Maximizing Human Potential Through Strengths-Based Leadership in Higher Education

1. Maximizing Human Potential Through Strengths-Based Leadership in Higher Education 17th Annual International Leadership Conference for Post Secondary Leaders Chair Academy April 3, 2008

2. Strength-Based Team Chad Coauette Achiever, Competition, Focus, Arranger, Analytical Responsibility, Maximizer, Strategic DeAnna Murphy Responsibility, Connectedness, Learner, Achiever, DisciplineInput, Communicator, Relator Shari Olson Achiever, Learner, Maximizer, Activator, Command Ideation, Strategic, Significance

3. Minnesota State Colleges & Universities

4. Our Journey in Strength-Based Leadership • Session will demonstrate how two organizations are applying strength-based leadership to achieve excellence utilizing the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book. • 2005-2008

5. What To Expect From This Session • Learn how to create talent awareness • Experience the impact of focusing on strengths • Discover useful tools • Understand how this process can be a springboard for continuous improvement efforts • Conclusion • Question & Answer Session

6. Father of Positive Psychology “Great organizations must not only accommodate the fact that each employee is different, THEY MUST CAPITALIZE ON THESE DIFFERENCES.” ~ Don Clifton

7. Strength-Based Leadership A school of thought that has been emerging over the past two decades – human beings have an unbelievable, untapped potential in ways which are unique to their individual make-up.

8. Gallup Organization Donald Clifton www.gallupconsulting.com Tom Rath – StrengthsFinder 2.0 (180 item on-line assessment that measures a person’s talents in 34 themes) Marcus Buckingham Steven Covey Key Strength-Based Researchers

9. Our Journey in Strength-Based Leadership 2005 – 2008 A collaborative leadership development program for employees working in Business Outreach and Customized Training at Alexandria Technical College and Northland Community & Technical College. VISION: To build a cross-college team that would leverage the strengths of the individuals working within these two colleges to create excellent value-added services and results for business and industry partners and customers.

10. Collaborative Initiatives • Tools of Quality Training • StrengthsFinder Training • Multiple Grant Applications • Statewide Truck Weight Education Project • Founding Members of the Coalition of Manufacturing Education • Founding Members of the Coalition for Continuous Improvement in Healthcare

11. Our Journey in Strength-Based Leadership 2006 – 2008 Utilized the Strength-based leadership program as a springboard for continuous improvement Principles of Continuous Improvement Workplace Organization Value Stream Mapping

12. Our Journey in Strength-Based Leadership 2006 – 2008 Administrative Services department at a multi-campus college StrengthsFinder 2.0 was utilized as the keystone training event, it assisted in: Breaking down silos between departments; Creating self-awareness and team awareness of talents; Enhancing team collaboration and effectiveness; and Engaging supervisors in coaching and mentoring their direct reports.

13. StrengthsFinder Learning Seminars Administrative Services Teams: Introduction to StrengthsFinder (2 hrs) Discover Your Talents (3 hrs) Putting Your Strengths to Work (3 hrs) Building a Strengths-Based Team (3 hrs)

14. Strength-Based Voices

15. StrengthsFinder Learning Seminars Supervisors: Intro to StrengthsFinder (2 hrs) 60 Minute coaching sessions Discover the Strengths of Your Direct Reports (3 hrs) Coaching Your Direct Reports for Ongoing Success (3 hrs) Building a Strength-Based Organization (3 hrs)

16. Strengths-Based Voices

17. Talent Bank

18. Partner Interview Think back through your entire life (preferably your work life). Locate a moment that was a high point, when you felt most effective and engaged. Describe how you felt, and what made the situation possible. Without being humble, describe what you valued most about yourself and your work at that time. What did you do that helped you feel that way? What results did you get because of your passion and engagement? How did it affect others around you (your team)?

19. See-Do-Get SEE Paradigms Results GET DO Behaviors From 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey

20. Results of Strengths Focus Organizations experience: Heightened productivity Fiercely loyal customers Long employee tenure Low accident incidence Increased profitability Individuals experience: • Heightened • productivity • Passion/enthusiasm • for work • Less stress • Greater sense of • contribution/value • Recognition and • growth

21. Strength-Based Voices

22. Performance and Job Complexity Low-Complexity Jobs Medium-Complexity Jobs High-Complexity Jobs ∞ 300% 1,200%

23. What Do You Believe? Each person’s room for growth is in the area of his or her greatest strength. Strength Building Paradigm Weakness Fixing Paradigm • The greatest human growth potential is in the area of greatest weakness. • Some behaviors can be learned, many are nearly impossible to learn. • All behaviors can be learned, if a person applies him/herself. • The best in a role deliver the same outcomes, but use different behaviors. • To have success, we should try to replicate the behaviors of the best performers. • Weakness-fixing prevents failure. Strength-building leads to success! • Weakness-fixing is the key to success!

24. Knowledge What you are aware of. Example: A teacher, who understands the issues of his students, and how they relate to his ideas.

25. Skill The capacity to perform the fundamental steps of an activity—the “how-to” area of a job. Example: A teacher, who has practiced articulating his ideas, so others understand them.

26. Talent A naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied. Example: A teacher, who has exciting ideas that captivate students.

27. Strength The ability to provide near perfect performance in a given activity. Strength = Talent Knowledge Skill

28. Strength Formula Talent x Investment Strength 2 x 5 10 5 x 5 25

29. Look for theSIGNsof Strength Success—excellent performance Instinct—naturally drawn to the activity Growth—focus, learning comes easily Need—psychologically energizing

30. What Are Your Strengths? “Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer!” Peter Drucker

31. Tool • New & Upgraded Edition of Online Assessment from Gallup’s StrengthsQuest • Identifies top 5 themes: • StrengthsFinder 2.0 • cost $12.95

32. StrengthsFinder Themes

33. Understanding Your Strengths How do you see this theme show up in your personal life? How does this theme manifest itself in your work life? What impact does this theme have?

34. StrengthsFinder Print-out Includes Theme description Personalized theme description Examples of theme in action Ideas for development

35. Let Your Strengths Shine! “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson

36. Team Strengths Grid DeAnna Chad Shari

37. Discovery Guide • Your own personal report

38. 4 Levels of Leadership – Covey This diagram symbolizes the importance of focusing investments first to the individual, as it is at the core of high-functioning teams and organizations. Organization Organization Team Team Interpersonal Interpersonal Personal Personal Trustworthiness Trustworthiness Trust Trust Empowerment & Empowerment & Engagement Engagement Alignment Alignment

39. 4 Levels of Leadership – Covey The Strength-Based Leadership philosophy suggests that individuals who recognize and live from their own strengths, at the Personal level of leadership, are more able to celebrate the strengths of others at the Interpersonal level of leadership. Organization Organization Team Team Interpersonal Interpersonal Personal Personal Trustworthiness Trustworthiness Trust Trust Empowerment & Empowerment& Engagement Engagement Alignment Alignment

40. Developing People The best way to develop people and net the greatest return on investment in their growth is to identify their talents; then help them add the skills and knowledge that build strengths -- the ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance.

41. Strength-Based Voices

42. X-Factor ([r x2+s x1]/[r+s])(r y2+s y1]/[r+s])( [r z2+s z1]/[r+s])

43. Strengths-Based Voices

44. Questions?

45. Marcus Buckingham 2007 “Find a small stream in which your strengths flow, and see if you can carve it into the Mississippi.” Headwaters of the Mississippi

46. Marcus Buckingham 2007 “Find a small stream in which your strengths flow, and see if you can carve it into the Mississippi.” Mississippi at Louisiana

47. Contact Information Chad Coauette Alexandria Technical College Telephone: 320-762-4403 Email: chadc@alextech.edu DeAnna Murphy Northland Community & Technical College Telephone: 218-686-5821 Email: deanna.murphy@northlandcollege.edu Shari L. Olson Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Telephone: 218-688-0093 Email: shari.olson@so.mnscu.edu

48. Thank You! Presentation paper can be found at: www.mc.maricopa.edu/community/chair/conference/2008/index.html