Jim Collison:
[0:00] Welcome to Season 4 of the CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we'll dive deep into how CliftonStrengths builds powerful partnerships and helps teams thrive. I'm Jim Collison, Gallup's CliftonStrengths Community Manager.
Jillian White:
[0:10] And I'm Jillian White, Gallup's Subject Matter Expert on Culture and Leadership and Lead Subject Matter Expert for CliftonStrengths.
Jim Collison:
[0:16] Today's theme is Analytical. We'll explore this theme, what it brings, what it needs, and how it fosters and really builds collaboration. Jillian, welcome!
Jillian White:
[0:24] Thank you, Jim. Always great to partner.
Jim Collison:
[0:27] Let's talk about Analytical. Give us a little rundown on it.
Jillian White:
[0:30] Yeah, just a refresher on Analytical. Individuals who are high in that Analytical talent love data, and they love facts. They bring a very, very logical approach to looking at the world. They think about the world in terms of cause and effect. So if this happens, then what? They oftentimes bring a little healthy skepticism, maybe even some cynicism, where they ask the question, "Why?" They want to prove something. They want to look at the logic behind it. They want to look at the data. They have this incredible ability to look at a lot of data and synthesize it and find the patterns very quickly. Jim, you and I were having a little fun before this, thinking about, I always love having some sort of image that helps us view these strengths. And we're going to try a new one out today on Analytical. We're going to imagine that a picture of analytical is generative AI.
Jillian White:
[1:22] So think about generative AI. It takes tons of data. It synthesizes it. It's very objective. And it looks at the commonalities in it to give an output that is incredibly data-driven, logical and synthesized. So there's a fun analogy for all you Analytical out there. You can respond whether you love it or hate it, but that's a fun way to just think about that objective data-driven approach.
Jim Collison:
[1:47] Yeah, it's a pretty new example, as generative AI has come storming on the scene, and we're kind of thinking about it. But as we were going through that example, I was thinking of the more pure, unemotional approach to the numbers. In other words, this is what they are. It's summarizing them -- this is what they say. Listen, that -- Analytical is not always seen, or hasn't been seen, sometimes in a positive light, when we think about the, the, the questioning (some people don't want to be questioned, right?), the questioning of things. How can we, how can we take advantage of the questioning in a productive way, for those folks with Analytical?
Jillian White:
[2:27] I love the fact that you're asking the question that way, Jim. This is a little side note for all of us, but oftentimes, the things that might annoy you about someone in the beginning are actually clues to where they could have strengths you could leverage. So I learned that. We're talking about this in the context of partnerships, you know, moving from the me to the we. I remember a very early partnership that I had -- a very highly intense project that we were working on with a client at Gallup. And I was partnered with someone who, my Achiever was trying to quickly get through what we needed to get through, get ready for this presentation that we had. And I remember that this gentleman just kept asking questions and why. And it felt like I was being questioned on everything.
Jillian White:
[3:12] And if I only stopped there, I would have had a perception that kept us from actually being powerful partnerships. But what we did is we paused for a minute and we said, "Hey, wait, let's go back. Let's look at our strengths." And when we looked at our strengths, we saw, OK, I've got that Achiever that's really driving, but you've got that Analytical. And actually, when I understand that that Analytical is not trying to keep us from getting to the endpoint, it's actually trying to get us to a stronger place, I can leverage that Analytical, and start to say, "Where do we need to ask the tough questions, so that we've got the right case, the right data, the right logic in the final thing we're bringing to that client?" Now, it was a good balance, because we still needed to cross the finish line. So I could also challenge places where I would say, "Hey, you know what? We don't need to go deep into that. We just got to get to this finish point here." But it became actually an incredible partnership over time by starting to look for how we could leverage those strengths in one another.
Jim Collison:
[4:05] Yeah. And I've just, I have a thousand examples of where I've gotten much better at saying to people, "Hey, go think about this. We got -- I have Activator, so I want to start yesterday. Like, you know, I've already started.
Jillian White:
[4:20] We've already started, Jim, if you listen to our Activator podcast.
Jim Collison:
[4:22] Yeah, from the last one. But to stop for a second and to give them permission and say, "Go think about this" for whatever, whatever time frame that happens to be. "Then, let's come back together, and we'll move forward on it." To just, to just push that -- yeah, it's, it's helped me a ton in not pushing forward, like, getting frustrated to say, "Push forward." Now, sometimes you have an hour; sometimes you've got a week. And it just kind of depends on the situation, right? You don't always, it doesn't always have to be, it doesn't always have to be fast. We have a new section of Gallup Access for everyone who's taken CliftonStrengths. If you log in, go to your Strengths Dashboard, go to the Community section, you can actually, for folks who've shared their, their, their strengths with you, you can compare your strengths to theirs. There's some cool tools. The thing we're talking about this year is the bring -- I bring, I need. And we, this is an exercise you can do just about anywhere. But what does Analytical bring?
Jillian White:
[5:16] Yeah, they bring logic. They bring data-driven approaches. We know that they are going to think about all the variables, all the factors. They're going to synthesize those. They're going to have that case behind what they bring to the table. So logic and data. I also want to go back to that word that you used earlier, Jim. They bring, I'm going to call it "appropriate dispassion." There are times where you need a moment where someone does not get caught up in emotions, but can just objectively look at the facts and kind of calmly walk people through it. And so I think there's times that objective approach can actually bring that appropriate dispassion. But they might get a little passionate about numbers, I will say that. But that ability to be objective can be helpful.
Jim Collison:
[6:00] Doesn't mean they don't have any emotions -- let's be clear about that. But in the situation, it's, I've been saying sometimes, you know, I use that word "gruntled." Nobody says that anymore. I love this appropriate -- yeah, because, you know, you can be disgruntled. Yes, it is. It absolutely is.
Jillian White:
[6:17] Disgruntled, gruntled.
Jim Collison:
[6:17] It's the opposite of "disgruntled." But "appropriate dispassion" -- I love that. And I think just bringing a sense of somebody has thought through this. I often need that. Like, Hey, did we think through this? I need that Analytical to think through it. What about, what do they need?
Jillian White:
[6:31] Look at the flip side of that. If they thrive with logic and data, what do they need if we're partnering with them? They need data. They need facts. They need the ability to prove the ideas, give them access to it. Jim, an example that I have here, I was working with a CHRO at an organization, and they were leading an HR transformation for the rest of the company. We looked at their HR group. Their HR group had a lot of high Relationship Building strengths, get it done strengths, some Executing ones in there. We looked at the rest of the organization, and this HR team really believed in what they were doing within this transformation.
Jillian White:
[7:06] They looked at the rest of the organization -- highly Analytical. That wasn't in the HR team. And so, all of a sudden we said, "What do you need to provide when you are making the case for change in this situation? It can't just be from the passionate place. You got to show the why, the proof in the numbers, and what you expect to change as a result of doing this. So bringing that data, bringing the facts, your Analytical partners are going to appreciate that. And if you don't have it, they're likely going to challenge you in that area.
Jillian White:
[7:39] The other thing I would mention with Analytical, in terms of what they, what they need -- they need time. You referenced this earlier, Jim, but they need time to analyze. So saying something like, "Hey, I'm gonna give you a little time to just look at the numbers, look at the facts, go deep, ask the tough questions. That it's a Strategic Thinking strength. And so it's going to thrive when it has time to think and time to analyze.
Jim Collison:
[8:05] I heard you use the term, "Prove it!" in there. And I love that idea of just encompassing that, this whole idea in "Prove it!" right? And so I think that could be very, very powerful. In the new Top 5 report, we have this area, this new spot called Theme Dynamics. Not a new concept, but we've added -- new to the report. And that's where we take, on an individual, you can take two themes, put them together and get these ideas of how they combine. We'll talk about what that means in the context of a team here in a second. But for an individual, what's a common theme that often pairs with this one?
Jillian White:
[8:40] The most common strength to pair with Analytical is the same most common strength that are paired with Achiever, and that is Learner. Think about how those two come together. You love to learn. You love data, right? Put those two together. You use data to learn, and you learn through looking at data. So really neat to just see how those two can feed one another well.
Jim Collison:
[8:59] Yeah, I love that. Let's think about it in the idea of a team, of teams working together. Spend a little time talking about that, this Theme Dynamics in the context of partnership collaboration.
Jillian White:
[9:10] Yeah, as you all know, if you've been listening to some of these, I love thinking about a strength that can catalyze your partnership, so that really just brings out that strength and lights it up. In this situation, with somebody who's highly Analytical, you want to look for a partner that feeds your love of data and your love of thinking. That might be a bit of a sparring partner. It might also be someone else who has high Strategic Thinking themes and can bring Input or Learner or Ideation or Context -- ways that just kind of spark the way you are looking at data and thinking about it. So that can really fuel that Analytical desire that this strength has. On the flip side of it, we've been referencing some of these blind spots or potential perceptions around the strength. Anytime you've got somebody with that highly Analytical, because they bring that objective approach, if that Analytical is unchecked, it could feel skeptical or cynical toward things. And so they can benefit from a partner that brings, I'm going to call it the softer side of sharing data.
Jillian White:
[10:11] And so, while they've got that incredible ability to look at the logic, partnering with something that sees the emotional side, maybe Empathy. I actually have a client that has an incredible partnership where one leader has high Analytical, the other has high Empathy, and they've come up with this system in meetings that they have together, where the Analytical leader will bring the data, and then they'll check in and say, you know, "What are we missing on what people are feeling behind this data?" Let's say you're looking at employee engagement data, right? Having those two perspectives actually becomes really powerful. So what can bring that softer side to the Analytical, or maybe even a little more intuition. Where Analytical values the facts, strengths like Belief, Connectedness -- those are going to bring a little more of that intuition.
Jim Collison:
[11:00] I love that partnership idea you just talked about. I see that a lot here at Gallup, where we'll talk to each other and say, "Hey, I know my (fill-in-the-blank) is rubbing you wrong right now." Or "There's a potential for this to cause a little bit of conflict" -- and getting those things out very early in the conversation. Or setting up rules in advance to say, "Hey, going into these settings, we're going to agree before we have the conflict that it could exist. And here's how we're going to, here's how we're going to deal with it." I think that's such, like, next-level, you know, collaboration in that, of presetting those parameters, to just be like, Hey, we know -- this is the beauty of the CliftonStrengths framework -- is we know we're going to, we have, we may have some potential for some sparks. How are we going to, how are we not just going to tolerate the sparks, but how are we going to use them to light the fire? I think that's the key, right? How cool would that be?
Jillian White:
[11:56] Ooh -- that's a great analogy, Jim! How do we not, let's hear that one more time: How do we not just tolerate the sparks, but we use it to light the fire? I love that. And I want to remind us, for anybody who even needs to just go back and listen to that initial research on powerful partnerships, I think if it only becomes about this person versus that person, you're always going to struggle. You have to have a common mission that you're serving, and that helps you know when to say, "OK, my strength needs to step up or your strength needs to step up. I need to step back. I need to adapt some." Letting those strengths serve a greater good or common mission will really help give some direction to the sparks that you're referencing.
Jim Collison:
[12:39] Love that. Good, and good clarification on that as well. Final section of this -- we're talking about tips for leaders, teams and individuals. Let's start with leaders. How can leaders recognize and harness this theme in their teams and organizations?
Jillian White:
[12:53] Yeah, I always love to just think about, What does it look like when you spot this talent on your team? These are just those people who light up when you give them data. They're likely the people who, when you meet with them -- I was just telling Jim, I had a meeting with a leader yesterday, sharing some data, and they ask the tough questions. They want to know why. They want to see the proof. They want to analyze. When you see someone light up, that's a good clue that they've got Analytical on your team.
Jillian White:
[13:19] So what do they need from you as their leader? Give them things to analyze. Position those people to play to their Analytical. Leverage their ability to synthesize. Jim, I was thinking about this -- for any of our strengths coaches out there, the Insight Cards that we give as a part of the certification process, those were developed by somebody with high Analytical. And they had this ability to take a mass amount of qualitative data and synthesize it in a very succinct way. So leverage that on a team. You got a big data set, and you need somebody to just cut through the complexity and bring some clarity to it. Put those Analytical people on it. That's going to be a gift to have them synthesize things they can share back.
Jim Collison:
[14:00] What should teams know about working with someone who has high Analytical?
Jillian White:
[14:05] Go back to the example I used in an organization. That person you're partnering with, with high Analytical is going to appreciate when you bring the data and you bring a strong case behind something. If you don't expect, they're going to question it. Remember that they're driven by asking "Why?" So even going back to the scenario I was sharing, remember that when they're asking, "Why?" it's not a personal questioning of you. It's that motivation to get to, it's their quest for proof. They want to prove it. Leverage that in your partnerships.
Jim Collison:
[14:37] I really struggled with that early on when I was younger. I always thought, Oh, you're attacking me. And it was --
Jillian White:
[14:42] Well, and that's -- what strengths are on the other side, right? We've talked about, you and I both have, you've got Woo really high. I've got it in my Top 10. It can oftentimes perceive that because it wants to be liked, right? So it can oftentimes even perceive it through the lens of your own strengths.
Jim Collison:
[14:56] No, right on. Right on. Well, I'm having some painful flashbacks right now.
Jillian White:
[15:02] Oh, no! We want positive ones for you.
Jim Collison:
[15:03] So, it's, well, after 10 years of doing this, these are some of the examples -- I learned through these experiences. And I hope others, and I get notes from others that they're learning, as well, through this. For individuals, as we wrap this up, some final thoughts as individuals who have this to be successful with it?
Jillian White:
[15:21] Yeah, Jim, I want to just keep coming back to this. I love this move from the me to the we, right? Think about how you can use your strengths to serve someone else. Position yourself to be their logical partner. Think about the partners in your life right now. Where do they need help building a case with something? What data can you look at that helps them come to a logical conclusion? Be that Analytical partner that says, "Hey, help me -- I'll help you think this through from a very objective, logical viewpoint." Maybe even at times you say, "I'm willing to play devil's advocate and ask the tough questions, so that you get to a more solid outcome as a result." I think that'll be really fun for those folks with high Analytical and a way you can use it to serve the people around you.
Jim Collison:
[16:06] Love it. I think with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available for you now in Gallup Access. If you haven't logged in in a while, head over, log in, go to the Resources section, upper left-hand corner, and, and choose, put "Analytical" in there, and you'll get all the resources we have available -- this webcast, as well as all the ones we've done in the past are available, plus a few other documents that would be out there. More learning for you (all the Learners are doing it right now). Appreciate you guys. For, for the rest of you who have joined us live, thanks for coming out. And if you're listening to the podcast, keep going. We might have another one for you that is out there. Thanks for joining us today. With that, we'll say, Goodbye, everybody.
Jillian White's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Achiever, Input, Learner, Belief and Responsibility.