The “strategic” CliftonStrength making decisions based on patterns and connections
The “Strategic” CliftonStrength Is Often Misunderstood.
When managers hear the word “strategic,” they sometimes assume that an employee with this CliftonStrength will be good at strategy or should be tasked with devising a strategic plan. But while they may be good at doing so, because they can see routes and patterns, which helps make sound strategic decisions, it’s not what this strength means.
Instead, if you have an employee with the Strategic CliftonStrength, it means:
1. They’re good at creating alternative ways to proceed.
Strategic thinkers like to ruminate on the most productive way to get to an end goal and are excellent at envisioning the possible routes and choosing the best one. If someone with this strength were writing a book, for example, she’d consider all the various avenues: Should she write down the chapter ideas first, come up with the themes first, create an index first or just start writing and think about the rest later? Classic strategic thinker.
2. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Although I don’t have this strength, my parents and siblings do, and I find this aspect of the Strategic talent pretty amazing! When faced with a decision, people with this CliftonStrength are able to identify connections, understand patterns and issues, and filter the noise so they can choose the best route going forward. It allows people with this strength to say, “I’ve seen this happen before in a different context” and then effectively apply it to other scenarios.
If you have employees with the Strategic CliftonStrength, keep in mind that:
THEY’RE GOOD AT FINDING THE BEST ROUTE TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. THIS MEANS THEY NEED THE FREEDOM TO MAKE A MID-COURSE CORRECTION IF THEY DEEM ONE NECESSARY.
THEY BRING CREATIVE ANTICIPATION AND FOSTER EXCITEMENT AROUND A POTENTIAL NEW WAY TO DO THINGS.
THEY HAVE A STRONG IMAGINATION AND TEND TO BE QUITE PERSISTENT.
THEY DON’T LIKE DOING SOMETHING ONE WAY JUST BECAUSE THAT’S THE WAY IT’S “ALWAYS BEEN DONE.”
Potential Conflicts
While these employees bring fantastic insight to your company, there can be a few potential pitfalls with co-workers. People with the Strategic strength can be viewed as wanting to change processes for the sake of change—just because
they want to try something different. This can cause conflict if other employees don’t understand a logical reason for making a change.
Furthermore, you might encounter difficulty if this employee works with someone who has Executing strengths, particularly the CliftonStrength of Responsibility. People who have Responsibility as a strength tend to struggle with a mid-course change of plans, something that people with the Strategic strength embrace when they feel it’s necessary to improve outcomes.
What’s A Manager To Do?
If you’re managing two employees with these different CliftonStrengths (Responsibility and Strategic), it is possible to keep the peace and reap the benefit of both strengths. Here are a few tips to help them work together more effectively:
Discuss the benefit each of their strengths bring to your workplace, as well as strategies for mitigating conflict.
Help the employee who has the Strategic CliftonStrength understand that the person with the Responsibly as a strength takes ownership of projects and therefore feels psychologically invested, which makes it very difficult for him to change course once a plan is set.
Ask the employee who has the Strategic CliftonStrength to explain his ideas to the team very clearly. Not everyone is gifted at seeing the big picture. It’s helpful to supplement ideas with substance and facts.
Be sure that both employees understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. For example, if you need to change direction mid-course by jettisoning a marketing campaign, explain why that campaign isn’t meeting your goals and how the change will improve your overall marketing efforts.
Ask each of them to make an effort to understand the other, recognize the value both CliftonStrengths add to the organization, and keep the lines of communication open.
Millennial Guru Can Help
When you work with Millennial Guru, we do more than help you determine your team’s strengths. We specialize in practical application and ensure that each employee has the tools he or she needs to help your team achieve maximum productivity while fostering cohesiveness.
If team productivity and cohesiveness are among your goals, we’d love to help you get there. Schedule a free informational meeting today to find out how Millennial Guru can help you empower, transform, and motivate your team to produce high-caliber results.