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.
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 …
Ken, such great noticing – thanks for sharing your observations about your Responsibility automatically being responsible when it wasn’t needed!
I’m generally happy with my Responsibility, but I did have a humorous experience with it recently. A man in our circle died unexpectedly, and I found myself making myself responsible for the widow, when in fact she had plenty of other resources and competent family members, etc. Nothing bad happened as a result, and I did get to observe the automatic-ness of my response!
Thanks for the timely post!