The CliftonStrength of command: Direct, Decisive, and Persuasive

At Millennial Guru, we often talk about how knowing, and understanding, your CliftonStrengths is a powerful tool you can use to help your employees make the most of their natural talents. The CliftonStrength of Command is no exception.

People with the CliftonStrength of Command are direct and decisive. They tend to have a strong presence, know how to take control of a situation, and are confident decision-makers. They don’t like ambiguity and are more concerned with clarity than consensus.

This can be an especially valuable talent during times of crisis, when people are under pressure, or the potential for danger exists because, in these moments, people with this strength are not afraid to speak up and make an impact. In fact, they thrive when they have the opportunity to lead others through a difficult time. 

As you might imagine, leaders with the CliftonStrength of Command have risen to the occasion many times during the COVID pandemic. They’ve had ample opportunity to analyze difficult situations, to be decisive, and to lead their teams to the other side of an awful lot of turmoil. 

Having the CliftonStrength of Command can look different for different people; it can even look different for the same person in different situations. And, as always, the other CliftonStrengths a person with Command has in their top 5 impacts the way Command manifests in any given situation.

In some situations, Command can present itself similar to the perception people have of a military general: telling others what needs to be done, NOW.

In others, Command can be more like a sheepdog, gently herding, or urging, people to do what needs to be done.

A woman participated in one of my workshops whose husband had Command as one of his top 5 CliftonStrengths, which made a lot of sense since he was a Chief of Police. That’s a role that clearly calls for decisiveness and leadership.

What was unusual, in his case, was that he also had the CliftonStrength of Harmony, which typically contrasts with Command.  People with the CliftonStrength of Harmony don’t enjoy conflict; they prefer to find areas of agreement and seek consensus.

It’s quite rare for someone to have both of these strengths in their top five but, for a Chief of Police, it was a true asset. His strength of Command enabled him to lead his team and deal with dangerous situations decisively. And his strength of Harmony helped him to lead the officers through a debrief after difficult situations, ensuring everyone was able to cope with and handle the conclusion of a particular event.

Pros and Cons of Having an Employee with the CliftonStrength of Command in the Workplace

People with the CliftonStrength of Command can make great leaders on your team. A few reasons they excel in those roles are:

• They’re decisive.

• Once they make a decision, they have a lot of clarity. They’re good at effectively communicating and making things happen.

• They often garner the respect of those around them because they’re natural leaders.

• They’re very good at managing out-of-control situations, or discord, in the workplace, whether it’s a glitch that causes orders not to ship, a personnel issue, etc..

On the other hand, there are a few ways in which people with the CliftonStrength of Command could face interpersonal issues at work:

• They feel very comfortable taking control of a situation and, therefore they can be viewed by coworkers as bossy.

• Sometimes their decision-based approach (clarity, not consensus), can be viewed as, “My way or the highway,” making others on the team feel unheard.

Possible Conflict: The CliftonStrength of Harmony

As mentioned earlier in the Chief of Police example, Command and Harmony are contrasting strengths. Where Command takes control and makes decisions, Harmony seeks agreement and consensus. Although they’re two very different strengths, both have advantages in the workplace. But, when not properly understood, they can experience a lot of conflict with one another.

To help them tap into both of their skills with more goodwill and less conflict, employees with the CliftonStrength of Command should recognize that their words, tone, and tactics have a bigger impact on others than they realize. The same thing can be said many ways and they can learn to deliver the same message in a way that’s less intimidating and more inclusive.

When Harmony understands the reasons a person with Command is wired the way he or she is, they’ll be much better equipped to engage with them without feeling “unheard.”

How Millennial Guru Can Help

Figuring out how to tap into the strengths of your biggest asset – your employees – is no small feat.

Using CliftonStrengths, Millennial Guru can help your employees understand how to make the most of their natural talents. Just as importantly, we can help them understand how other, albeit different, CliftonStrengths also add value to your company.

When your employees are on the same page and maximize their own skills, while capitalizing on the strengths of their co-workers, everyone wins. You’ll find that your employees are happier, more productive, your team is more cohesive, and your bottom line sees the results

This is what we do. We’d love to help make this happen for your company.

Contact us today for a no-commitment consultation. We’ll tell you more about what we do and how we can help your company be more efficient and effective, meeting and exceeding goals as you move business forward.