Have we met? The CliftonStrength of winning others over (woo)

When I was a child, my family lived in Florida but traveled north every June to spend summers in Michigan. For some kids, this type of annual “move” might have been difficult, but I relished the change. I loved feeling like every summer was an opportunity to make new friends.

One of the primary reasons I felt that way is that I have “Winning Others Over” (WOO) in my top 5 CliftonStrengths. People who exhibit this strength often feel like there are no strangers – there are only friends we haven’t met yet.

For us, it’s easy to connect with just about anyone. We love attending events or parties, breaking the ice with people we don’t know, and identifying common threads of connection.

BENEFITS OF HAVING AN EMPLOYEE WITH WINNING OTHERS OVER (WOO)

Professionally, these people make great networkers. Because they enjoy meeting new people and making connections, they’re good at advocating for your company or brand at any type of outreach event (a booth at a conference, etc.) These same attributes mean they also tend to be successful sales representatives.

You can also tap these employees to help onboard new hires. They love to learn about others, enjoying hearing about their needs and how they can help them, and are good at sharing information and making people feel welcome.

They also have the capacity to inspire and motivate others. As such, they can find success as motivational speakers and can also be enthusiastic mentors for co-workers.

Whichever role you place them in, you’ll get peak performance from these employees when you provide them with opportunities to connect with others; they don’t perform well in isolation.

If they’re working remotely during the pandemic, that’s likely very difficult for them. Provide these employees with opportunities to work with others, and meet new people, as often as possible, even if it’s virtual.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE CLIFTONSTRENGTH WOO

The very thing that makes employees with WOO good at quick engagement with potential clients and other employees – their love for breaking the ice and meeting new people – can also lead to difficulty in work relationships, particularly with employees who have the CliftonStrength of Relator.

People with Relator are less likely to enjoy meeting new people. On the contrary, instead of getting to know someone new, they prefer to deepen their relationship with the people they’ve already met. It’s hard for them to understand why people with WOO don’t feel the same way. (This can cause issues in a friendship between WOOs and Relators, as well.)

If co-workers don’t understand the WOO CliftonStrength, you may also bump into issues with other employees who feel they lack depth, see them simply as a social butterfly, or feel overwhelmed by their earnest personality.

MANAGING THE CONFLICT AND CAPITALIZING ON YOUR HUMAN CAPITAL

While CliftonStrength of Relator and WOO are very different in terms of what brings them energy, if you address those differences early on, these two employees can also make great partners.

As a manager or business owner, you can help them understand what each person needs to be most fulfilled and productive; the different strengths they bring to the table; and help them recognize how they can use one another’s talents to help each other.

The employee with WOO, for example will be very good at making connections, which the person with Relator probably dreads. After the former makes the connection, she can introduce the employee with Relator, who will excel at forming a deeper relationship with the new contact. WOO makes a great wing-woman for Relator at any networking event.

If you have an employee with WOO, keep in mind that it can also be tough for these employees to execute tasks. They don’t get energy from sitting behind a desk or being alone, so you’ll get much more from them in roles that allow them to engage and interact.

MILLENNIAL GURU CAN HELP

Our workshops provide employees with the tools they need to understand and capitalize on their natural talents and strengths, as well as the strengths of others.

Schedule a free informational meeting today to find out how Millennial Guru can help your employees thrive.

We’d love for you to you make the most of your employees’ CliftonStrengths, providing them with more job satisfaction and positivity impacting your bottom line.