Thursday, February 14, 2019
Q12 Strong: Creating a Caring Environment to Enhance Workplace Performance -- Gallup Called to Coach: April Marcot (S7E2)
On a recent Called to Coach, we spoke with April Marcot, Head of People and Culture at Talent International, one of just two organizations in Australia that have qualified for the Global Engagement Award as one of the most highly engaged workplaces in the world. Our host was Gallup Regional Director of Business Development for Asia Pacific, Claire DeCarteret.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Cooking Up Strengths: Know What Your Client Is Craving
by Ralph Rickenbach
I have a special offer for my clients -- a unique way to coach that has made a difference for them and for me. Rather than meeting in a traditional coaching setting, we “eat about it.” I invite them to a meal my wife cooks for them. Clients and their spouses bring their CliftonStrengths 34, and coaching happens alongside food and fellowship. This practice grew from an idea my wife had, and throughout the meals we have shared, one important pattern has emerged: Different people hunger for different things.
I have a special offer for my clients -- a unique way to coach that has made a difference for them and for me. Rather than meeting in a traditional coaching setting, we “eat about it.” I invite them to a meal my wife cooks for them. Clients and their spouses bring their CliftonStrengths 34, and coaching happens alongside food and fellowship. This practice grew from an idea my wife had, and throughout the meals we have shared, one important pattern has emerged: Different people hunger for different things.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Mastery Monday: Productive Aiming -- Strategic (2018)
By Albert L. Winseman, D.Min.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Using CliftonStrengths to Make a Change: A Simple Framework That Works
by Tim Simon
Don Clifton, who introduced CliftonStrengths to the world, taught me and so many others about the connection between strength and relationship. He said nothing happens until someone expects something of you in ways you can achieve. CliftonStrengths, combined with great coaching, is a proven way to help clients achieve success in simple but powerful ways.

Our research shows that when individuals know and use their strengths, it can be linked concretely to measurable outcomes such as productivity, profitability and customer metrics.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Achieving -- The More I Have to Do, the More I Get Done! -- StrengthsExplorer
The CliftonYouth StrengthsExplorer is designed for children aged 10-14 and defines their top 3 talent themes. In this episode of StrengthsExplorer, we dive into the theme of Achieving.
You have more energy and goals than other people. You love a sense of accomplishment.
Children exceptionally talented in the Achieving theme are drawn to doing. The more they have in front of them, the more they will accomplish. They do not have to be the best at it; what truly draws their attention is the execution, the completion, the finish. Count on them to like being busy, always looking for the next thing to do. They may even put a lot on their own schedule -- to the point of intimidating adults who worry about their ability to live up to finishing it all. Chances are, adults might even slow down an Achieving child. They can go and go for long periods of time and enjoy it.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Mastery Monday: Productive Aiming -- Significance (2018)
By Albert L. Winseman, D.Min.

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Season Kickoff -- What’s Best for the Child Is What’s Within the Child -- StrengthsExplorer
StrengthsExplorer is a new podcast dedicated to understanding and appreciating the 10 talent themes in the CliftonYouth StrengthsExplorer. We begin our journey with this kickoff episode, dedicated to knowing and positioning the tool itself.
JerLene Mosley is a Gallup senior consultant who has spent most of her career with or on behalf of children. In this interview, she guides us through a few key points regarding kids and talent.
Important points regarding StrengthsExplorer:
- StrengthsExplorer is its own instrument, not a simplified version of CliftonStrengths. This tool was designed to help children name and understand what they do well, what differentiates them from others. The 10 talent themes are broad categories of talent, and as you’re using the tool you might find several that overlap with CliftonStrengths themes. The goal is to help accept, affirm and develop children where they are, not to prescribe who they may or may not grow into once they determine their CliftonStrengths profiles. It may be helpful for adults to consider the connections they notice between the two instruments so they can see themselves reflected in the child, but trying to map the two tools together is not likely to offer much return on investment.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Focus on Engagement Before Advancement
by Gavin Lillevig
The end of the calendar or fiscal year is marked by performance evaluations and goal-setting for the following year. When that time comes, as you set your professional development goals, focus on increasing your engagement at work. Focusing only on promotion readiness or incentives that provide extrinsic value (raise, bonus, increased vacation time) is putting the cart before the horse.
The impact and economic benefits of a raise, afforded by an advancement focus, will most likely be short-lived as your standard of living adjusts to the bump in pay. What won't be short-lived is the increased responsibility, increased accountability and increased stakes -- the cost of not meeting expectations could have a higher impact. If that new role isn't aligned with your strengths and doesn't afford you opportunities for increased engagement, you've offset higher pay (or better incentives) with a lower-quality working life, increasing the probability of subsequent burnout or mediocre performance reviews.
The end of the calendar or fiscal year is marked by performance evaluations and goal-setting for the following year. When that time comes, as you set your professional development goals, focus on increasing your engagement at work. Focusing only on promotion readiness or incentives that provide extrinsic value (raise, bonus, increased vacation time) is putting the cart before the horse.
The impact and economic benefits of a raise, afforded by an advancement focus, will most likely be short-lived as your standard of living adjusts to the bump in pay. What won't be short-lived is the increased responsibility, increased accountability and increased stakes -- the cost of not meeting expectations could have a higher impact. If that new role isn't aligned with your strengths and doesn't afford you opportunities for increased engagement, you've offset higher pay (or better incentives) with a lower-quality working life, increasing the probability of subsequent burnout or mediocre performance reviews.
Focusing on professional development goals that target engagement will ready you for advancement and increase the probability that you will remain engaged in future roles.
Monday, January 28, 2019
Mastery Monday: Productive Aiming -- Self-Assurance (2018)
By Albert L. Winseman, D.Min.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Coaching Dangerously: Using Your Strengths to Find Your Niche -- Gallup Called to Coach: Elaine Krek (S7E1)
On a recent Called to Coach, we spoke with Elaine Krek, Founder of Prism Performance, an independent consulting organization she founded more than three years ago. Elaine coaches leaders in medium and large companies in the healthcare field and beyond, and is a workshop leader and conference keynote speaker.
Our host was Gallup Learning Solutions Consultant Anne Lingafelter.
Below is a summary of the conversation. Full audio and video are posted above.
Anne Lingafelter: Talk about the common problems you experienced when you were working in the healthcare industry (specifically, for pharmaceuticals) and the issues you see now when you coach people in various industries.
Elaine Krek: I’ve seen a lot of the sales and marketing side of the pharma business. It’s a big eye-opener when you look at a company holistically. All companies have different business areas like R&D, business technology that all have their own function, but at the end of the day, they have to work together to bring products to market.
In my sales and marketing role, it was about creating the best possible product for the patient and getting that to and selling it to the customer. Our challenge was to come together with different departments to work toward a common outcome when we’re not working together on a day-to-day basis.
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