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

It's really helpful to know ... What's the key priority? Or what's critical at this point in time? ... That context is key -- little "c" -- of Where are we going?

Jaclynn Robinson, 2:12

Anticipate and identify any potential risks or obstacles ... [to] your team's ability to meet those expectations. ... Consider new strategies for how [you] can remove that hindrance, so the team can continue to move forward.

Jaclynn Robinson, 8:30

Jim Collison 0:00
I am Jim Collison, and this is The CliftonStrengths Podcast, Season 3, recorded on March 22, 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 Strategic. If you're listening live, we'd love to have you join us in chat. Or if you have questions 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, joined me for Season 1 and 2 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we looked at the book Wellbeing at Work and our CliftonStrengths role-based reports -- that'd be Season 2. Jaclynn, always great to be with you. Welcome back!

Jaclynn Robinson 0:50
Pleasure is mine. Thank you, sir. Good to see you again!

Strategic: Questions for Individuals

Jim Collison 0:54
Good to see you. We are spending some time, time talking about bringing energy to work with your hemes. Today, we're talking about Strategic -- No. 2 for you, so this is going to be awesome. Let's talk about the individual first. What are some ways an individual with Strategic can feel more energized by focusing on their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 1:12
Yeah, I'd say by gaining clarity of either the team or the organization's overarching goals and objectives -- maybe it's both -- and then creating that Strategic roadmap that's really going to highlight, OK, what steps am I going to take? What are going to be my timelines? What are my milestones? So that you can meet those respective expectations, or even catch any obstacles that might arise in meeting them. But it's so great to know what the destination is first. What are my team or my organization's objectives? And now I can make, you know, that, that roadmap that's going to be most efficient.

Jim Collison 1:47
Yeah, maybe one of those key things for Strategic is maybe knowing and may, or maybe part of it is discovering where you're going in, in that piece, working through those processes. For you, with Strategic 2, Can you sense that when you need -- like I, I need some Strategic moments. I need to do some things. How do you -- to get those basic needs covered for you, How do you approach that?

Jaclynn Robinson 2:12
Yeah. It's really helpful to know, I always think of it like Google Maps -- Strategic like Google Maps. I know where I'm at; what's the destination? Because that's going to help me know, is this the 10-minute route, the 15-minute route, the, you know, 25-minute route? So there's sometimes additional context that I need. And it might be, What's the key priority? What's our largest priority? Or what's critical at this point in time? And maybe there's two things that you have to do all at once, and then it's, OK, well, how do I want to tackle it? What's going to be the most efficient way to tackle both of these within a given time frame? That context is key -- little "c" -- of Where are we going? I recognize a lot of folks with Strategic tend to have anxiety -- and I see it in myself, too -- if that isn't clear. Where are we actually heading, so that I can put that strategy together?

Jim Collison 3:03
I think about some of the planning that you and I have done. Mike McDonald, I think, has high Strategic; Maika has high Strategic. I think I find myself gravitating towards Strategic people, because I don't. And so it helps me. I've got 1,000 things going on, and then I can say, Hey, I'm thinking about all these things. Can you order this? Can you sort this in a way that makes some sense for what, what we should actually do? Right?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:31
Oh, that's so fun!

Jim Collison 3:32
And so you and I have spent a lot of time sorting these things down. It really kind of becomes an exercise in that in a lot of ways. And so kind of cool to be able to work with you here in the third season of this and be able to do that. What are some ways that an individual with Strategic can feel more energized by focusing their individual strengths and development?

Jaclynn Robinson 3:53
Ooh. You kind of teased it out. It's whenever you can really serve as a thought partner with individuals or teams in the workplace and discuss, What are our next steps going to be? Or what's our strategy for this project or this client need? Or even being on an internal panel -- a lot of organizations have those now, where they can have people sit on an internal panel or board and think about, you know, initiatives that they can carry out for employees, but any of those opportunities to think about an intended outcome, and then hypothesize, Well, if this, then we can do that. If that, then we can do this. It's just a great way to utilize that mapping that takes place in a person's mind that has Strategic high, and to feel valued by the team as well for those talents that you can bring to the table. You're really cultivating that talent and that thought partnership.

Jim Collison 4:45
Yeah, from a development angle, I think I would say to put yourself in some of those situations where you can help with some of those key decisions that need to be made or, or being able to help sort ideas out into what might be best. And that may sound a little bit like Maximizer^® in some, in some regards, but, but to work through those processes, I, I personally love that, to be able to just go through thousands of ideas and then let someone else kind of decide -- like, Hey, here's the best. And I don't, I don't, it doesn't matter to me if they, if we do them all or do any of them. My job is just to create ideas. Hey, here's some things we could be doing. And so your partnership in area, in that area has made this what it is -- it's, it's super cool. What are ways an individual with Strategic can feel more energized by building partnerships and finding purpose in their role?

Jaclynn Robinson 5:39
It's partnerships like this, like what you and I have. There's a lot of energy that comes from working with folks that have great ideas, or they can see maybe visions for the future, but they're not quite sure how they can get there. So this is where someone high in Strategic can come in and provide different avenues or help those partners start to sort through their ideas -- Hey, this is feasible; this seems a little unrealistic. And then you can really start to, you know, hammer out what that plan could be.

Jim Collison 6:10
How do you know -- with Strategic for you, How do you know when you're in that zone? When you're thinking about finding purpose, When do you know you're there? Do you get that feeling, like, Oh, yeah, Strategic's rockin' and rollin' now. Talk a little bit about that, from your own personal -- ?

Jaclynn Robinson 6:25
You feel the juices, for sure -- the juices start to flow, and you go, Ooh, OK. Because some people do have some really good ideas or visions of what that future could look like or where the team can move forward. And you've got team members that are sharing that, you know, once the manager says, Hey, this is kind of where we think we're gonna move or the direction we're going to head in the future. And you've got people with all those ideas that are just coming out. You can feel the energy in Strategic, where you're going, Ooh, OK, yeah. Oh, I like that idea! Yeah, we could do that. And then you start to have ideas yourself of what the next step could look like to get there. And that's kind of when you know you're tuned in and tapped in is like, Oh, OK, yes. And I can see it so vividly how we can get there. And this is the most efficient route. And you start to share that out.

Jim Collison 7:15
And recognize individuals for what it could be. I think you do that really, really well in the context of our relationship of being like, yeah. And then I can almost see it in you sometimes. Like, I've, I've hit it, you know, I've said something, and you're like, yeah, and then we could do this and that, and this. . My job is done here.

Jaclynn Robinson 7:35
The light bulb comes on. You see it in, you see it in us. We're like, yeah! The smiles, we just light up.

Jim Collison 7:43
Well, and you think about, you know, we've, we've been working through the "s"s, and you think about Self-Assurance^® and Significance^®, what we talked about last time, and boy, Strategic can be a really good partner to those. We haven't spent much time talking about these, these partnerships, but I just think about that in this way of saying, you know, this is really Strategic to go this direction or do these things, and, and really play into those, to those other themes as well. So super cool. Well, let's, let's spend a little time talking about the manager. How can a manager with, with Strategic supply -- talked about Self-Assurance and Significance, and that threw me off.

Jaclynn Robinson 8:19
Trying to catch yourself!

Strategic: Questions for Managers

Jim Collison 8:20
That's right. How can a manager with Strategic support others with their basic needs?

Jaclynn Robinson 8:25
Getting back into that, you know, Strategic Thinking lens, start to anticipate and identify any potential risks or obstacles that might hinder their, you know, your team's ability to meet those expectations. And then, if you see any, start to develop some of those risk-mitigation strategies. And this isn't to be confused with Deliberative^®, since we're talking about risk. It's kind of the, it's just another element that you often see in Strategic, to say, Ooh, yeah, this is the best path forward, but we have this obstacle in the way. So let's think about and consider new strategies for how we can remove that hindrance, so the team can continue to move forward. So once you know what those expectations are, I think almost naturally, if you've got Strategic, you're going to start going, OK, what, what obstacles might, might get in the way? Maybe then the idea is to clarify it with the team, so they know that you've already considered that obstacle, and that you're working on it. Because sometimes that's our, our weakness group is you see it, but you don't say it. And so you want to bring the team on board with you, to say, I've got your back. This is what I'm gonna do.

Jim Collison 9:37
Yeah, I, really, really important in that team setting to say it. I've got some, I'm seeing some things ahead. I'm seeing some directions we could do differently. I'm seeing some things that may have a greater impact. I'm sorting differently. Of course, the other themes in your Top 5 around this influence that in, in various ways, but, you know, great opportunity, supporting others, especially as a manager with that supporting others, being able to see things, guide them in their own development, right? I, and I think about a manager and having some responsibilities for, for individuals' manage -- or individuals' development, to say, Hey, I see some things ahead that, that we're, we're doing here, and there's some pieces, let's put, put, put them together in a way that works best -- however that is. How can a manager with Strategic help others feel seen, heard and valued as an individual?

Jaclynn Robinson 10:35
Encourage them. So encourage team members when they might not see that path towards their intended or wished-for goals, whether it's personal or professional, they might have shared those with you. And you can kind of see folks that start to feel depleted or depressed when they've got this big goal in mind, and it doesn't seem like there's any way of reaching it. You could step in as the manager and encourage them and show that, Hey, there are different pathways towards achieving those goals. And let's talk about how you can get there, based on your own individual strengths. I think that's where it can feel really motivating and supportive, and they can feel like you value them and you see them and want to support them.

Jim Collison 11:16
I think Strategic can play in that heard statement very, very well. In other words, listening and then saying, Hey, you know, again, here's where things could be going. Here's, this, the, putting these pieces together could be, you know, could be a massive benefit to you. And, but, but listening, hearing those things in a way, again, to go back to our relationship, you know, I'll throw a whole bunch of things out, and you actually repeat them -- in the context of our conversations, you repeat them back and say, "Oh, I like this because of this." I think that may be, this may be a great way to go because of this. And we're headed in this direction and pulling these pieces together. And so that make, that helps me like, Oh, you're actually listening to me. Right? That's kind of, for a Woo^®, that's kind of cool, that, when somebody actually listens. How can a, how can a manager with Strategic build trust, inspire and deepen team collaboration and community?

Jaclynn Robinson 12:20
If you can define and track those performance metrics that are important to you and the team, and then directly tie it back to the company's strategy and your team member's specific roles, that's really going to help them see the impact on those critical metrics, as both individuals and as collaborators, as they're working together and, you know, as an entire team or as partners on the team.

Jim Collison 12:45
We're beginning to spend some time, you know, we're, as we're rapidly racing to the end of the first quarter. In the teams I'm in, we're starting to pull early third-quarter numbers. They're not all the way in yet, but we want to get a look at, before the end of the quarter, like, OK, where are we at with these, with these numbers? I always appreciate that manager that can bring a Strategic look on the numbers, because they themselves mean nothing, in a lot of cases. But then you have to bring in the context of that -- you talked about team collaboration -- and saying, Hey, in the context of our team, this is why these things matter. We recently finished our own Q^12® administration and have been having some feedback conversations. And so mixing those results in with how people are feeling at the moment and having a manager with high Strategic, so helpful in guiding those conversations, right, and deepening that team collaboration in that. Kind of last question, as we wrap this up today: How can a manager with Strategic support the growth of each team member?

Jaclynn Robinson 13:48
I think you could be a Strategic problem solver, if you've got this high, for team members, when they encounter obstacles in their developmental journey. How can you use your strength to guide them in finding solutions? You know, you might offer ideas, to say, "May I suggest, you know, a couple of different ideas that are coming to mind for me? There's this course of action that could really support you; there's this course of action that that, you know, could support you. Do you feel any of those might be feasible to you?" So going back to always giving that person permission to say "Yea" or "Nay," and, you know, kind of putting it in their lap, but you could really come up with some, some really good solutions in what that journey could look like and tie it back to their ultimate career goal.

Jim Collison 14:37
You mentioned permissions, and I think that's, for Strategic, that's good, it's a good reminder, to say, before you unload, "Hey, I've got some thoughts."

Jaclynn Robinson 14:49
Here's Plan A; here's Plan B; here's Plan C.

Jim Collison 14:51
Yeah. Are you interested in hearing some thoughts? You know, I have, with Ideation^®, I have high Ideation. I have, I'm learning to say, "I got a ton of ideas. Are you interested in any of them?" And every once in a while, somebody will be like, "No." You're like, "OK!" You know, people with Strategic, this may be one of those areas as well, as we're, we're helping people. We're supporting team members. Yes, you have, yeah, you're seeing it, or you believe you're seeing it, more clearly than others. Sometimes a great idea just to ask: "Hey, are you interested? I got some, I've got some things to say. Are you interested?" By the way, that works for all of the themes. That's, that's not specific to Strategic; any of these superpowers, I think, sometimes, is to say, you know, Hey, I could do that for you. Do you, do you want, do you want it? Are you interested in it?

Jaclynn Robinson 15:47
Tap me in! I'm ready.

Jim Collison 15:48
It's so much better, like, it's so much better when you have permission than just, just stepping in. So, Jaclynn, final thoughts on Strategic as we wrap this up today?

Jaclynn Robinson 15:59
Yeah, I think this is one of those themes where, you know, you contribute your ability to create well-structured strategies. And you can align them with both individuals you work with, you know, or teams you work with, and help empower them to make informed decisions and achieve objectives together or, you know, you're helping support their own objectives in a very Strategic way. So this is one of those themes, I'd say, you know, embrace it. It is one of those themes, sometimes you have to ask for permission, because you might see pathways first. So I think it's helping people see why you came to that conclusion, first and foremost, or why that outcome seems like it might be feasible. Asking for permission. You can also encourage people to come up with their own backup plan. You know, you always have a backup plan. But you might say, "I love that idea! What could be another action, if that doesn't work?" So that you're having them start to, to think about what else they could do. That's something I recognize that, that I do with folks, whether I'm coaching, or we're just having one-on-one conversations, you know, off to the side is like, "Oh, I love that idea! What else could you do if that, if an obstacle comes up?" And you're empowering them, to go, Oh, yeah! OK, I can land on my feet, by Jove. So that's what I have to say about that. Long little ramble for you on Strategic.

Jim Collison 17:23
No, I like it. Well, and, and a reminder too, I mean, we're talking, this season is really talking about bringing energy and motivation. So thinking about, you know, those of you with high Strategic, what's worked that has brought energy? What, what have I done that, where, at the end result, it worked really, really well? And then how do I, how do I replicate that, based on the situations that I put myself in? And how do I use that to bring energy? We, you know, we think about, we want to think about successes, having your, having successes in mind in doing this. Because that always brings energy. Nobody -- well, maybe I do, but most, most people don't succeed and then second-guess themselves. I do. And maybe most people do, I don't know. Bringing energy and motivation to work, I think, important here, Jaclynn. Thanks for bringing your Strategic, your Strategic talents to what we do here to make this 3 years of an -- I get feedback on these, you know, we've had a bunch, we've had these downloaded over half a million times now. So, so pretty great. Thanks for your Strategic talent.

Jaclynn Robinson 18:30
It's wild.

Jim Collison 18:31
Appreciate it. With that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available in Gallup Access. Use them strategically. Head over, go to my.gallup.com. Sign in. Your strengths report there is all the resources. If you head to gallup.com, there's a little search button in the upper right-hand corner. Click on that, and then put Strategic in, and you'll see a little, it'll say "Strategic theme." If you click on that, all the resources on Strategic are there. We have a bunch for you -- hours of learning that you could be doing. Yes, hours are there. For coaching, master coaching, if you want to become a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, we do that too. You can send us an email: coaching@gallup.com. Someone will get right back to you. By the time you hear this in a podcast form, it'll be over, but we had a great time. Jaclynn and I had a great time at the 2024 Gallup at Work Summit. It was awesome, wasn't it?

Jaclynn Robinson 19:19
So good!

Jim Collison 19:20
It was so great! And I am sure we have already announced -- I hope we've already announced what's going on for 2025. So head out: gallupatwork -- it's kind of weird talking in the future that way, but head out to gallupatwork.com. Stay close, and we'd love to see you at the next one. And it was great seeing you at the 2024!

Jaclynn Robinson 19:40
I know. This is totally feeding my Futuristic^® here. I'm already in the future with you. I'm like, Yes! It's great.

Jim Collison 19:48
And if you're listening live, get registered, either virtual or in person, and we'd love to see you there as well. Stay up to date on all future webcasts by joining our Facebook and LinkedIn groups. You can find us on any social platform by searching "CliftonStrengths." If you'd enjoyed it, hit those Like and Subscribe buttons; share it if you really found it helpful, and thanks for listening today. If you're listening live, stay around for a little bit of a mid-show. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.

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

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