Creating a Strengths-Based Organization

“When employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged – nearly 6x more – have higher performance and are much less likely to leave their company. 

– Gallup

Last week we talked about knowing and leveraging your strengths. I took my test at gallup.com, did you? My top 5 are Learner, Achiever, Intellection, Futuristic, and Input. 

We also discussed the financial and cultural benefits of being a strengths-based workplace. Now that we know our strengths, how do we create better organizations based on everyone’s strengths? It’s a big topic, but that is what I want to try to squeeze into today’s article. 

What Is a Strengths-Based Culture?

Strengths-based organizations integrate strengths development into their mission, vision, values, processes, and how people work and collaborate daily. 

Strengths-based workplaces prioritize the following:

• Purpose over Paycheck – People who get to leverage their strengths to accomplish work that matters are fully engaged. 
• Development over Satisfaction – Developing your greatest talents is far more powerful than perks. 
• Coach over Boss – Coaches seek to drive outcomes by developing and leveraging the strengths of their teams. 
• Conversations over Reviews – On-going feedback allows real-time course adjustments. 
• Strengths over Weaknesses – People want the chance to do and get better at what they naturally do best every day. 
• Life vs Job – People go to work to build a life, not just a career. Managers that help team members leverage their strengths to build their best life are rewarded with the loyalty and engagement of their teams. 

Strengths-Based Workplaces Do Not

• Just Take a Strengths Assessment – The assessment is just the beginning. If you are not ready to do the hard work of creating a strengths-based culture, don’t have your team take the assessment! Giving the test and not following through with the required culture change will only weaken the team’s perception of leadership. 
• Ignore People’s Weaknesses – Instead, it recognizes the improved effectiveness that can be achieved by helping people spend most of their time working in and developing their strengths. 
• Excuse Poor Performance – The best managers build a culture focused on helping employees leverage their strengths to maximize their performance. By knowing people’s strengths and developing strategies to help them work in their strengths; performance, and engagement naturally improve. 
• Replace The Existing Corporate Culture – Culture is created by the vision, purpose, values, processes, and people of an organization. Adding a strengths focus only amplifies the best parts of your existing culture. 

Committing to being a strengths-based organization not only improves performance but attracts and retains better talent. To get started, go to gallup.com and take your assessment. Share your results with your team and ask them to take the test as well.

Are you ready to invest in your business to create long-term, sustainable growth? Head over to our Resource Page to find great tools to get you started.