UMBC Women’s Leadership Summit

April 15, 2009

Utilizing Dependable Utilizing Dependable Strengths for SuccessStrengths for Success

There is EXCELLENCEin each person….

It’s structure of skills, talents and attributes can be clarified and

identified.

These can then be recombined or developed to match the demands of

progress or changing conditions.

What to Expect An introduction to a process where you can utilize An introduction to a process where you can utilize

more of your potential to create more satisfaction and more of your potential to create more satisfaction and success in your life.success in your life.

An understanding of what a “good experience” is as it An understanding of what a “good experience” is as it relates to revealing patterns of strength.relates to revealing patterns of strength.

How to understand the difference between a How to understand the difference between a dependable strength and other skills.dependable strength and other skills.

Fun --- talking about yourself and hearing about Fun --- talking about yourself and hearing about yourself!yourself!

Knowing your dependable strengths helps in creating career satisfaction and success. By knowing your core strengths you are able By knowing your core strengths you are able

to manage the flexibility that is called for in to manage the flexibility that is called for in today’s workforce.today’s workforce.

Motivated skillsMotivated skills Unmotivated skillsUnmotivated skills Productivity would increase by 40% if people Productivity would increase by 40% if people

were in jobs they did well and were in jobs they did well and enjoyed!enjoyed!

People generally use less than 20% of their

potential.

80% is hidden and rarely brought into

awareness.

Potential Prevention

Societal Bias – Societal Bias – Traditional languageTraditional language

Job titlesJob titles

Good Experience

Something Something you feelyou feel you you diddid well well Something you Something you enjoyedenjoyed doing doing Something Something you are proud ofyou are proud of

Good Experiences can come fromGood Experiences can come from

Any time of your lifeAny time of your life

Any part of your lifeAny part of your life

Important Note

Good Experiences are things that you Good Experiences are things that you actively made happen.actively made happen.

Good Experiences can come from any Good Experiences can come from any part of your life (leisure, school, work, part of your life (leisure, school, work, hobbies, etc.).hobbies, etc.).

Good Experiences can come from any Good Experiences can come from any time in your life.time in your life.

Let’s get started!

List as many Good Experiences List as many Good Experiences that you can utilizing the that you can utilizing the definition given.definition given.

Assign a value to your Good Assign a value to your Good Experiences, with Number 1 Experiences, with Number 1 being most significant to you, as being most significant to you, as so forth.so forth.

Listening for Strengths

Form groups of 3 quicklyForm groups of 3 quickly Appoint a timekeeperAppoint a timekeeper Tell 3 Good Experiences Tell 3 Good Experiences Others listen carefully and jot down strengths heardOthers listen carefully and jot down strengths heard Clarify by asking Clarify by asking what and howwhat and how, but no , but no whywhy

questionsquestions Listeners read out loud list of strengths and give to Listeners read out loud list of strengths and give to

speakerspeaker Repeat until all have spokenRepeat until all have spoken

Discuss Good Experiences

How does it feel to be talking only about Good How does it feel to be talking only about Good Experiences?Experiences?

How did your partner look – their demeanor?How did your partner look – their demeanor? Did you learn something new about your partner?Did you learn something new about your partner? What was your reaction to your partner’s Good What was your reaction to your partner’s Good

Experiences?Experiences? Did it sound like your partner was bragging or Did it sound like your partner was bragging or

boasting?boasting?

Points about Dependable Strengths

A Dependable Strength would A Dependable Strength would typically show up repeatedly typically show up repeatedly throughout your top Good Experiences.throughout your top Good Experiences.

You are energized by it.You are energized by it. You are inner motivated to use it.You are inner motivated to use it. You almost cannot help using it You almost cannot help using it

whenever possible.whenever possible.

Uncovering Your Dependable Strengths

Accept yourself as unique in the kind of Accept yourself as unique in the kind of excellence always growing in you.excellence always growing in you.

Elements of your excellence have been Elements of your excellence have been demonstrated from time to time in your life, demonstrated from time to time in your life, most likely in experiences you feel are your most likely in experiences you feel are your achievements.achievements.

By carefully identifying and studying your By carefully identifying and studying your achievements you will uncover a pattern of achievements you will uncover a pattern of strengths and talents. strengths and talents.

This pattern of strengths indicates the kind This pattern of strengths indicates the kind of career activities that are likely to be a of career activities that are likely to be a part of your future achievements, part of your future achievements, regardless of your job title.regardless of your job title.

Success & securitymeans being prepared for

change.

Know the package of skills and strengths you really

possess.

By uncovering your Dependable Strengths, you become free to use,

develop, or combine them in different ways to accommodate change.

Change, then, comes to mean adaptation, flexibility, and opportunity, rather than the unknown and feared.

This is true career success.

In the best of jobs, there will be some

parts that you dislike.Even at the best party someone

has to do the dishes.

One way to cope with thisis to form

Partnerships of Excellence.

This approach assumes there is excellence in

everyone and dignity in all work.

What you dislike, perhaps do badly,there are others who can do it well!

Your “poison” may just be someoneelse’s “cup of tea.”

Gains from this approach…

More satisfied workers.More satisfied workers. Tasks are getting done more reliably Tasks are getting done more reliably

and effectively.and effectively. You will gain respect for the skills of You will gain respect for the skills of

others – their excellence.others – their excellence. You will improve the teamwork in your You will improve the teamwork in your

setting.setting.

Networking for Success

Tell your story from your authentic self.Tell your story from your authentic self. You are more than your job title.You are more than your job title. Clearly articulate your dependable strengths and Clearly articulate your dependable strengths and

the types of things you have done to support those the types of things you have done to support those strengths. strengths.

When you talk about your dependable strengths, When you talk about your dependable strengths, you speak with passion and interest --- this is what you speak with passion and interest --- this is what people rememberpeople remember..

You want to be remembered.You want to be remembered.

Final Thoughts By knowing your dependable strengths you are By knowing your dependable strengths you are

better able to articulate your worth and value --- better able to articulate your worth and value --- most business interactions look for value-added.most business interactions look for value-added.

By growing your dependable strengths you By growing your dependable strengths you increase your potential and enhance your levels of increase your potential and enhance your levels of success.success.

Working on your weaknesses or unmotivated Working on your weaknesses or unmotivated skills may only bring an individual to an average skills may only bring an individual to an average level of functioning. level of functioning.

Focus on your successes!Focus on your successes!

Old tradition says, “Find out what you did wrong and never do it again.” New tradition says, “Find out what you did right, so you can be sure to do it again.” One way suggests going forward while looking back over your shoulder. The new way suggests a person find safe footholds and continue to climb.

One Day Workshop

Rediscovering Your Rediscovering Your PassionPassion

April 27, 2009April 27, 2009