DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS FOR STUDENTS Facilitated for Qualcomm IISME participants by: Joe Paulson

Workshop Objectives  Enhance your self-awareness through a deeper understanding of your unique strengths and those of your colleagues  Begin to apply strengths to your role as a student  Learn new ideas, techniques and resources to understand and leverage your strengths

How to Make the Most of Your Strengths  Ask questions, share examples  Watch and listen for talent themes in action  Keep an open mind – reserve judgment of yourself and others  Focus on strengths!  It’s easier said than done…

Strengths Awareness “Most people do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them they look at you with a blank stare or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer.” Peter Drucker

Clarifying the Language + Talent = Naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior (the gift of gab) + Skill = Basic steps, actions or processes (outlining the key points in a speech) + Knowledge = Information, understanding, experience (understanding the content of what you’re delivering)  Strength = Maximized positive performance (speeches that result in standing ovations every time) Your innate potential What you practice What you learn

Engagement = Satisfaction + Contribution teacher role Maximum Satisfaction Maximum Contribution Organization Individual Adapted from BlessingWhite 2009

What engages you? Discussion Activity  What brought you to teaching?  What will keep you engaged in teaching?

WHAT IS STRENGTHSFINDER

The StrengthsFinder Assessment I like to read all of the directions I like to jump right into things

The StrengthsFinder Assessment I like a lot of variety in my work I am highly organized

Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical Arranger Belief Command Communication Competition Connectedness Consistency Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity Relator Responsibility Restorative Self-Assurance Significance Strategic Woo Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Focus Futuristic Harmony Ideation Includer Individualization Input The 34 StrengthsFinder ® Themes

Strengths Report Discuss:  What was your first impression of your StrengthsFinder Report?  Did any part of your report surprise you?  One theme you love and are proud to have  One theme that can sometimes drive people crazy (or one theme that drives you crazy) Your Unique Strengths Copyright © 2010 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying to your role Strengths Report Discuss:  Can you think of an example where you used one of your talent themes in action? (Personally or professionally?)  Which of the top 5 Signature Themes do you really “own”? How does this theme help you to be successful in your teaching role?  One theme you’d like to enhance, develop or leverage further?

YOUR ROLE

What Makes a Great Leader? “A leader needs to know his strengths as a carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows the instruments at her disposal. What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths — and can call on the right strength at the right time. This explains why there is no definitive list of characteristics that describes all leaders.” — Dr. Donald O. Clifton

The Four Domains of Strengths ExecutingInfluencing Relationship Building Strategic Thinking -- Making things happen -Implementing solutions -“Catching” an idea and making it a reality -Take charge, speak up, make sure the group is heard -Helps the team reach a broader audience -Selling the team’s ideas inside & outside -Connectors -Essential glue that holds the team together - Ability to create groups/teams that are much greater than the sum of their parts -Keeps everyone focused on what could be -Absorb, analyze information to help the team make better decisions -Stretch our team’s thinking for the future

Strengths Grid ExecutingInfluencing Relationship Building Strategic Thinking Achiever Arranger Belief Consistency Deliberative Discipline Focus Responsibility Restorative Activator Command Communication Competition Maximizer Self-Assurance Significance Woo Adaptability Connectedness Developer Empathy Harmony Includer Individualization Positivity Relator Analytical Context Futuristic Ideation Input Intellection Learner Strategic

The Self-Aware Student  Circle your top 5 strengths in the grid  In which domain are your themes the most dominant?  Recall and describe a recent success you had using the themes within your most dominant domain.  Do you have a “blind spot” to any of the domains? (i.e. where can you rely on partnerships?)

TOOLS FOR YOU

Final Thoughts  One discovery you made today…  One thing you want to learn more about…  One thing you’ll do differently starting tomorrow…