13 Principles of Creative Leadership

I have been pondering a lot recently about creativity and innovation. How can we differentiate creative individuals who are good and those who are great?

Perhaps one way of examining is to look at a person's Creative Leadership.

How do I define Creative Leadership? There are many who are creative but not every creative person possesses leadership qualities. Many creative people often face challenges of having their imaginative ideas knocked down by others. It is never easy to have people buying in to a fresh and innovative idea which is more likely than not, unproven. Many creative people give up when they face setbacks. Those with Creative Leadership do not. Those with Creative Leadership influence with their ideas. They find different ways to get others to buy into their innovations. They are highly resilient. They have guiding principles and beliefs that help them overcome challenges and drive innovation. When no one believes in their innovative ways and ideas, those with Creative Leadership have these guiding principles and beliefs as anchors that motivate them to stay on the cutting edge.

Can Creative Leadership be learned? I believe it can be.

I was inspired by some simple but powerful creative leadership principles from a book by the influential Paul Arden. That book got me to think about how people can grow their Creative Leadership by intentionally engaging different strengths in a connected fashion. In CliftonStrengths or StrengthsFinder lingo, the interaction between different strengths is called Theme Dynamics.

Inspired by the book, I connected 13 Creative Leadership principles I have learnt (over the years and through the book) to different CliftonStrengths Theme Dynamics, using the Ideation theme as an anchor. There is also an application question for each of the principles (I'm an Activator). While it is true that each of the 34 CliftonStrengths themes can be used to contribute in the area of creativity, I have chosen the Ideation theme as the anchor for an obvious reason - many people who are known to be creative and innovative have the CliftonStrengths Ideation theme in their top 5 or dominant CliftonStrengths themes. They are full of imagination.

How can those with Ideation grow in their Creative Leadership? 

Principle 1: My vision is the greatest creative asset I have. 

Ideation and Futuristic: As an Inventor and Creator, my vision is the greatest asset I have. I can dream about that one idea that can break new grounds. I can dream about the product or service I can create that will change the world. I can dream about the positive culture that I can create. The people who succeeded believe in a world that can be co-created. They believe in a world of possibilities when others do not dare to dream. 

Application: What ideas can I act on now and what new ideas do I need to move towards my vision?

Principle 2: Aim for the unachievable!

Ideation and Achiever: As a creative individual, I need to aim beyond what I am capable of. I need to develop a complete disregard for where others say my abilities end. I need to develop great ideas and ways to do the things I feel I might be incapable of. It is no longer good enough to create better products or better processes. I need to be the disruptor of industries. Nothing is impossible. 

Application: What is one achievement I deeply desire and how can I disrupt myself to achieve what might seem impossible?

Principle 3: My innovations are cutting edge.

Ideation and Self-Assurance: The fact is that the cleverest people in school are not necessarily those who achieve success in life. I can be confident of my creative abilities and the innovation I bring to any team. I am confident in taking risks. The creativity I possess can break through many boundaries and barriers. Entrepreneur or intrapreneur, I can be the Creative Pioneering Leader whose innovations will be cutting edge.

Application: What is one area that I can pioneer or a new ground I can break into using my innovative ideas? 

Principle 4. Seek feedback (and embrace criticisms).

Ideation and Input: As a creative person seeking for excellence, I need to be open to feedback and criticism and having people tell me what's the problem. When I accept criticism, I am more likely to get improvements on my ideas. I am still in a position to reject the criticism if I think it's wrong. Creative Leaders exercise humility.

Application: Who can I get feedback from to grow and refine my ideas?

Principle 5: Take extreme ownership

Ideation and Responsibility:  I must imagine I’m a Navy Seal. I'm fighting at the front line. There is no time to play the blame game. Whenever a problem arises, I must accept full responsibility even if I'm only partially involved. By doing this, I'm always in a position to do something to resolve any issues and I can make a positive difference. Creative Leaders must have extreme ownership.

Application: What issues do I need to start owning so that I can drive solutions and implement ideas?

Principle 6: Give away everything I know!

Ideation & Command: Many remarkable leaders are generous givers. On the contrary, there are leaders who hoard ideas and are fearful of their ideas being stolen. I cannot be a hoarder. The problem with hoarding is that I end up living off my reserves and soon I'll become stale. I must learn to give away my ideas! It takes courage to do that but eventually more will come back to me. Giving away forces me to look, to be aware, to replenish. Clarity comes from an uncluttered mind. Eventually, I will train myself to be sharper than those who simply take ideas from others. 

Application: Who can I share my ideas with so that my innovations can reach more people?

Principle 7: Act on the opportunity you have now!

Ideation and Activator: I must make use of the opportunity I have now to contribute my creativity. The opportunity is right here. I don't need to look for the best one. I can make full use of the opportunities I have now and make the best I can towards contributing creatively. The results might not always be great but at least I will get the satisfaction of trying out my ideas. Over time, I will gain the experience of knowing what kind of opportunities I can grab and what kind of ideas I can easily implement to have quick wins. That will help me mature as a Creative Leader. Gaining a quick momentum is a critical way to pull apart from competition. 

Application: What is one area of opportunity that I can see which allows me to use my creative ideas? Who can I offer my creativity to?  

Principle 8: Don't take "NO" for an answer!

Ideation and Strategic: I need to keep pushing through for a YES. I need to find alternatives. I need to find a path that will bring a YES! I need to have a resilient mindset and keep exploring new grounds to advance forward. When people say it can't be done, I need to do it. If I don't do it, it doesn't exist. I will be known to be the kind of Creative Leader who creates a path towards success.

Application: What areas do I need to exercise my out-of-the-box thinking and strategies towards to get the results I want?

Principle 9: Failures can give birth to great ideas!

Ideation and Learner: I can learn a lot from my failures and I need to get used to not getting it right. To hone my creative skills is to pick myself up and to learn from every experience. I must intentionally learn from others as well. I can brainstorm better ideas because I grew smarter and wiser. Creative Leaders bounce back up to produce even greater innovations. I will be the Creative Leader who broke through because I never gave up learning.

Application: What is an area of learning that can propel me to be better at brainstorming ideas and create innovative solutions?  

Principle 10: Don’t just give a speech. Put on a show!

Forget double shot. Strengths Mug makes your coffee strong!

Ideation and Communication: I must accentuate the positive. I can dramatize what is right. Wow a crowd and bring in the positive emotions. Exaggerate an action. Ideas are often captured by the fresh emotions presented in captivating ways and often through stories! I will be the Creative Marketing Leader who can sell ice to eskimos. 

Application: What is one idea I can talk about and what stories can I tell to catch people’s attention and make it stick?

Principle 11: Work with the Best (even if they are weirdos)

Ideation and Maximizer: I need to work with the best creative people. Sometimes they might be difficult to work with but most of these people have excellent qualities that I can learn from. And the fact is, it's probably better than working with Mr Average Nice Guy. Iron sharpens iron.

Application: Who is one creative person I can reach out to have a brainstorming session?

Principle 12: Be a Legend!

Ideation and Significance: Most of us want to work for great companies and great teams. Start thinking and behaving like a winner. I need to stop expecting my managers to lead the way. They are too busy trying to run the company. I need to decide that I'm going to make the company great or at least make a difference. Many companies and great teams are usually built on one or two persons. I must be that person or one of them.

Application: How can I create a legacy in my company through my innovations? Where are the areas within the company that I can offer my creative energy to?

Principle 13: 'ASTONISH ME!’

Ideation and Individualization: Make people feel special! It is about the end user. It is about the individual. Products that are highly customized to fit the uniqueness of the human race catch the consumers by surprise. 

Application: How can my ideas be so highly customized that they will have the WOW factor? 

Concluding Thoughts: When we leverage our different strengths and engage them in a connected way intentionally, we produce a greater performance. Creative leaders do that regularly and produce consistent outstanding innovations. When they face setbacks, they overcome their challenges by intentionally engaging their different strengths. 

"How can you intentionally engage your strengths to drive innovations today?" 

Written by Victor Seet
Activator • Communication • Strategic • Self-Assurance • Command

As a Gallup and Newfield Certified Leadership Coach in Singapore, Victor is passionate about helping people be better observer of themselves to achieve the results they want, especially in the area of well-being and performance. Victor intentionally integrates the strengths-based and ontological approach into his leadership coaching and workshops.

Time-based CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Theme Combination - A Unique Singaporean

In my personal view, the CliftonStrengths (formerly Gallup StrengthsFinder) Profiling Assessment is one that epitomizes uniqueness. I can often find some interesting traits that are tied to the CliftonStrengths talent themes. This CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Theme Combination Series explore unique traits tied to some of the themes. This article explores the themes that are time-based.

While everyone has a unique combination of strengths in their top 5 CliftonStrengths themes, some combinations come across to me as intriguing and interesting. Singaporean Student, Yu Fung, had a pretty interesting combination of CliftonStrengths themes. This combination caught my eyes because his themes have a time-based characteristic tied to them. Yu Fung has Context, Adaptability and Futuristic in his top 5 CliftonStrengths results. A person with Context enjoys looking into the past to make sense of the future. A person with Adaptability prefer to be in the present and enjoys the "now". A person with Futuristic likes to dream about possibilities that can happen in the future. This was the first time I came across such a unique and interesting combination since I started Strengths-Based coaching in Singapore. To top it up, Yu Fung also had Connectedness in his top 5 CliftonStrengths results.

I had the privilege to interview Yu Fung to understand a little bit more about how he naturally think, feel and behave. The interview is detailed below.

1) Could you share with us the sequence of how you go about making decisions having all 3 talent themes (Context, Adaptability & Futuristic)? If you can, provide an example so that readers can understand.

YF: I tend to find myself making decisions by first thinking of what has already occurred in the past, using "Context" to filter the answers to my question out. Following that, I will think of ways to "repeat" those occurrences from the past in the coming future, using the "Futuristic" trait. After which, I then adjust my current situation and myself to get the desired result I want to see in the future, thus using "Adaptability", and all 3 themes to make decisions. An example of how I make decisions like this would be my goal of studying at Waseda University. Firstly, I did some research on what kind of graduates the University produced in the past. Through the research, I decided that it would be good if I can graduate from this same University in the future, as it had produced influential graduates in the past. After making this decision and having a goal in mind, I used this information to change my subject combination now in the Singapore Junior College that I'm studying at. I decide to change the subject combination to one that I feel will give me the best chance to enrol in that particular University in the future. This is how many of my decisions are made using these three different talent themes.

2) Is there a difference for the sequence when it comes to smaller decisions compared to bigger ones? 

YF: Regarding the sequence of talents utilised during choices, I mostly tend to lean towards solely my Adaptability theme when there are quick decisions to be made and I have only a few minutes to make these decisions. I use all the three talent themes of Context, Adaptability and Futuristic mainly when there are large and key decisions.

3) Which talent theme do you resonate with the most and why? 

YF: Personally I feel I resonate the most with the Context theme as I really enjoy digging up the past with all its mysteries. I feel the past has a lot of meaning and I enjoy reading about what others have done. I love studying my history subject in school!

4) You're the first person whom I have come across who has all 3 "time factored" talents. How do you feel about this combination? 

YF: Haha. I think that these 3 talents I have are quite special in a way to me. Using them is almost second nature to me. Now knowing that I am so unique is really surprising to me. I always thought such thinking is normal. I feel great about this talent theme combination because I really enjoy using these 3 talent themes. It is who I am.

5) How are these 3 talent themes shown when it comes to your studies or school life? 

YF: I feel that the Futuristic theme is the one theme I rarely use in school especially in Junior College. Maybe I just need more guidance on how to use this theme effectively. I feel that the Context theme is very much visible due to the plain fact that I take History as a subject. I really enjoy studying about the past. I use my Adaptability theme frequently in my studies as I tend to adjust my study schedules a lot. I enjoy studying in a very dynamic and spontaneous way. 

6) Have you taken any leadership role before? If yes, how do you think you use these 3 talents for your leadership role? 

YF: I was appointed the head of the Secondary One students in my previous Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) during my senior years in Secondary school. I had to use my Context theme to recreate programs or initiatives that I felt was personally impactful to me in the past, while adapting minor changes to make the planned programs more effective to the students I was leading. I think the fine tuning was the Adaptability theme at work. Of course, the programs are made because my Futuristic believes that the students can grow in the future as a direct or indirect result of the planned program. 

7) Do you have any interests/ hobbies/ favourite movies covering 1, 2 or all 3 of the talents? 

YF: I do not really have hobbies that cover the Futuristic talent theme, but I do have some for the other 2 themes of Context and Adaptability . I enjoy building scale model replicas of World War II battleships, and am currently still working on one. This is because I deeply enjoy the history of WW2. I also enjoy playing RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games, as they force me to think on my feet and make decisions as and when something happens, using my Adaptability theme. 

8) When you think and reflect on your own life, how do these 3 talent themes affect your thought process?

YF: Whenever I reflect on my life, I feel that I tend to follow the ranking of the strengths I have tellingly. I will always start by thinking of what have I done before, then move on to what outcome I desire to accomplish in the future. After that, I will decide on what to do in the present. This is my natural thought process.

YF: Thank you for this interview. I learn a lot about myself as I reflect.

Concluding Thoughts: Some people have very interesting combinations of talent themes in their top 5 StrengthsFinder results. These combinations provide very unique perspectives that can become a great source of strength and power to help a person succeed in what he does. 

If you know of someone who you feel has a very unique combination of talent themes, let me know! I'll love to conduct an interview with this person to find out more! Do watch out for part 2 of this StrengthsFinder Theme Combination Series. The next article will explore StrengthsFinder themes tied to the idea of speed.

READ: SPEED-BASED STRENGTHSFINDER THEME COMBINATION

Written by Victor Seet
Activator • Communication • Strategic • Self-Assurance • Command

The Blues of not having Blues

"It is human nature to look at what we lack rather than what we have"

I first did my CliftonStrengths (formerly known as Gallup StrengthsFinder) assessment couple of years ago when I was a full-time Youth Pastor in a local church in Singapore, specialising in youth training and development. After finishing the online CliftonStrengths assessment, I had Activator, Communication, Strategic, Achiever and Command in my top 5 results. I took time to read through the descriptions of each talent theme. There were mixed emotions when I got my results. I was a little skeptical and I had many questions running through my mind.

"How can it be that I do not have any strengths in the relational building or the blue domain?" I was a little concerned. (To be honest, "a little" is an understatement). I had a job that requires me to understand people's needs, to care for others genuinely and to reach out to new people on a regular basis. What that meant to me was that I needed very strong relational abilities in order to excel in what I do. I did my own research: watching many different StrengthsFinder videos and reading many different StrengthsFinder articles. I was really hoping that my concerns will be unfounded.

"It is not just human nature to look at what we lack, it is also second nature to reinforce that mindset by looking at others and comparing."

It became more disturbing when I compared my results with those of my colleagues in church and I saw that they had the strengths that I thought I should have in order to succeed in my role. As someone who spent a lot of time mentoring and training young people, I felt that it was important for me to have CliftonStrengths themes like Empathy, Developer or Relator. I have none. In fact, I have none of the nine themes that were classified under the relationship building domain. These nine are Empathy, Developer, Includer, Adaptability, Connectedness, Harmony, Positivity, Relator and Individualization. How could it be that I was a Youth Pastor in Singapore for so many years without any relational strengths being in my top 5? I began to doubt the validity of the CliftonStrengths Assessment.

Are you one of those who felt the same way as I did after you got your CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) results?

The interesting part came after the emotions have settled and I started to think a little deeper. Have I been successful in my work as a Youth Pastor? Have I been given affirmation and positive feedback on what I did even though I do not have those “strengths” that I thought I should be having? 

• Have I shown to people under my supervision that I care even though I do not have the Empathy theme?

• Have I been an encourager to the youth who were struggling even though I do not have the Positivity theme or the Developer theme?

• Have I been welcoming to newcomers to the church even though I do not have the Woo theme?

• Have I been able to shown to my team that I am a person they can count on even though I do not have the Responsibility theme?
  
  As I reflected, I realized I could say an emphatic “YES” to all of the above. And that is without having a single “blue” strength or CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) themes that belong to the relationship building domain. I realized now that I have somehow innovated my strengths and have reached the outcomes I desired as a Youth Pastor. More importantly, I reached the outcomes using my own strengths in my own unique ways.

Today, as a Coach who has conducted multiple workshops in Singapore and across Asia, I have taught with great passion that it is not so much about the talents we do not have but how we use the talents we have to achieve the goals that we desired:

• A high performing individual can execute even if he does not possess a single strength that falls under the executing domain.

• A high performing individual can influence even if he does not possess a single strength that falls under the influencing domain.

• A high performing individual can care genuinely even if he does not possess a single strength that falls under the relationship building domain (this happens to be me).

• A high performing individual can strategize and ideate even if he does not possess a single strength that falls under the strategic thinking domain.

High performing individuals know what they are very strong at. They use their strengths to overcome their lack or they find ways to manage their weaknesses.

As I strive towards high performance, I now work hard on three key areas:

1. I now focus on my top CliftonStrengths themes intentionally. I make a great effort to reduce the number of times my themes will manifest in the infancy stage (or otherwise known as basement or raw stage). I do that a lot by personal reflection. I actively solicit feedback from those I trust and work with. I try to have a debrief after a conflict occurs to find out what aspects of my behaviour hinders the relationship.

2. I focus on seeking different partners who can help me overcome different areas of my weaknesses. I have specific go-to people (usually 2-3 individuals) for each of my areas of lack that I have identified. For example, I have found some with the Discipline theme and some with the Responsibility theme to help me stay organized. I have found some with the Positivity theme and some with the Empathy theme to give me feedback on my abilities to encourage and care for others.

3. I also intentionally focus on building one attitude - cultivating thankfulness. As I choose to reflect and give thanks regularly, I am often required to focus on the things I have rather than those I lack. I have found that this attitude is an important aspect to developing a paradigm shift from the deficit thinking model to the Strengths-Based thinking model.

Concluding Note: As you ponder about the things I have said above, I will like to leave you with a challenge to focus on your CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) themes, one at a time. Give thanks for each of these themes that you have and ask yourself how you can aim it meaningfully in your professional and personal life.

Written by Victor Seet

Expressing StrengthsFinder in the Unique Singapore Way!

As a Singapore CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) coach, I have always loved to explore how CliftonStrengths as a tool can be customized based on different cultures. Earlier this year, I wrote an article on integrating StrengthsFinder and the Chinese culture. This time round, I hope to share about integrating CliftonStrengths in the Unique Singapore way - using the Singlish language to describe the 34 CliftonStrengths talent themes.  

A little context about this article. It was inspired by the different celebrations that took place in Singapore for the past week. As Singapore celebrated its 51st National Birthday, many will have thought the celebrations will die down quickly. Few will have expected that a days later, the gold medal win by Joseph Schooling in the Rio Olympics brought the whole nation of Singapore into a celebratory mood again! It felt like a second National day celebration!

In Strengths School™ (which I co-founded and since left), the team decides to immerse into the celebrations by spontaneously going into a brainstorming on how the StrengthsFinder language can be expressed using the unique Singlish language. In this very small country filled with diverse races and ethnic groups, our Singlish language is the reason why a Singaporean can be easily recognized by another Singaporean regardless of any location around the world.

After brainstorming, the team created a customized StrengthsFinder Mug for one another, each mug having the unique Singlish description of each other's StrengthsFinder themes (the 1st Singlish StrengthsFinder MUG)! Using this beautiful mug that was created for me, I hope to share my top 5 StrengthsFinder themes in Singlish! 

StrengthsFinder Activator - Chop Chop Curry Pok! 

Chop Chop means to hurry up, to speed things up! Curry Pok is simply a rhyming slang. The idea of speed describes that character trait of an Activator! I think the team in Strengths School™ Singapore will definitely agree that I like to do things quickly. Getting into that momentum is something very important to me. In fact, when Mr Ideation Jason Ho thought of this idea to celebrate with Singapore, my Activator says "AWESOME! Let's do it NOW!"

StrengthsFinder Communication - Wah Can Tok Sia!

This Singlish phrase as understood by Singaporeans, have several meanings. This phrase can be used to describe one who has an ability to talk himself out of a situation. This phrase also can mean one who spoke in such a charismatic and dramatic way to wow a crowd and create an impact. Sometimes, this phrase also describes a chatterbox who goes on and on during a conversation. I think this Singlish description fits the Communication theme perfectly and in describing me! 

StrengthsFinder Strategic - Kia Shortcut

This Singlish phrase means to “take” a shortcut. Singaporeans love being efficient. This phrase was coined because it is very common for Singaporeans to try to find the shortest way possible to get to the destination. In doing so, lots of traveling time can be cut down.  

StrengthsFinder Self-Assurance - Ai Zai

This Singlish phrase means "Be confident". It is a phrase used by Singaporeans to encourage others to be confident (usually before a competition or before an exam) and to let them know that "they can do it!" I personally like this phrase as it describes how a Self-Assurance Singaporean person like myself often draws confidence from deep within by whispering to my inner being "Ai Zai, you can do this!" This pep talk allows me to focus on my inner strengths and overcome the fears that are caused externally.

StrengthsFinder Command - Garang

This Singlish phrase means bold, courageous and fearless. This phrase is often used and heard during National Service, a period when Singaporean males of a certain age are conscripted into the Singapore Armed Forces. The phrase is usually used to describe a certain kind of person who exhibits bravery and fearlessness in overcoming challenging obstacle courses. I personally find that this "Garang" phrase describes my Command theme aptly especially during crises. I often find myself becoming "Garang" and I enjoy rising up to challenges in a chaotic situation. I often find that people get the best out of me in very trying situations. The positive feedback is usually about how my composure leads others forward by giving clarity in directions. I feel a great sense of satisfaction whenever I can help to move people out of a crisis situation, knowing that remaining status quo is like standing on quicksand.

Concluding Note: I am a proud Singaporean and I love the unique Singlish language. I'm also a Singapore StrengthsFinder Coach who is passionate to use the Strengths language to make a difference. It is a great joy for me to integrate the Strengths language with the unique Singlish language and to present the 1st StrengthsFinder Mug (Singapore Edition)! #StrengthsFinderMugSG

Written by Victor Seet
Activator • Communication • Strategic • Self-Assurance • Command

CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Relationship Building Domain - A Pair of Singaporean Siblings

Through Gallup's research on the CliftonStrengths (formerly known as StrengthsFinder) assessment, it has been found that for two persons to have the same top 5 CliftonStrengths themes, the probability is about 1 in 278,000. Gallup has also sorted the 34 CliftonStrengths Themes into 4 distinct domains of leadership strength. The domains are: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking. The categories are designed to help leaders think better about how different individuals can contribute effectively to a team.

There was a pair of siblings who discovered they both had the same top 5 themes after they have completed their CliftonStrengths assessment. What is even more astonishing is that both of them had all 5 of their themes in the Relationship Domain, a rare combination of strengths found in the world. While each person is unique and different, we as researchers, are curious to discover how people who are very relational, think and behave. We decided to interview and speak to this pair of siblings from Singapore, Angeline and Pamela Ngui, who are 4 years apart.

READ: 8 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LEADERSHIP DOMAINS

1) WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU REALIZED THAT YOUR TOP 5 STRENGTHS THEMES ARE ALL FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING DOMAIN?

A: I felt quite concerned.. Why do all my strengths fall into the blue category? Am I a loser in all the other domains? Is this normal?? I was quite disappointed I guess. My strengths didn’t sound that special to me - “Positivity is a strength? All that’s saying is that I’m good at being an optimist..”, “Empathy? Anyone can have empathy. It’s hardwired into us!”

But it’s alright. After learning more about what my strengths are actually about, I grew to be more comfortable with identifying with them. It’s always interesting to realize how I can link my behaviours and attitudes to the themes I have. (I have yet to unlock the rest of my CliftonStrengths themes and I'm curious to find out what my my top non-blue strength will be)!

P: I was surprised!! I didn't see these 5 as strengths before but I thought it was so cool that I could relate to everything the CliftonStrengths report said!

Honestly, I used to feel like I didn’t really have the strengths that will help me excel because I would see other themes like discipline, responsibility and communication as those that were valued highly, especially in the Singapore schools. And I felt that I lacked a lot in these areas. But I started to realize that my strengths are more than what the world would value. Discovering that my top 5 Strengths themes were all in the relationship building domain has helped me to understand myself a lot better! 

2) WHICH OF YOUR TOP 5 ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WHY?

A: I am most proud of my Includer theme. I like that I can usually read social situations to identify the people who could be feeling a bit left out in a group. When I can do something to make that person feel slightly more comfortable, it feels great. I realized it’s something I’ve always felt strongly about. I like how Gallup puts it - “[Your accepting nature] rests on your conviction that fundamentally we are all the same. We are all equally important, thus, no one should be ignored.”

I think this extends to my attitude to a lot of other things in life, like being receptive to new things or ideas and not being closed-minded or inflexible. I take pride in being approachable like that. 

P: I'm proud of Positivity because I'm able to encourage people! I enjoy being able to uncover the potential in people and to see the value in people and things. It brings me joy seeing others happy and fulfilled. I feel that Positivity allows me to appreciate and celebrate the small things in life and to be able to share with others this kind of joy too!

Having Positivity also encourages me to go on when things get challenging! It gives me the mind-set that it will be alright if I try. Having the Positivity theme allows me to see the positive outcomes that can come from the challenges I face. Having Positivity pushes me to improve and try new things.

3) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WORDS THAT YOUR FRIENDS HAVE USED TO DESCRIBE YOU?

A: “You’re good at listening”, “You make people feel appreciated”, “You’re really supportive” - these are some of the things my close friends have said to me. 

P: Friendly, patient and kind. I think people say that I'm friendly because I enjoy meeting new people and finding out more about them. I find it exciting to know more about other people. I think my friends say I'm patient and kind because I like to help others and be there for them. I enjoy listening and spending time with people. I’m someone who would readily help people because I find joy in doing so. Seeing others encouraged and happy makes me feel happy as well.

4) COMPLETE THE SENTENCE. FRIENDSHIP TO ME IS LIKE_________ 

A: taking redbull? Being around people I like energizes me even when I’m dead tired. Friendship to me is also like warming up in a blanket after being rescued from drowning (in loneliness).

P: a treasure chest? Digging up the treasure chest is like starting a friendship – it requires effort. You discover something precious when you continue digging until you find the treasure. And there is something different in each treasure chest. I find friendships precious because I feel that everyone is unique and each friendship allows me to explore more about each person. But friendship also requires effort on both parts - they rely on you for backup just as you depend on them for help. Friends are also there for you to help you grow and to be there for you when you need them. Without my friends who guided me throughout my life, I wouldn't be close to where I am today. As such, I cherish my friendships greatly.

5) HOW DID SOME OF YOUR TOP 5 THEMES HELP YOU TO EXCEL IN SCHOOL? GIVE SOME EXAMPLES.

A: I think having Adaptability helps me a lot in school work. There have been too many times where I would be working on an important project, and a spanner would be thrown into the works, whether it's at a crucial moment or not. I find that usually I don't get stressed about the change in plans but I'm able to focus on what next needs to be done. This has helped me keep cool-headed when everyone around me might be panicking!

P: I just graduated from a junior college in Singapore. During that period, it was extremely stressful. But I think my Positivity theme helped me to go on with a positive mind-set that "I can do it if I try". It spurred me on to work harder to achieve my goals. Every time I was met with a setback, I would tell myself that I just had to try harder. I also saw studying as something enjoyable instead of how I used to see it - as a chore. I felt I could learn so much more from studying too - learning to be more disciplined, to plan my time well.

My other themes like Includer, Developer and Empathy, made me want to look out for my friends and help them too. I always liked to help my friends with anything that they needed help in. That encouraged me to study harder to know my subjects well so I could also teach my friends and impart to them the stuff I know.

READ: SPEED-BASED STRENGTHSFINDER THEME COMBINATION

6) USING YOUR TOP 5, DESCRIBE THE KIND OF LEADER YOU THINK YOU ARE?

A: I don’t know how to command a room’s attention, or put up overt displays of dominance, or the other things that people think leaders typically do. I’d much prefer being on the ground, influencing people through my relationships with them. I think I would be quite invested in each person’s progress, wanting to give advice on how to do things in the most efficient manner, or discussing the best way to go about our tasks. With every person, I’d also try my best to listen to them intently, make sure I’m fully present, to appreciate them in that way.

P: I think I'm a leader who would look out for the needs of the people first - to make sure that everyone is doing alright. I feel that it’s important that no one is left out and that everyone’s voice is heard. And I enjoy hearing the different perspectives from people. 

I like getting to know each individual personally too because I find every person unique. I feel that knowing the people is important as you learn how the people feel and see things in their perspective as well rather than only from a leader’s perspective. Knowing the people, I feel like I’m able to see the potential in them and try to bring that out in them.

7) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INITIAL THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAD WHEN YOU REALIZED THAT YOUR SISTER HAS THE SAME TOP 5 STRENGTHS AS YOU AND ALL 5 ARE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING DOMAIN?

A: My first thoughts are "Hahaha. That’s so crazy!! Impossible.” I still find it really interesting and pretty amusing that our top 5 are the same. We keep joking to each other that we’re the same person, or that we’re the actual twins in the family (we have 13-year-old sisters who are twins). When I think about who I know Pam to be though, I guess I’m not very surprised that those are her strengths. Pam’s very good at being a friend to people - she has so many people who are fond of her! Now when I think about her strengths though, I realized that they’ve always been so apparent in her daily life! It’s very easy to pick them out even if you’re only just getting to know her.

P: I was really surprised!!! I always thought that my sister and I were quite different but it turns out maybe we are quite similar on the inside?? I never thought we would have the same strengths but only after this, I realized that we might think in a similar way! But I also realized that although we have the same strengths, my sister and I show our strengths quite differently and our same strengths work in a different way. 

8) EVEN THOUGH IT CANNOT BE PROVEN, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO BOTH OF YOU BEING ALL "BLUE" AND HAVING THE SAME TOP 5?

A: Hmm I have no idea actually! We didn’t grow up doing a lot of things together and I wouldn’t say that we were exposed to very similar things growing up. My guess is that it’s partly genetic. Maybe our parents brought us to all their social gatherings when we were young, throwing us into social situations right from the cradle haha. We’re both introverts though, so perhaps it’s not so much being put in social situations but rather it’s probably partly due to our mom’s special nurturing touch as well. Thanks Mom, xoxo!

P: I think maybe it's because of the way we’ve been raised and as we’ve grown up together here in Singapore. Also, I've been influenced greatly by my older sister because I’ve always looked up to her. It could also be that since we are the older siblings in a family of five kids, we feel like I should look out for them which grew our relational side. And I think we grew up in an environment where family and relationships are important and being constantly surrounded by people may explain why we’re all “blue”.

Concluding thoughts: Many who are very relational often struggle to believe that their CliftonStrengths themes are talents to begin with. It seems like many of them feel that society often projects an image that certain "strengths" are more valued and these are certainly not the relational ones. However, it is also getting more evident that many organizations (evidently seen in Singapore) have teams that are not performing well and more people are leaving their jobs because of the lack of concern and care by managers and fellow teammates. Teams that thrive, often have strong team members, who use their relational strengths powerfully to glue the team together. It is also often the relationally stronger ones who lift up the morale of others in the team. It is therefore important that each of us start to appreciate in a greater measure that those who dominate the relationship building domain are the ones who really have the "heart". Their desire to love and care makes a big difference in this world!

Written by Victor Seet
Activator • Communication • Strategic • Self-Assurance • Command

Using CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) for Work - Interview with a Counsellor

One of my key areas of work as a coach is in helping people discover how to apply their strengths, both in their professional and personal lives. This article is a continuation of the series on "Using StrengthsFinder for Work". It is an interview done with a Professional Counsellor in Singapore, whom I have the privilege to coach in a 1 on 1 setting. We had some very fruitful conversations regarding her CliftonStrengths (formerly known as StrengthsFinder) results and I had the opportunity to hear her different experiences. 

Chrystella Lo is a trained professional in a girl's home in Singapore. She desires to see young people being transformed and believes in giving hope to those who struggles to believe in themselves. In her free time, Chrystella actively mentors a group of young people and serves as a volunteer in a local church. She enjoys traveling to different countries to learn about different cultures. She also leads overseas expedition trips as part of her desire to reach out to the less fortunate. She has travelled to many countries that include China, East Timor, Malaysia and some countries in the Middle East. Chrystella's top 5 CliftonStrengths themes are Harmony, Analytical, Relator, Developer and Connectedness.

Below is an interview with Chrystella Lo:

1) As a counsellor, how do you feel when you first saw your top 5? 

C: Although I didn't fully understand the strengths descriptions initially, intuitively the words made sense and resonated with me. Seeing that I had 4 of my strengths in the relationship building domain affirmed my desire to work with people. 

2) Out of these top 5 talents, which do you love and which do you feel drive people crazy? Why? 

C: I think my Analytical talent theme drives people crazy because I like to ask questions to discover the root causes instead of simply listening and empathizing. Friends have told me that I tend to frown when they share something with me, and that's not because I'm judging them. I realized I have this expression when I'm thinking and analyzing what others are sharing with me. At the same time, I love my Analytical talent theme as well, because it helps me to be objective and to see both sides of the coin. I like it that this Analytical strength is balanced by my four other Relationship Building Strengths. 

3) How do you feel you use your talents as a Counsellor?  Share some examples.

C: My top StrengthsFinder theme is Harmony, and that's important in the area of goal setting in counseling work. Both my client and I need to have a mutual goal and that this strength helps me to find that common ground when we set goals together. Sometimes, I do feel stuck if there are clear differences in goals. I also use my Analytical talent theme to search for root causes and recurring patterns in order to conceptualize cases. This empowers me to choose the best intervention. As a counsellor, my 'analysis' is continuously developing and there is much more to learn. My Relator gives me the fuel to want to know people very deeply. I do feel refreshed after the deep sharing that occurs during counselling sessions. 

4) How do you think Strengthsfinder can help other counsellors or even your clients?

C: I think that the StrengthsFinder tool helps us to know ourselves better in a very functional and practical way. It helps us to realize why we are more naturally talented in certain tasks and why we naturally struggle in others. I do find that this tool is more than just a personality test. It helps us to understand how we can become more effective and successful in what we do. 

As we instinctively use our talents and strengths in any situation, I think it will be helpful for other counsellors to gain understanding on how they can use their talents and strengths more effectively in the counseling process. The StrengthsFinder tool can also help clients to grow in their self-esteem by discovering what they are naturally good at. To bring it further, when used effectively, the StrengthsFinder tool can help clients gain mastery over certain challenging tasks.  

5) How has this unique combination of your top 5 talents help you achieve something you were proud of? Share with us a peak experience.

C: There was a particularly successful case that I was privileged to manage. One key factor of the success is that all the different organizations (Ministry of Social and Family Development Singapore, Institute of Mental Health, the client's school, volunteers, and parents) I worked with were aligned in the goals and outcome and were all on the same page. I believe it was the successful collaboration that contributed to the success of this case. I felt that my Harmony and Connectedness were used and were greatly delighted. I was also able to develop a personal and genuine friendship with some of these work counterparts and that engaged my Relator. My Analytical theme was used throughout the process of working with this client, as we constantly had to conceptualize the case and adjust interventions based on it's development. My Developer theme was naturally peaked in the whole process of seeing my client grow.

6) What did you discover about yourself after taking the StrengthsFinder assessment that you did not previously know?

C: I realized I had a good job-fit and I enjoyed being a counsellor because all my strengths could be regularly engaged. 

7) You went through the StrengthsFinder workshop that I conducted. How has that session helped you?

C: I found that the face-to-face discussions in the StrengthsFinder workshop helped me to understand my talent themes much more than just reading a description of the theme on my StrengthsFinder report. The sharing and the fun learning in the workshop allowed me to pick up the intricate details attached to each talent theme. Both the StrengthsFinder workshop as well as your personal coaching have helped me to understand my top 5 strengths that were unique to me and to my situation. You have helped me gain very valuable insights on how I can better apply my strengths in my specific work situation. 

In addition, I think a big part of the StrengthsFinder workshop, besides the understanding, is helping us to accept and own our strengths. I know of many people who felt dissatisfied with their top 5 strengths upon receiving the results. The workshops were able to change these peoples' perspectives by facilitating them towards owning their top 5. Personally I do covet other strengths, especially the strengths in the Influencing domain. However, through discussing with you, I think I have gained acceptance of my strengths and I am proud of what I have. Thank you Victor!

I would highly recommend those who struggle with understanding or accepting their strengths to attend a personal coaching session with Victor.

READ: THE POWER OF NAMING AN EMOTION

Concluding thoughts from the Interviewer: It is such a joy whenever I hear people share that they are able to use their strengths at work and feel empowered to do what they are naturally good at. I hope as you read this interview with Chrystella, you too can be personally encouraged and challenged to intentionally think about how you can use your strengths at work. 

Written by Victor Seet

CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Influencing Domain - Featuring Singaporean Joey Ong

Through Gallup's research on the CliftonStrengths (Formerly known as StrengthsFinder) assessment, it has been found that for two persons to have the same top 5 strengths in the same order, the probability is about 1 in 33 million. The numbers speak a clear message: Every single person is unique and wired differently.

Gallup has also sorted the 34 Strengthsfinder themes into 4 distinct domains of leadership strength. The domains are: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking. The categories are designed to help leaders think better about how different individuals can contribute effectively to a team.

In Strengths School™ Singapore, after facilitating Strengthsfinder workshops for different organizations (both in Singapore and beyond) comprising thousands of individuals, we found that strengths from the Influencing domain of leadership tend to be more uncommon than strengths from the other domains. While each person is unique and different, we speak to one person who possesses a combination of strengths that is extremely rare in the world. Singaporean Joey Ong is the first individual known to Strengths School™ to have all her top 5 strengths from the Influencing domain. We did a short interview with her to find out what she thinks about her strengths:

READ: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING DOMAIN - INTERVIEW WITH 2 SISTERS

1. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ONE OF THE RAREST HUMAN BEINGS? 

It feels a little disconcerting, knowing that my combination of strengths may be so unique that I may not meet another who would be able to understand how I truly feel! I have always felt like I am a little more “extrovert” than the usual extrovert person, and have constantly tried to remind myself to take a step back and learn how to withdraw myself from situations sometimes. After taking Strengthsfinder, I started to view my extroverted-ness as something much more complex! I think being rare has its pros and cons! I’m just glad to be able to bring something new to the table that others might not be able to - and it is a privilege to provide greater capacity to whichever context or situation I’m in. 

2) DO YOU AT TIMES FEEL VERY MISUNDERSTOOD?

Definitely! How did you know? I find myself unable to stop desiring for new friendships and connections. Even when I have the social support that I need, I feel the desire to create new bonds with the people around me! This sometimes makes the people close to me feel like I have abandoned them, or that I have moved on to new friends and neglected the old ones. It does make me feel a little sad and made me wonder why I do not have the ability to just have a few deep, close friendships that many others have. Knowing my strengths now, I realize that I have to be intentional in communicating my reasons and intentions to others! Making new connections is different from forging new deep friendships that I may already have - it does not mean that I’m a “fleeting“ person who cares little about my friends. 

Other times, in my eagerness to get things going, I grow impatient in waiting for others to express themselves and communicate their ideas. By rushing them, I come across as dismissive and unwilling to listen - but the truth is, my intention was always to get them to say whatever is on their mind so that I may have the opportunity to rephrase and help them crystallize their thoughts into workable ideas. When I ask others, “What are you trying to say?" - it comes off as rude and bossy. I have since tried to be more patient. I now see value in allowing others to speak and for them to take time in crystallizing their thoughts. In doing so, they will feel like they are included in the ideas, and therefore it will be easier to get their buy-in on the actionables, making everything much more efficient in the longer term. 

3) WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU FIRST KNEW YOU HAD ALL INFLUENCING STRENGTHS IN YOUR TOP 5 STRENGTHSFINDER RESULTS? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

I felt shocked of course! And a little terrified - “does this mean that I’m lacking in all the other areas?“ , “have I been neglecting the other aspects of my capacity to grow?” Reading my strengths made me realized that this is something I might need to address and receiving coaching in!
 
I never realized that my strengths were all connected in such a way. I’ve always known of the influence I had on others, and the commanding presence that may sometimes be intimidating, but I never realized that my ability to maximize and get things going were also influencing skills, and my ability to win people over were further perpetuated by my communication strength. It does make me feel like some sort of specialist - now I know that this is my area and I can continue to use it and build up my capacity!  I’ve always felt like a generalist with interests and strengths in many different areas, almost like a “jack of all trades, master of none”. Knowing that I am such an “influencer” gave me a glimpse of hope in being a specialist eventually (hahah)!

4) WHICH OF YOUR TOP 5 ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WHY?

Maximizer! It makes me feel like an asset to every situation! It gives me so much pleasure to say, “let’s make this better”, and then suggest ways to improve a good idea, and see it become excellent! I’m proud of it because it allows me to interact with others and constantly be on a lookout for opportunities and strengths that aren’t developed or nurtured yet! When I meet someone who has an ability or talent in a particular area but is unaware of it, in my mind, I’m just thinking of the next opportunity or platform where I can allow that person to express and develop that talent! And when that comes to pass, it really makes me happy to see others find their strength. 

5) WHICH OF YOUR TOP 5 GOT YOU MOST IN TROUBLE? ANY STORY TO SHARE?

ACTIVATOR.  Always wanting to get things going does not always work out well! My impatience is often the cause of my downfall. My need to keep things moving and great dislike for stagnant discussions and ideas make me naturally offensive and aggressive in conversations that are not moving. 

Once, I was super eager to book an Airbnb room for a trip out of Singapore so that we could move on and plan the itinerary and all the other fun stuff, I ended up paying much more than I needed if I'd just waited for a few more days! Apparently, there was going to be an offer, and my friend had a discount code that I could use! Well, since I already booked the place and paid much more, I offered to absorb the cost. It made me really upset that I wasted money just because I wanted things to get moving! I guess sometimes speed isn’t always the best - there needs to be time for consideration and to wait patiently for the best deal and outcome. 

6) USING YOUR TOP 5, DESCRIBE THE KIND OF LEADER YOU THINK YOU ARE.

I would say that I’m the kind of leader that motivates and energizes the team, constantly moving things forward and never allowing a minute to go to waste. Sometimes I will come across rather demanding, but you can be assured that things will get done as close to perfection as possible! I will want to make sure that every person on the team is on the same page and believes in what we are doing, and is willing to put their whole heart into it. Once that is set, I will identify each person’s potential and make sure they have opportunity to use their capacity and grow in the process. I believe that as long as everyone has a same clear vision of the final product/output, is equally passionate, and believes in what we are doing, my role as a leader is simply to help crystallize ideas and ensure that one coherent story is communicated at the end of the day. I would say that as long as a person trusts me and my capacity to lead, the journey would be rather fruitful and enjoyable - and every meeting will definitely be fun! 

7) WHO ARE SOME OF THE LEADERS YOU LOOK UP TO? AND WHY?

Paul in the Bible is definitely someone I look up to. First, he believes so truly and deeply in whatever he does. His passion is infectious and influential, eventually getting people on board who believe as strongly in what he is doing! I think that is really powerful beyond whatever physical capacity you have. Even when he was in jail, his influence was unstoppable - finding all ways and means to continue his work, through writing letters and sharing in prison itself. His ability to spot the potential in others and nudge them towards fulfilling their purpose through their strength and talent is something that I wish to do as well.

Concluding thoughts: Every one of us contribute differently to the society when we play to our strengths. While those who have strengths that dominate the influencing domains are often the ones more easily misunderstood by others, they are also the ones who will intuitively be the voice of hope and transformation and the voice that will make a difference wherever they go!  

Written by Victor Seet
Activator • Communication • Strategic • Self-Assurance • Command