Do You Have One of the 5 Powerhouse Strengths?

Recently, one of my coaching colleagues asked me about my observation of StrengthsFinder strengths that seem to have tremendous potential to both wreak havoc or make a huge contribution.

It was so much fun to share with her that I thought you might like to know – particularly if you have one, or more, of these 5 powerhouse strengths in your top 5.

Do You Have One of the 5 Powerhouse Strengths?

The 5: Responsibility, Restorative, Significance, Competition and Empathy.

The powerhouse effect can show up positively. Responsibility CAN be counted on. Restorative WILL solve the problem. Empathy DOES feel others’ feelings. Significance WILL make a huge contribution. Competition WILL win.

And, the powerhouse effect, can have negative results . . .

Let’s look at how your strength might go into overdrive and drain you . . .

Examples:

  • Responsibility being overly responsible to others at the expensive of your own health and/or well-being.
  • Empathy taking in everybody else’s feelings without an outlet. They then don’t pass through you, but rather take up residence inside you.

How might your strength be used immaturely?

Examples:

  • Restorative creating a problem where there isn’t one, so you can fix it.
  • Significance making a pest of itself by needing to be important, rather than contributing something important.

– How might your strength cause chaos or upset?

Example:

  • Competition not having something meaningful in which to compete, so you become depressed or make competitions about meaningless things and alienate those around you.

All 34 StrengthsFinder strengths can, and do, go into overdrive, show up immaturely and cause chaos or upset. All 34 also can, and do, make amazing contributions.

And, it has been my observation over the past 10 years, working with hundreds and hundreds of people around their strengths that these 5 strengths can feel particularly burdensome if we don’t stay on top of managing them properly.

For years, I wanted to give back my Empathy. While I was earnestly looking for the Returns Department, I had the good fortune to meet a coach who rocks Empathy in her top 5. She naturally receives the gift of Empathy without taking on the burden.

She has taught me so much. I no longer want to give back Empathy. And, I’m still learning how to be graciously detached!

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below, especially if you have Rsp, Rst, Sig, Cmp or Emp in your top 5 …

Revelation

I see with new eyes.

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I close the eyes
of separation and judgment.

I live in the expectancy
of revelation –

expecting the purpose
of each experience
to be revealed –

as I recognize that I exist
in union with the
Source and Cause
of revelation.

Revelation

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I see with new eyes.

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below …

2 Factors that Make a Strong Relationship

I’m in the middle of reading a StrengthsFinder book, Strengths Based Marriage, by Jimmy Evans and Allan Kelsey.  The subtitle, Build a Stronger Relationship by Understanding Each Other’s Gifts, is an understatement.

2 Factors that Make a Strong Relationship

In my own relationships and in working with many couples around their relationships and each of their StrengthsFinder (now CliftonStrengths) strengths, I’ve found a profoundly deeper level of appreciation for our partners when we know and understand our own and our partner’s top strengths.

The two factors that naturally create strong relationships:
1.  Not taking differences personally.
2.  Noticing and championing the gifts of our partners’ strengths.

When my clients “Anna” and “Josh” learned their own and each others’ StrengthsFinder strengths, they immediately had far fewer arguments.  When I asked them exactly what had shifted, neither of them knew at first.  As we talked more, it became clear that they weren’t taking things personally anymore.

Both of them realized that the other wasn’t trying to hurt them, but rather they were naturally doing what their strengths guided them to do.  The more we talked and they came to understand the specifics of the others’ strengths, the more they appreciated the differences that the other brought to their partnership.

The second factor, after knowing our own and our partner’s StrengthsFinder strengths involves being willing to notice and champion the gifts, rather than the differences (which we often interpret as “wrong”) in both our own and our partners’ strengths.

For example, my partner has Deliberative in his top 5 strengths.  Deliberative makes decisions thoughtfully and carefully.  I have Activator in my top 5.  I jokingly call in my “dive in the pool and on the way down see if there’s any water” strength.

You can probably imagine if I hadn’t known our top 5 strengths, I would have thought my way of making decisions was right and his frustratingly wrong.

Because I did know our strengths, I deeply appreciated some decisions were far better made with his Deliberative in the mix.  I also had more patience than I would normally have had when he needed to think things through because I knew that was his process and he was good at making great decisions that way.

The more I work with individuals and couples around strengths, the more excited I get about facilitating far less misunderstandings and far greater respect and appreciation!

If you would love to give and receive more love, appreciation and understanding in your relationship, I have 2 openings in August for Strong Couple StrengthsFinder Coaching packages.

Get the details here:
http://annstrong.com/strong-couple-strengthsfinder-coaching/

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below . . .

What Would You Love to Be Freed From?

I’ve partnered with my new friend Jyoti, and I’m excited to share this timely opportunity with you!

I’d love to have you join us if you feel called.

Here’s how Jyoti describes our adventure .  . 

It is Time for a PURGE … RELEASE … LETTING GO … of ALL that is no longer Expanding, Serving, Inspiring, or Supporting us in Living Our Destiny …

Our Magnificent, Miraculous Life Purpose, Passion, and Power is Calling!

And, I have someone Amazing to Introduce You to today! (see below!) With an opportunity to Receive Our Deep Support in Permanent Release of all that must go … while OPENING to Miracles … and Joining in Community Together!

Ready to Release button

Okay … Vulnerable Share … by Jyoti

I have Rediscovered the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release along with the MIRACLES that FLOOD into Our Life when We act with Courage, Self Love and Self Devotion …

hand-heart-rock-350x263

Out of an URGENT Heart Calling to LIVE and THRIVE … I released/divorced/annulled the man I deeply wanted to BE my Precious ONE … I needed to do this to SAVE MY LIFE … Seriously!!! I will share the unbelievable story with You inside our Private Program. I Am Healing My Tender Heart … in Joyous Process of Releasing, And also Now … Letting go of all that has held me back, hurt me, limited what is possible for me, and kept me small, hindered, stuck, compromised … I am releasing things, people, ways of being, habits, and limitations in all areas of my Life! I am Gratefully and Joyously Recovering my Magical, Innocent, Miraculous Self!

We are also in the Middle of Moving from our Family Home of 6 Years … packing the essentials, discarding, releasing, giving away, refining, Completing … including the completion of an IRS Audit.

By Miraculous Divine Daughter Intervention … I met and began receiving so much Wonderful Grounding Support from My Dearest Ann Strong … So Powerful and Profound our connection and support for each other, we decided to Offer our Combined Support for You!

JOIN Us and We will Support and Miraculously Assist You (and even share tender video moments of Letting go) … as I, Jyoti, Open the Field for YOU to Fully Experience the MIRACLE, JOY and FREEDOM that emerges through the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release, While Ann Supports You in Grounding, Stabilizing, and Nurturing Your New Life!

Together … we can do this with Honor … in Sacred Support and Sacred Witness of Each Other in Letting go together! You are not alone in this … and as we Release … we Receive the Support of our Come-Unity of Love!

Let Go and Be FREED into All You have been holding at bay, and inaccessible with your grip on the old … (Hint … Its ABUNDANCE, LOVE, JOY, UNITY, SUPPORT, EXPANSION, BLISS, NEW LIFE! and more … )

Join with Us to Access the Miraculous Art of Effortless Release as we Dance Through Our Deepest Letting Go … while Making Space … Opening to Receive the Miracles, Love, Abundance, Support, Community, Alignment, and Expansion and Grounding Awaiting us Now!

There is only ONE thing in the way between You and the Miracle You Seek! Together we shall Love, Honor, and Release it Free!

Join Us?

Miracles Await!

In Love and Devotion to You and Your Best Life,

Jyoti Amma Sophia
Ann Strong

PS… We want to see your videos of Sacred Release too! … It’s part of our Program … we will have a Private Facebook Group to share and witness each other! Its only $444! And, You get a Community of Love and Support too!!

YES! I AM READY TO MASTER THE MIRACULOUS ART OF SACRED RELEASE NOW! and Join in a Community Who Loves and Supports Me!

Ready to Release button