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

[Make] sure that you have clarity on, Hey, what does quality work look like here? And then do I have the resources to carry that out as well?

Jaclynn Robinson, 2:05

Managers, the most powerful thing you can do is maximize recognition. ... That can be an engine that drives the performance.

Jim Collison, 9:12

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths^® Podcast, Season 3, recorded on February 23, 2024.

Jim Collison 0:19
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 Maximizer. If you're listening live, love to have you join us in chat. If you're listening after the fact, maybe on YouTube or in the podcast, and you have questions, you can just email us: 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 Wellbeing at Work, the book, and in Season 2, the CliftonStrengths role-based reports -- that was a fun season. If you haven't listened to those, go back; you can do that as well. Don't do it now. Stay, stay on the podcast, but stay here with us. Jaclynn, this season -- oh, I didn't welcome you, Jaclynn. Welcome to the podcast!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:59
Well, hi ya! It's OK.

Maximizer: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 1:06
Jaclynn, we're spending some time this season talking about bringing energy to, to work through your themes. Today, we're talking about Maximizer. Let's talk about the individual first. What ways can an individual with Maximizer feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:22
Ooh -- by knowing what the expectations are, and even more specifically, How do we measure them? If you've got this theme, What does excellence look like? When performance is unclear, connect with your manager or a colleague that you might be partnering on that project with, just to gain clarity, so that you do know, What does quality and excellence look like? And then, depending on your nature, you might prefer a template, so that you can visualize excellence. Maybe it's a SMART goal that you require. Maybe it's performance metrics, so you've got a numbers-based system of seeing where you're at, in relation to what excellence looks like. So it's a bit of a "choose your own adventure." But first and foremost is making sure that you have clarity on, Hey, what does quality work look like here? And then do I have the resources to carry that out as well?

Jim Collison 2:14
I, I've admitted this. My Maximizer, because of the themes that are around it, looks more like quantity than it does quality. So I can't; I couldn't just run one marathon; I had to run 5, right, type deal. I ran, you know, I ran and I ran and I ran; it's always more. You know, I'm always looking at our download numbers for the podcast, and 4 million was great, but we're coming up on 5 million. And it has a quality component to it, in the sense that I want to see, I want to make quality enough that I can get the quantity behind it on this. And so, to satisfy my basic needs, you're, you're dead on; I measure, measure, measure, because I'm looking for that more, right. And more requires some of the quality. And so it's just, for me, that works out, that works out in that way, at least for my basic needs. What are some ways an individual with Maximizer can feel more energized by focusing on their individual strengths and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:14
Well, you tend to sort pretty quickly, if you have this high, between the work you love to do and the work that drains you. So continue to pay attention to the type of work that you love, so you can share it out with others in the workplace. You know, between your manager and the colleagues you know, more people can start to support and cultivate those talents you hold. And of course, you've got that information now that you can carry into your developmental conversation with your manager, you know, whether it's quarterly or every 6 months. So that supports your career development in the long term.

Jim Collison 3:45
We spend, we just came off the beginning of the year. Folks listening to this now, it may be midyear if it's, if it's brand new, but -- and by the way, focus on this part as well. We talk a lot about goals. How do you think goals, you know, this idea of goal-setting, play into the Maximizer mindset, and especially when we think about individual strengths and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 4:06
Ooh, it's, so I'm kind of thinking for a moment, because it reminds me of the conversation that comes up a lot with this theme. It sounds a lot like Competition^®, because there's some goals there. It sounds a lot like Achiever^®, because there's goals there. And the goals, as I see it from that Maximizer perspective, is the goal of getting closer to excellence or the goal of getting closer to what quality can be. For you, it was the goal of, How do I achieve more in a way that's quality-driven? So I think that's the driver. You might have a particular developmental goal in mind, and then the mini-goal inside that is, How do I get better at it? How do I get even better at it? How do I get even better at it? So you're constantly trying to move forward. That's what sounds like Competition, because you're almost in competition with yourself to get to a level of excellence? And, of course, we're always striving towards excellence.

Jim Collison 5:06
Yeah, well, and using those goals, right?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:07
So it feels like you're never gonna get there, because you could always do better.

Jim Collison 5:11
Yeah, you can. I think that's one of those things to be careful on. But not to lose that edge, like, that edge of, of driving and pushing and better and, or more. Because I think more and better can be the same thing, by the way. But that push, push, push, I think sometimes we back down -- in this area of development, I'm going to focus on -- we back down too quickly. Maximizers are afraid they're going to push too hard or too far, this is too much. And I want to say sometimes, Don't lose the edge! It's important what you're doing. Keep pushing hard at it. You can go farther. You can do more. It can be better. And so, I think that, the goal-setting process is important to, so you don't lose your way. You don't get discouraged by people saying, "Ah, again?" "Yeah, again." Like, do it again. Do it again.

Jaclynn Robinson 6:07
Refine it. Cultivate it. Yeah. Do it again.

Jim Collison 6:10
Yeah. It's hard. Yes, it's hard work. That's what it -- I think people sometimes get a little, they just get afraid. And it's like, don't be afraid. Keep pushing, because what you're doing is important. And you're gonna do something, you're gonna go farther, you're going to do it better, it's going to be a breakthrough. So don't lose that edge. Don't let people tell you, "Back down!" Just keep pushing hard. What are some ways an individual with this theme can feel more energized by building partnerships and finding purpose in their role?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:42
From a me perspective, working with others who are playing to their talents and thriving in their role would bring a lot of energy -- that'd be a partnership or partnerships that you'd likely enjoy more. You know, when everyone's working in this realm of ease, excellence and enjoyment towards that collective goal, it's, Ah! This is so rewarding. This is, this is a great day! The way that you might transition that into a we with others is more that influential way, too. Because you can, you can influence and inspire people to drive towards refinement, to drive towards excellence, by celebrating the strengths that they have, by bringing attention to the excellence that, you know, they've put forth in the responsibility. They might not see it for themselves, but you do, and it's inspiring, it's motivating, it's rewarding to be around someone that's going to focus on the strengths of an individual or a team, versus the weaknesses. And that might be your level of influence as well, because people go, Wow, I like working with this person, because they see me and they see the talents I have. Or they drive us towards excellence. And we get more quality work out of it when we work with this individual.

Jim Collison 7:57
Well, and building partnerships, for me, was always about driving people to do more with me. Let's meet today, let's go --

Jaclynn Robinson 8:05
There's more again.

Maximizer: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 8:06
We could finish this. Let's go do this: it could be better. Let's, you know, even with my own, even with my own children, spending a lot of time with them doing things with them -- we could do more of this, we could be better at this, we could refine that. Right? And that has been, Maximizer has been a partnership key for me, in a lot of ways. So let's talk about the manager. How can a manager with Maximizer support others with their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 8:35
Oh, yeah, well, helping the team understand what excellence looks like by providing performance metrics and really establishing the difference between good, better and best work. So they know where they're at, in relationship to where they need to be. And then involve the team where possible, so they can work together to define quality in their respective team projects. Then just provide and encourage ongoing feedback through either recognition or constructive feedback, so that people can, again, gauge the quality of their work. But now they're getting that outside perspective versus just gauging it on their own.

Jim Collison 9:12
I think managers, the most powerful thing you can do is maximize recognition. Figure out better, smarter, more efficient, more effective ways to recognize people. That, god, is so powerful, Jaclynn, that ability to do it, keep doing it, keep doing it better, not resting until it's great. And then, How could it be even better? And it's just such a powerful, especially in that area of recognition. That can be an engine that drives the performance. I think sometimes we think we've got to, you know, drive this -- it's performance, performance, performance. I think if we can give that recognition side some work, that performance will come. And you don't have to push so hard on that side and those pieces. How can a manager with Maximizer help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:05
You, I think, really teased that out some, too, is, when you recognize someone's talents in action, bring it to their attention. Find out if this is the type of work that they love to do, because they might do it really well, but they might not like doing it. So it really is about finding out, Do you love this? And if so, let's find more opportunities to align your strengths to this type of responsibility or to this type of project in the workplace.

Jim Collison 10:31
Ooh, that, you know, saying, Ooh, that's a good idea. Let's take that and, you know, bring it in. Let's take that and make it better. It may be a component of what's happening right now, and me doing the podcasting with you, of continuing to drive content that's valuable, getting this feedback from the community. But to keep driving it, right. I never get tired of this. It's just a, it's a ton of fun just to, to watch this happen and to see insights of people in chat. See a moment and go, Oh, that's why! And so I'm hoping, you know, we talk about helping others feel seen, I'm hoping there's a little bit of that going on right now. That people are being seen; this chat room is a way to help people being, to be seen, right. And so that kind of fits maybe, kind of, I don't know, anything else you want to add to that?

Jaclynn Robinson 11:23
I love that. That's a really good way of, and given we both have Maximizer, I could see that, because we like being connected to the community. We love the live piece, because there's that connection to hear what you all are identifying with in what's being said, or how you're building off of it, or even, you know, challenging it and taking it in a different direction. It's so great, because it's all about refinement -- How are we continuing to think about and refine the themes that we're discussing, or whatever the topic is, but how are you feeling seen and recognized for the talents you bring too?

Jim Collison 12:04
Yeah, and I think we both play off of that in this setting, right? Getting that constant feedback, and then listening to it and say, OK, How can I tweak what I just said to say it again, even just a little bit better, but not make it seem like it's repetitive? How can I do this over and over and over, on things that have already been said, but we continue to say them, right? Getting that feedback, saying it again, making it better? It just happens to be the -- our mode just happens to be, you know, the verbal, you know, form of media; this could be done in writing or in anything, right? Anything that's being done. What about a manager with Maximizer? How can they build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration and community, do you think?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:48
Because you see the potential in the talents of others, if you lead with this theme, think about how you can continue to motivate and inspire your team through pep talks or quarterly reviews with, with them. And highlight the talents and successes that they've had, while also encouraging their limitless potential. Then you can open up the conversation after, so that the team can start to share their own highlights and the impact that has been witnessed or observed by them from either working with internal employees or by connecting with external customers. So it might start with you, but then you can really create this level of expansion in the room, where people can start to, you know, celebrate one another for the potential and the successes they've had, and get really excited about, Ooh, What do we want to do next? Going back to that limitless potential.

Jim Collison 13:39
I hear a lot of recognition in what you just said, right? And that being a huge key, I think, to this. So well done. Final question: How can a manager with Maximizer support the growth of each team member?

Jaclynn Robinson 13:53
In your developmental conversations, share what you've observed the team member do exceptionally well, and inquire about their interests in that line of work. If they don't want to do more of it, then maybe you can work together and find a new way that they can build on their talents. Or maybe they prefer to apply those talents that you've witnessed to a different area of the workplace, in which case, then you can help them consider the various opportunities that are available, so they can leverage those talents. So beyond just recognition in the moment, this is going to be that more formal opportunity to say, Hey, this is what I've observed so far in you. What do you think? Do you want to do more of it? Do you want to play it elsewhere? Do you want to, you know, scratch the responsibilities where I've seen you do this really great? Which is gonna make me sad as a manager, but maybe you want to, you want to apply those talents elsewhere? Let's talk.

Jim Collison 14:46
When I first started at Gallup, I started as an IT manager. I managed resources, some really smart, analytical folks. And it was, it was, I really enjoyed it. But I had a manager come to me and say, "Hey, would you like to go do some recruiting? Like, we need some help." And there's no question -- "Yes." Get to go out and talk to college students and work on those -- a Maximizer. I mean, there was a Maximizer moment, not for me, but for my manager, for the manager at the time, to say, Hey, I could see some other areas that you can really provide help with. I didn't, I never asked how I was gonna get it done. Or they never asked me how I was gonna get on this; they said, "Can you go do this?" And it was a great Maximizer, it's one of those examples in my career where I go, that was a really smart, that was a really smart question to ask me and focus me in a direction -- that led to this. And so you, you know, wouldn't have, I may not have gotten here if I hadn't, if that step hadn't been taken, and someone, a manager, saw that and said, Hey, how can we maximize his talent even more than we're doing it right now? In a radically different way -- you know, managing IT resources, and then recruiting, kind of different in that. But that's, for me, that's a good example. Jaclynn, final thoughts on Maximizer?

Jaclynn Robinson 16:02
Ooh, well, there's one quote that I love. I don't know who says the quote, because it changes by the day, I feel. But if you've got Maximizer, you might connect with this. "Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better, and your better is best." How do you do that for yourself? How do you lend it to other people? How do you help them be at their best and never let it rest? Which can be very inspiring for them that you're, you're seeing through their lens, you're seeing the talents that they bring to the table.

Jim Collison 16:37
Jane used to say that all the time; that just reminded me of that.

Jaclynn Robinson 16:39
Did she really?

Jim Collison 16:40
Yeah, she used to. It was great. It was great, very motivational, and a great Maximizer statement. We'll remind everyone to take advantage of all the resources we have available for you in Gallup Access. Head out to my.gallup.com. Sign in. If you haven't checked out, we have a brand new Top 5 report that is out there. Maybe you haven't seen that yet. Get out there today. It's available for everyone. So check it out. You can just go there. It's already in your Strengths Dashboard, some new resources, including some theme dynamics. Maybe you could maximize your talents by working yourself the way through those theme dynamics, and, and check it out today. For coaching, master coaching or to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, you can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. We'll get you more information, whether you want to be an independent or embedded coach, we do both of those. So contact us for that. If you want to join us for the 2024 Gallup at Work Summit, whether in-person or virtual, I mean, Jaclynn and I are going to host the virtual part together. But you could, even though we're doing virtual, you could also come and be a part of it in person. We'd love to see in Omaha. We'll be hanging out in between sessions, and we'd love to see you there. You can register right now. Details are at gallupatwork.com. Stay up to date with all the future webcasts by following us on Facebook and LinkedIn. You can find anything we do just by searching "CliftonStrengths." Like, Subscribe, do all those things that you're supposed to do out there on the, on the interwebs. And we want to thank you for joining us today. If you enjoyed it, share it. And if you're listening live, stay around for a little bit of postshow. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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