor Harmony to that's going to help people see the vision, because when we think about teamwork and inspiring, they need to know what they're, what they should be inspired by. And so what do you have that surrounds maybe Harmony that can help drive alignment?

Jim Collison 14:57
Well, and even for those who have it, a clue to how it's, how it's being used for you. How, where is the best place for you to insert this? Because like any of the themes, just, just in its rawest form of just blasting it 24/7 in every situation is not always helpful, right? Not, not always helpful. And so yeah, I think figuring that. OK, last question, as we think about wrapping this up, then: How can a manager with Harmony support the growth of each team member?

Jaclynn Robinson 15:30
They can listen with empathy and understanding to create that safe space for team members to share out what their developmental aspirations are, where they might see some areas of opportunity or weakness. And then they can help team members tailor their development plan and ensure it's in alignment to their professional goals. So that's what I would say in terms of supporting the growth.

Jim Collison 15:54
Yeah, yeah, you know, I love -- and again, this will apply to any of the themes. But we've talked about this before, but I love this idea of, for those, for our friends high in this, it may, sometimes this superpower may need permission too. Like bringing up, you see a team that's not functioning well. And the approach may be less than more or not just, not just saying -- like coming in, coming in hot, coming in hot with this Harmony. I'm just gonna tell you how it is right now. Right? And, and getting permission to speak into -- because you're, I think oftentimes, you're dealing, because you're dealing, you might be dealing with conflict. You're dealing with sensitive, sensitive topics that -- come at it gently. Come at this thing gently. And you may, you may know that, because you have Harmony, but just a good reminder in there. Some of these, especially in the team settings, be gentle on the way in. Jaclynn, any other final thoughts as, as we wrap this up?

Jaclynn Robinson 16:56
Harmony. Well, maybe right now, I think when I, whenever I think about Harmony internalized, because you can be more sensitive to the conflict or tensions that are out in the workplace or out in the world. I think it's even just tapping into your own wellbeing. Where are you at, and how harmonious are you within self? Because if you're not, if you're off balance, then the way that that shows up to the world and the way that you can lend it to others will be off balance. So I think that would be the most important kind of note that I would leave you all with.

Jim Collison 17:32
Your wrap was better than mine. Nice job. With that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available in Gallup Access. Head to my.gallup.com. If you're just out on gallup.com, there's actually a Search button. Put the theme name in; it'll bring you back a bunch of the resources we have available around Harmony. So don't forget, that's a resource for you. For coaching, master coaching, if you want to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, we can help you with that. Send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Don't forget to join us for the 2024 -- or insert the, the year of us doing a summit in there -- head out to gallupatwork.com. And now would be a great time to get registered for whatever we're doing that's out there. We'd love to see you in person in Omaha in June of 2024 or anytime we're doing an in-person event. Stay up to date with all our future webcasts by joining us in our Facebook or our LinkedIn groups. You can find us on any social platform by searching "CliftonStrengths," and we definitely want to thank you for joining us today. If you, if you enjoyed it share it. Just click Share; send that out on your, on your -- chances are, I'm gonna like it if you do that, by the way. So get that done today. We want to thank you for joining us. If you are live, stay around for a little bit of a midshow. And with that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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