Can I bounce this idea off of you? The CliftonStrength of communication
If you know me, or you’ve hired me for a workshop, you know that I’m very comfortable with public speaking. I’m as comfortable speaking in front of a crowd as I am talking to friends and family.
You might think that’s because one of my top 5 CliftonStrengths is Communication. And that’s part of it. People with this strength tend to be good at a variety of types of communication. But that’s not exactly what the CliftonStrength of Communication means.
I feel like this strength is often misunderstood precisely because of its moniker. When you hear the word “communication,” you might think that it simply means someone is good at writing or blogging or public speaking.
In the world of CliftonStrengths, though, what having the strength of Communication means is that you need to process your thoughts out loud. When people with this strength hear themselves speak their thoughts, it helps them clarify their ideas, both for themselves and others.
In my case, this has occasionally meant that I’ve opened my mouth and inserted my foot. Ouch! That’s always socially uncomfortable. I’ve learned that I need to pause and think for a few minutes before I speak.
Professionally, it means that although I’m comfortable speaking off-the-cuff, instead of doing so for a workshop, I always prepare the structure and direction of my talk to keep things focused.
I’ve also learned that while I love to verbalize and share my thoughts, it’s equally important to listen both to what the client really needs (not just what I think they need) as well as to what the employees in workshops and one-on-one sessions have to say.
It took some time, but I’ve learned how to channel my Communication strength both to share my thoughts and listen to others’ ideas.
How To Maximize The Communication Talent On Your Team
Because they’re able to translate and idea clearly and effectively to other employees, clients, or partners, people with the Communication strength are a fantastic representative to promote a new concept or idea.
Whether you tap them for speaking to a group or have individual meetings, these employees can bring your company’s ideas to life with their spoken words.
If You Have An Employee With Communication And Want To Capitalize On This Strength, Consider Using This Person To Help:
connect with customers at company-sponsored gatherings,
endorse mission-critical messages,
add energy to a situation, either internally or externally,
give informational, interesting presentations,
introduce new hires to the company culture, and
train employees by explaining the company viewpoint, giving a positive spin when you face re-organization or significant changes.
Potentially Problematic Areas
As you might expect, there are a few common misperceptions people have about those of us with the CliftonStrength of Communication. They might think we’re simply chatterboxes, talking for the sake of talking. They might feel like we’re impatient, self-absorbed or poor listeners. (And sometimes we can be the latter, but we can learn to be good listeners, as I did with clients early in my career.)
By the same token, people with this strength can be frustrated when they feel like presenters lack a strong message or are dull. They like stories and they’re good at using them to help further your vision.
Employees with the CliftonStrength of Intellection, in particular, may potentially conflict with employees who have the CliftonStrength of Communication. This is because, in contrast to people with Communication strength (who like to think out loud), people with Intellection prefer to think things through alone, before speaking their thoughts to others.
As a manager, you can help facilitate employees with these two strengths working together by creating and honoring a space for both. Help them understand that the person with Intellection needs quiet time to think and process, while the person with communication needs to talk through their thoughts in order to effectively process them. Neither is wrong, they’re just different. By asking them to respect that each one works best in their own way, you can help them function better as a part of your team.
How Millennial Guru Can Help
Don’t miss the opportunity to get the most from each of your employees’ strengths, or waste precious human resources by allowing misunderstandings to interfere with employees’ performance.
Instead, schedule an informational meeting today to find out how we can help your team achieve maximum productivity and foster cohesiveness – by capitalizing on and appreciating one another's CliftonStrengths.