Leadership Strength#2 – Strategic (MMP# 32)

Employee Engagement Monday Morning Percolator #32

This is part 2 of a 5 part series on leadership strength development through the application of StrengthsFinder 2.0.

Click here to read the first article in the series.

Here is the schedule outlining my strength focus:

1. Maximizer (Week 1)
2. Strategic (Week 2)
3. Positivity (Week 3)
4. Ideation (Week 4)
5. Empathy (Week 5)

The process of working on your strengths includes the following steps:

• Complete the StrengthsFinder 2.0 inventory.
• Scan your top 5 strengths
• Study your first strength
• Outline strength based actions for the first week.
• Implement your action plan
• Review your progress
• Repeat the the process with the next strength on your list.

Click here to download a concise and colorful one page PDF form to work  on your strengths during our 5 weeks of strength training.

As we work together, you will move from weak to week to strength!

Review Week 1: Your First Strength (Maximizer)

I was able to put my maximizer strength to good work this week. A network project with one of my parnters had very rapid and acclerated growth the past week with each of us raising the bar. I was also able to spend some maximizer time with my oldest son helping him to maximize his strengths during his first year of university.

I did lose sight of numerous opportunites to apply the strength – I call this strength myopia. We have our strength right in front of us and often fail to use it in obvious situations. Before reading about the strategic strength I will review maximizer one more time.

I also learned that the combination of Maximizer and a work mantra I call GEMO (Good Enough Move On) is very significant in creating tremendous progress in projects in short periods of time. Click here to read my article on Finding GEMO. GEMO helps me get projects started and to keep them moving while maximizer help me continually make them better.

Outline Week 2: Your Second Strength (Strategic)

People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

Strategic Action Plan

1. Rather than being amused by external entertainment I will seek and nourish muse time. I need to take time to be think over projects, patterns, and pathways. One terrific place to do this will be before and during two flights I will take this week.

2. In two meetings this week I will ensure that I think about the initatives from my strategic strength and offer different pathways to accomplish results.

3. Strategic thinking can seem like inaction at times so I will ensure I place a high value on this strength and give it the time it deserves to unfold. I will also carry a tape recorder and paper to capture any strategic insights while spending time between activities.

4. I have much experience in blogging and online management/leadership development and I will seek out 2 opportunites to offer my strategic perspective to others in this rapidly growing field.

Next Week: Review and Strength#3 – Positivity.

Photo Credit: 3 payers chessboard by http://flickr.com/photos/slip/272995622/

Written by  David Zinger, M. Ed.