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

As you think about your developmental goals as an Includer, who should you include in your professional network, as a mentor, an expert, a coach, maybe an accountability partner?

Jaclynn Robinson, 3:06

Showing the empathy and respect and appreciation that they have for other people and their diverse backgrounds, their experiences or perspectives, ... this is what belongingness looks like.

Jaclynn Robinson, 10:09

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths^® Podcast, Season 3, recorded on February 9, 2024.

Jim Collison 0:18
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 Includer. If you're listening live, love to have you join us in chat. If you're listening after the fact, you can always send us an email -- questions, or an email with questions, there we go: coaching@gallup.com. Dr. Jaclynn Robinson is our host today. She works as, 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, as well as all the brand new CliftonStrengths role reports. And Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:52
Thank you.

Includer: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 0:53
We are spending some time this season looking and, and thinking about bringing energy and motivation to work. Today, we're looking at Includer. Let's talk about the individual first. What are ways an individual with Includer can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:12
Rather than work solo, which workplace responsibilities do you have, if this is your talent theme, that you, that you could partner with somebody else on, so that the environment feels more inclusive and you feel more connected day to day? Even if it's just connecting on Microsoft Teams or by email or a 5-minute phone call, particularly if you're working remote, What are some of those activities throughout the day where you can loop somebody else in and just feel more connected?

Jim Collison 1:42
I had a partner of mine who I worked with in my early years here at Gallup, when I was managing folks, who had high Includer. And she would make sure -- I'd be like, Hey, I want to put a, I need to put an event together, or I'm going to do a meeting. Can you help me get folks? And she would always be very, very thoughtful about just that idea: Did we get everybody? And then, I think beyond, Did we get everybody? Prompting me -- and this is, we maybe talk about this in the manager section -- but prompting me to, Have you thought about this? And have you thought about that? From a people perspective. So we, in past seasons of Theme Thursday, we talked about sorting, how themes sort, and I think this is one that kind of can sort to the, Did we get everybody? And not, and not just a single question, but then thinking through some of the, like, OK, let's make sure, like, you know, before you travel, and you're, like, OK did I get my toothbrush? Do I have toothpaste? Do I have my retainers?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:49
My face wash, my shampoo. Yeah.

Jim Collison 2:52
Just that ability for both themselves, and we'll talk a little bit about it from a manager perspective, but What are some ways an individual with Includer can feel more energized by focusing on their individual strength and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:04
This was a fun one. So as you think about your developmental goals as an Includer, who should you include in your professional network, as a mentor, an expert, a coach, maybe an accountability partner? John Maxwell says one of the best questions you can ask is, "Who do you know that I should know?" So as an Includer, this might be a great, authentic question for you to build your network and continue to develop using the strength that you have as an Includer.

Jim Collison 3:35
I love that. I love that sentence, that idea. We've spent some time talking about these themes in the context of me versus we. And Includer is one of those, the, one of the few, if maybe the only one I can think of right now, where it's maybe both at the same time. It's, right, Hey, I'm --

Jaclynn Robinson 3:52
That's a good way of putting it, yes.

Jim Collison 3:53
I'm in this, and I want to include people, but it's also the inclusion of people into things is a benefit to them. So it's the me and the we -- again, I hadn't thought about this before in that, in that context -- but the me and the we at the same time. And the power of that, you know, the power of that in bringing, in your own development, what, in your sentence -- say that sentence again from John Maxwell? How did that -- ?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:19
Yes -- Who do you know that I should know?

Jim Collison 4:22
Yeah, and for what reason but to learn and grow, right?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:25
Yes, yes, yes.

Jim Collison 4:28
One of the reasons for that, so --

Jaclynn Robinson 4:29
Exactly.

Jim Collison 4:31
What are some ways an individual with Includer can feel more energized by focusing -- oh, no, I already asked that question, sorry. What are some -- I'm a little off today. I don't know why.

Jaclynn Robinson 4:42
I'm gonna keep blaming it on the weather, why everyone just feels sleepy.

Jim Collison 4:46
There we go. There we go. Let's ask this question instead: What are some ways an individual with Includer can feel more energized by building partnerships and finding purpose in their roles?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:56
Well, and Includers tend to feel more energized when people of different perspectives and outlooks are coming together to work towards that common goal. So pay attention to where this feeling and this energy is lacking. Then consider who might also be working towards that same common goal, and think about a touch-base -- how can you bring that individual or those individuals together for a touch-base, so that you have more synergy in the work and more success in the outcome?

Jim Collison 5:25
Do you think Includer is a natural partnership builder? I mean, is it part of -- because we're including other people, and those people are certainly going to benefit us in that, is it a natural, does it naturally just build partnerships, do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:43
I feel like that's a strong lens that they have, and so they'd have that spidey sense of when it's lacking, because there's the missing link -- we're missing that person that has that perspective that could help us, you know, go deeper in this topic or could help us perform better with this outcome.

Jim Collison 5:59
Yeah, also, I think, seeing those that have been left out, in some cases, right. It's, it may not always be the including of others, but the exclude -- those that have been excluded and bringing them in to participate as well. I don't know, would you add anything to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:18
Yeah, I agree. I agree. And I feel like that's where they could be strong in partnerships and purpose is, who have we excluded that we need to loop in? Because now we're going to have, we're going to feel on fire; we're going to have that synergy and that energy.

Jim Collison 6:31
Yeah. It's, it's more than we just forgot to invite them to lunch. And that's part of it. I mean, certainly that, those kinds of things build partnerships when we're doing fun events, and some of those kinds of things. But at a more serious level of about, thinking about, Hey, maybe in the past, where have we -- for whatever reasons -- where have -- how have we excluded these individuals? And, and I think about, in that question, we say, in finding purpose in their role. And I think that helps, you know, as we're building teams, that helps put together the purpose of those teams, right. I don't know, anything else, anything else you'd add, before we talk about the manager?

Jaclynn Robinson 7:09
I love what you just said. It's, it really highlights the sense of belongingness that Includers can bring in the workplace and that layer of just diversity of thought and people and opinions and talents.

Includer: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 7:23
Yeah, and energizing that in that process. Right? Do, doing it in a way that they don't tire. They don't they, it's, you know, continuing to work in that way. So let's shift to the manager role. And this is super -- now, listen, they're all powerful inside these roles. But this one, particularly so. How can a manager with Includer support others with their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 7:46
I think about the manager with Includer being at the table with the team around and getting their thoughts and opinions, including them in the, in the goal-setting for the quarter or for the year. There's going to be those key responsibilities that, you know, a manager and a team have to carry out. But maybe there has been a request or two from a different department, to say, "Hey, your team is capable of handling this task. Could you do it?" Instead of that manager just saying, "Yes," including the opinions of the team: "Hey, we had this offer. It's not one of our key priorities or goals. You've got the talent for it. But do you have the scope? Is this something you would want to take on?" So that's just an example, but I can see, and often do see, Includer managers including the team, when it comes to expectations and getting their feedback on, you know, barriers to their success. So yeah, it's, it's, I think they really spike, "At work, my opinions seem to count." And we can see that in expectations and barriers they might have in the workplace.

Jim Collison 8:58
Yeah, that's a great tie to that question from our Q^12® and building others up in that area. Going back to the example I used in the very beginning -- of course, Includer is very low for me. And I, it's not like I wanted to exclude people; I just wasn't naturally, I'm more inclined about, about moving people and things forward. And my thought was always, they'd come along; I'd catch them as I needed to. It was like more of a net that was moving forward. And so instead of starting with people in mind, we would just move forward, and the net would slowly get, you know, tighter and tighter and tighter. We'd include everybody as we needed, but it was a great reminder if you don't have it in. And, you know, I had a partner that had it, and it was a great reminder to bring those, bring those people along from the beginning -- has some benefits as well. How can a manager with Includer help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual?

Jaclynn Robinson 9:59
Oh, yes! They could lead by example, by demonstrating inclusivity in their interactions with team members and even their fellow colleagues. Showing the empathy and respect and appreciation that they have for other people and their diverse backgrounds, their experiences or perspectives, is really pretty symbolic of, this is what belongingness looks like; this is what inclusion looks like. And given managers have that sphere of influence, they're in a really good position, by nature, in their, their, you know, actions and their natural behaviors to just let that shine through.

Jim Collison 10:36
Yeah, it's, it's got inclusion as part of the definition, right, in there, as we think about Includer in bringing and help -- and not just to be on the list, but to be a part of the group, right -- to be in, to be on the inside, and not looking out from the outside. How can a manager with Includer build trust, inspire and deepen team collaborations and community, do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:02
I think by fostering a culture of peer support, and mentorship within the team. So use that Includer strength to facilitate connections among those team members who would make really powerful partners, based on their different strengths. And that can even lead to more effective teamwork and problem-solving because they're, you know, coming from two different angles and looking for opportunities to, you know, tackle that responsibility or grow a customer relationship, as examples.

Jim Collison 11:33
Do you think mentoring is an outcome of, of including -- if we can make a verb out of it with Includers? Mentoring falling -- it seems like that would be a natural conclusion in some ways.

Jaclynn Robinson 11:46
Yeah. Because they know so many people, they've got, it's like a Woo^®: They have such a network of wanting to include people that they just have a lot of people they know. And I could see them being able to refer out.

Jim Collison 11:59
Yeah. Yeah, well, and, you know, that, the act of mentoring, right, is multiplication. Right. So yes, I know this, but then I'm going to mentor someone -- you could use the word coaching in there as well, I think, maybe.

Jaclynn Robinson 12:14
Yeah. Or they would know who would make a good mentor, based on that individual's perspectives, because they've got that network of wanting to be so inclusive.

Jim Collison 12:25
Just think about that deepened team-collaboration idea and building that collaboration through mentoring. I just think there's some great opportunities there. How can a manager with Includer support the growth of, of each team member?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:41
Encouraging the team to build connections with, one, their own team, their intact team, but also with cross-functional teams. So they can create a psychologically safe and engaging space for that to take place. It could be through an on-site lunch or maybe a virtual or on-site retreat, with breakouts and activities. And then they could even have a team member or two from that cross-functional team, you know, drop in as a special guest in their retreat and share out what they're working on, or how they're going to support that intact team this quarter or this year. But the efforts that they put forth to create that deeper sense of belongingness can help in building trust and rapport, and make it easier for team members to learn and grow from one another. So even going back to that mentorship piece you just said, they can learn and grow from one another through feedback and recognition.

Jim Collison 13:34
We often think about this in the context of maybe a corporate team or, or even a volunteer team, but I think as you were saying these things, I was thinking even about my own role with customers, and how someone with high Includer could also be a great partner -- partner for me or a leader in thinking through, How are we making sure we're not leaving our customers out of these decisions? Right. We're, we're doing this for them. That's the whole, that's the whole reason we're doing this. How do we make sure -- and I know for me, with, with low Includer, I often take a lot of feedback from the community, to say, Hey, have you thought about this? Have you thought about that? What about this?

Jim Collison 14:13
I rely on that -- can't, of course, can't act on or do everything, but, but, but think through, Hey, are we including everyone in these kind of -- or, and, in some cases, are we just considering it? Right? Because you can't do everything; you end up creating a monster if you try to do absolutely everything sometimes. I just, I think about that in the context of customers as well. So maybe it, maybe to, for someone who says, "Well maybe I don't manage a team"; well, maybe you manage your customers. Or -- and this would maybe go back to last season's role-based reports, you know -- maybe you're in retail, and you including the customer in the conversation on sales for whatever. Yeah. Jaclynn, as we wrap it up, final thoughts, as we think about Includer?

Jaclynn Robinson 15:01
Well, we know Includers tend to get energy from creating that inclusive environment. So you are really adept at being able to enable people to feel like they belong. It brings you energy, but you can lose your energy if you're including so many people that you're, you know, almost overworked or stretched too thin in trying to maintain those connections. So in those cases, take a pause just to really self-reflect and consider, Does this person need to be in the room? Does this person need to be in the meeting? Or am I including just for Includer's sake? Because if you can free up their time and space when we're in this meeting-heavy environment, they're probably going to be very happy about it. So just pay attention to your own energy levels of where you're finding it and where you're not. It might actually be lacking in energy if you've spread yourself too thin.

Jim Collison 15:59
Love that. I think with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we have available in Gallup Access -- some on gallup.com too. So you can go to my.gallup.com or you just go to gallup.com. Hit the Search button or Resources tab, and search "Includer," and all the resources we have available will show up for you, and lots of great learning ahead. For coaching, master coaching or to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, we, we do that; we can help you with that. Send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. If you want to join us for the 2024 Gallup at Work Summit, either in person -- love to see you in Omaha -- or virtually, you can sign up today: gallupatwork.com. If it's past June of 2024, I bet we have our next instance of it. Sign up for the email updates, those kinds of things; we'd love to see you here. Stay up to date on all the future webcasts by joining our Facebook or LinkedIn groups. You can find us on any social platform by searching "CliftonStrengths." And if you've enjoyed it, we'd ask that you hit the Like and Subscribe button, and by all means share it. We'd love to have you do that as well. Thanks for listening today. If you, if you're listening live, stay around for a little bit of some mid-show. And with that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

Gallup^®, Q^12®, CliftonStrengths^® and each of the 34 CliftonStrengths theme names are trademarks of Gallup. Copyright © 1993-1998, 2000 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.