Think Forward – Achieving Innovation and Strategic Growth through Thinking Strengths
This week we’re exploring the CliftonStrengths framework* and how understanding our own, and others’ strengths, building team culture, relationships, productivity and success.
In the fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, the Thinking category of the StrengthsFinder framework* plays a crucial role in driving innovation and strategic foresight. These strengths are essential for those who excel in breaking down complex problems, devising innovative solutions, and setting a visionary course for the future.
Why focus on Thinking strengths? Individuals with these capabilities bring a unique perspective to the table. They are the strategists, the innovators, the critical thinkers who ask the hard questions and challenge conventional wisdom. Their analytical prowess enables them to anticipate challenges, discern patterns, and generate strategic insights that are not immediately obvious.
Benefits of cultivating these strengths in your team include:
Enhanced Problem-Solving: These thinkers help teams navigate complex challenges, making informed decisions that are critical to success.
Forward-Thinking: Their visionary nature helps organisations anticipate and prepare for future trends and challenges.
Informed Decision-Making: Their deep insights and thorough analysis ensure that decisions are well-grounded and data-driven.
Some of the Key Thinking strengths include:
Analytical® : Ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation.
Futuristic® : Inspired by the future and what could be, they inspire others with their visions of the future.
Strategic® : Creates alternative ways to proceed, quickly spotting the relevant patterns and issues.
Context® : Enjoys thinking about the past and understands the present by researching its history.
However, it is important to balance these Thinking strengths with action-oriented skills to ensure ideas are executed and not just conceptualised. Teams need to blend these strengths with executing and influencing capabilities to turn strategic thoughts into tangible outcomes.
Strategies to optimise the impact of Thinking strengths:
Encourage Diverse Thinking: Foster an environment where Thinking strengths are paired with varied other strengths, ensuring a balanced approach to problem-solving and implementation.
Facilitate Knowledge Sharing: Create opportunities for those with Thinking strengths to share their insights and strategies, enhancing the team’s overall understanding and capabilities.
Support with Resources: Provide access to data, tools, and continued learning to help these individuals thrive and continue to contribute impactful insights.
Are you ready to tap into the intellectual power of your team’s (or your own) Thinking strengths? By nurturing and integrating these critical capabilities, your team can not only envision innovative pathways but also drive your organisation towards a prosperous and strategically sound future.
*Clifton Strengths® is a widely-used online tool that helps millions around the world discover their innate talents and areas where they excel. This tool prompts users with a series of questions to pinpoint each team member’s key strengths, categorised under four areas: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Originally developed by Gallup and Don Clifton, it’s also referred to as StrengthsFinder. For additional details, click here.
Interested how the Clifton Strengths Finder can boost your team’s performance? Do contact me for a chat.
Kate Jennings