It’s not new math, it’s Talent Combinations. This is when two talents working together in an individual can look like a third talent. Like red and blue combining to make purple or hydrogen and oxygen uniting to form water, two talents working well together can simulate another. For instance, the vision of the forward-thinking Futuristic talent combined with the get-it-done Achiever talent in someone’s Top 5 can impersonate the effect of the start-with-the-end-in-mind Strategic talent. Sometimes we are sure we see a talent in someone’s Top 5 but in reality it can be two talents posing as a third.  

Lisa has spent a career developing her Communication talent in directing and developing leadership. When this combines with her Strategic talent she not only mitigates the Kryptonite of Strategic but can also proactively and intentionally communicate plans and solve people problems. Having the end picture in mind and using relevant verbiage that provides...

As more of the world goes back to the workplace there are huge challenges as work communities are reforming from virtual platforms. As one colleague of mine said “It’s like in two years people have forgotten how to act like people.” At Inpowering People we are seeing our work help people reconnect in healthy and effective ways. A secret to our success? Helping individuals see others as people instead of from a perspective influenced by our talent Kryptonite that can lead us to view others as objects in the “OI” zone:

Obstacles – We see others as something to overcome: a problem to solve, a nuisance to avoid, a barrier to a goal. When I am zeroed in on the finish line with my Achiever talent, a phone call or co-worker suddenly becomes a barrier to my momentum of accomplishment or a drain on my timeline towards a deadline.

Interruptions – Those with Focus, Discipline, and Consistency can shut out...

In college and throughout my 20s I played competitive rugby. I was not that great, but my teammates often said that I was intense. I took that as a compliment until I looked up the meaning of the word. Intense means “existing in an extreme degree.” I realized then that my teammates were telling me I needed to lighten up on my competitive edge.

In the talent world we talk about Talent Intensifiers. Two talents in our Top 5 may combine to intensify, escalate, or boost one another. The result can be brilliant, exponentially strengthening each other to an acute dynamic of greatness. But there is also the potential for a more lethal punch of Kryptonite from the uber effect as well.

The two most common Intensifiers are Achiever and Responsibility. Achievers have an intrinsic drive to get more things done and push high accomplishment by checking to-dos off a list. One person with Achiever said, “It’s almost like a drug. This inner force to complete something keeps...

I’m often asked how the Top 5 talents show up in other countries. Are there patterns we see based on different cultures? In 2018 Gallup released the Top 5 CliftonStrengths for 32 countries. The Top 5 for the United States:

1. Achiever - Face it, we love our lists!
2. Responsibility - We don't like to let other people down.
3. Learner - That push from our parents to get an education still drives us.
4. Relator - We like our relationships deep and our inner circle tight.
5. Strategic - At least we think we know where we want to go.

What about our neighbors to the north and south? Achievers are still #1 in Canada, which looks much like the US except Relator and Responsibility changed places at 2nd and 4th. Mexico starts to mix things up with Learner coming in at #1 and Analytical replacing Strategic at #5. That trend continues in other countries south of our border, so if you want to pursue a profession in teaching it may interest you to know Learner shows up as the top talent in...

Ah… the excitement and hope starting off a new year. Something about the freshness, newness, the clean slate, the opportunity to do something different. All these feelings are common motivators that people with the Activator talent feel every time they start something new. The anticipation of launching, exploring, innovating something unique and useful thrusts these people into action.

Activators may have a short attention span for long meetings. When they get the feel and flavor of a direction or goal they want to spin talk into action and ideas into intentionality. No failure to launch here. They will innovate, initiate, and ignite the next big thing that resonates with them with fearless enthusiasm.

Though great out of the blocks, some activators are known to have an aversion to finishing all the things they start. Once things get routine or mundane they are off to start something new and more engaging. They can overwhelm Achiever and Responsibility with their plethora of...

“If I do that, I will lose my job!”

“Brian, I’ve talked this through with Jeff and he’s in full support.”

Brian’s boss, Jeff, had been concerned about Brian’s personal health from overcommitting and constantly taking on more than his share of the workload. Jeff and I came up with a plan – Brian could not say yes to any new requests or obligations for a week. 

“I have people counting on me every day. Saying no to them will slow things down a lot around here. Plus, I will be letting them down!” Brian protested.

“Then work into saying no. If someone comes to you with a request you are not already committed to, just tell them you can’t help them at this moment but to come back at the end of the week.”

“I guess if Jeff is good with this I will try. But it’s not going to be easy.”

People with Responsibility are great at getting things done. Not unlike Achievers, people with...