StandOut: Using Your Strengths to Transition
Photo Credit: Marek Piwnicki
Finding yourself in a period of transition? Perhaps you’re approaching the end of a position and gearing up for something new. Or maybe you’re stepping into leadership and discerning how best to inspire a team. Now is a great time to invest in some self-reflection and take a snapshot of your strengths.
Marcus Buckingham, formerly of Gallup, created StandOut- a free, short online assessment that highlights your top two roles in life and work. You can take it here: https://www.tmbc.com/standout-assessment/
The assessment distinguishes nine different roles: Advisor, Connector, Creator, Equalizer, Influencer, Pioneer, Provider, Stimulator, Teacher. Each has a unique contribution to make in the world. What would it be like to intentionally apply your strength roles to your work or even to the transition itself as you navigate this change?
When we function from an area of natural gifting, we often find ourselves operating in ease and are much more productive than we might be doing a task that comes less intuitively. We may even reach a state of FLOW where everything seems to advance effortlessly, and time stands still.
A Connector in a job search may relish attending a networking event to learn about job openings or even meet contacts who may have ideas for the seeker’s next position. An Influencer could advocate for a nascent vision so that her colleagues are persuaded to take action and make it happen. A Provider leading a team will find ways to acknowledge the team’s concerns in a way that lets everyone feel heard.
In addition to enhancing your self-understanding and identifying ways to apply your strengths, engaging with the StandOut report will also give you language to describe skills you bring to the table, whether in a job search or as you position yourself for a new project in your company or even as a community volunteer. Since the report covers multiple topics, it’s best to focus on one item at a time to make the most of your efforts to further hone your strengths.
Enjoy the opportunity to gain insight into how you like to interact with the world and others and give yourself the freedom to experiment with how you apply your StandOut roles!