Jim Collison:
[0:00] Welcome to Season 4 of The CliftonStrengths Podcast, where we'll dive deep into how CliftonStrengths themes build powerful partnerships and help teams thrive. I'm Jim Collison, Gallup's CliftonStrengths Community Manager.
Jillian White:
[0:09] And I'm Jillian White, Gallup's Subject Matter Expert on Culture and Leadership and our Lead Subject Matter Expert for CliftonStrengths.
Jim Collison:
[0:15] Today's theme is Self-Assurance. We'll explore what this theme brings, what it needs, how it fosters collaboration. And as always, welcome, Jillian.
Jillian White:
[0:23] Thank you, Jim. I'm excited to be here today.
Jim Collison:
[0:28] Before we get started, let's do a little refresher. What is Self-Assurance? What does it look like?
Jillian White:
[0:34] Yeah, I always like to just remind us what's at the heart of this strength. The word that kept coming to me with Self-Assurance is just confidence. There is an internal confidence that comes with someone who has this strength. It's a confidence that gives people an ability to take risks, to have certainty in their decisions, to feel comfortable managing their lives without a lot of sway from external forces. It is an Influencing strength. So oftentimes, because it shows up confident, it breeds confidence in others. You and I were having some fun talking about images that might connect around this strength. You know, I oftentimes see an internal compass of knowing your true north. We had one of our live guests who's watching us on this recording talk about it as a GPS that is comfortable finding its way forward, even with unmarked territory. And then, Jim, you and I were talking about just this concept of being a strong foundation. And the image or the phrase that I kept having come through my head was the truck campaign that was "like a rock." So there is something about confidence that is not easily swayed by external forces. So when you think of a rock or a foundation, it knows what it is. It stays planted. It's not easily moved by others. That confidence comes from that internal place with Self-Assurance.
Jim Collison:
[1:55] So you'd mentioned in the pre-show, you now, you watch for these things in the work that you're doing this week. So as you're either pulling from this week or from some of the consulting work that you've been doing, give us a good example of that.
Jillian White:
[2:07] Yeah, it's, it's always fun as we get to do these, Jim, just watching for them and the real work that I'm doing with clients. And it's fun that we record these on Fridays. And so I'm always spotting them throughout the week. This week, I actually got to spend the majority of my week out in Silicon Valley with a tech leadership team out there. And it was so fun. The leader of this team actually had Self-Assurance in their top strengths. And what was really neat to watch in the room is one of the individuals on the team, oftentimes I create some space for people to just call out how they see the strengths of people around them. And it's a great recognition moment. It's a good chance to just claim how that strength shows up for people who work closely with you and see it in action. And one person on the team told this leader, they said, something I really admire about you is you are the person who confidently gives a perspective that isn't always what the rest of the room is thinking. And so we actually watched it happen during the week, and I called it out when it happened. We were talking about just where this team needed to go. And this leader just kind of confidently said, you know what, I see that differently. And they chimed in with their perspective in a very confident way that honestly changed the course of the thinking of that group, based on that confidence to assert something that, hey, here's how I see it, and that internal confidence that showed up. So really fun to get to spot these in real action.
Jim Collison:
[3:32] Yeah, and I think in a leadership context, I mean, this has great value. When we take it from the me to the we, we often think of the me on this one, which is the bedrock, the foundation, the confidence, the standing. But how do we turn that to the we? Like, what does that do for other people? And it builds trust. It provides stability. It creates compassion, right? And so what are those, those, where did I pull those three from, right? Strengths-based leadership, right? And the needs of followers. And so I think this Self-Assurance is, it can be used from the me to the we. It's a huge driver for those needs of followers. It's not the only one. It's not, right, I mean, it can, we can lead through all of these, but I just see that foundation being very, very helpful in making or helping people feel comfortable or accepted or creating an environment of trust. I don't know. Any thoughts on that?
Jillian White:
[4:27] Well, I was thinking of it, just even back with our analogy of "like a rock," but a strong foundation, right? And I think there's a stability that people experience when someone is comfortable being themselves or leading in a way that's not swayed by the group around them. It makes it safe for other people to do the same thing. And I think that's what breeds trust. Because you saw, oh, it's OK to have an opinion that's different and confidently assert it. Now, all of a sudden, it's OK for me to do that too. And so that trust that it can build, but also that stability that it brings in knowing you don't have to follow the group. Like, it's OK to be grounded in what you think is intuitively the right thing to do in this situation.
Jim Collison:
[5:08] We have a new section in Gallup Access in the Top 5 report. Actually, let me start that over. We have a new section in Gallup Access that everybody has access to. I mixed up two sections together. In our new Connections tab, you can go out there and compare your themes with others that have given you that permission to do that. We have some new functionality coming around that as well. So in that sense, we have an "I Bring" and "I Need" statements that are available there for you. Let's practice this a little bit. When we think about Self-Assurance, what does it bring?
Jillian White:
[5:40] Yeah. Well, I mean, we've been talking about some of these things, but I do think it brings stability and confidence. And, you know, watch it happen in a room. If you're partnering with somebody that has that high Self-Assurance, because they're confident in something, it usually increases your confidence in that same thing. So they have that ability to kind of spread that confidence. I think because they have that internal confidence, there is a courage and a willingness to take risks that comes with this strength. If you're partnering with that kind of a person, they're going to be OK taking some initiative in the midst of what might feel like uncertainty to everyone else. I think as a result of that, these are also people who tend to be fairly resilient because they aren't easily swayed by what's around them. They're more driven by that intuitive feeling of what they know they can do or what they feel they should do in a situation. So there's that resiliency you get in partnership.
Jim Collison:
[6:34] Oftentimes, with the description of what it brings, we think this person probably doesn't need anything. But they do. There are some needs. So let's talk about that as well. Yeah.
Jillian White:
[6:44] And as we talk about needs, I like to think, what is it that fuels this strength? And then what is it that this strength needs to be at its best and handle any watchouts that come with it? I think for fueling somebody with Self-Assurance, they need freedom to act. They've got a strong intuition. They don't want to be told what to do because they have a strong inner compass that is telling them what to do in the situation. They value independence. So I think if you're partnering with somebody who has that high Self-Assurance, you want to honor that independence that they have and that sense of autonomy. On the flip side of it, though, I think it is a strength that, because it's so confident in its own abilities, it does need feedback. So things that can help inform the instincts of Self-Assurance are going to make that strength even stronger in partnership.
Jim Collison:
[7:36] Yeah. I think, and as a reminder, in that feedback, recognition is also important. We need those in all. But I think this is one of those areas where recognition for the right decision can mean a lot.
Jillian White:
[7:47] For sure. For sure.
Jim Collison:
[7:48] In that case. OK, now this is the section. For sure. Yeah. As we think about, this is the right section now. And as we think about the new Top 5 report, we have a new area in that called the, I was mixing some things up, Theme Dynamics that are available there. are we're getting, we're almost to the end of this. And we have some pairing statements as we look at these two themes put together. We'll look at it both from an individual and then maybe from a group standpoint. Jillian, what is, as we look, as we look at Self-Assurance, what does it most commonly pair with?
Jillian White:
[8:18] Yeah. And just a reminder on this section, we're always talking about what it most pairs with inside of one person. So it's not always the partner on the other side, but it's, what's it most likely to show up alongside of? Self-Assurance is most likely to show up with Achiever in someone. So I'm going to read the statement we actually have in our Top 5 report that puts Achiever and Self-Assurance together. Your desire and drive to get things done originates deep within you. That's that Self-Assurance. And so does your confidence in your ability. So you see this confidence to get things done when you put those two strengths together.
Jim Collison:
[8:55] What about, as we think about this idea in the context of teams, because I think this is super powerful, or partnerships or collaboration, how can we put that together in that way?
Jillian White:
[9:05] Yeah. And, you know, the formula we've been following on this is just always looking at what's going to light up the strength in partnering with others. So I just imagine you've got somebody with that strong Self-Assurance who has natural confidence, partnering with other people who can help act on that confidence, Achiever, Activator. That's going to keep you moving forward with where you have confidence. Strategic could be another fun partner because they're helping you think about that best route forward, how you're routing that confidence. There's a decisiveness that can come with that Self-Assurance. And so even partnering with something like Command is only going to intensify that decisive leadership and decision-making that can be really powerful in that leadership role. Maybe even partnering with strengths that amplify the compass element of the strength. So I tend to think of Self-Assurance as more of an internal compass. And if you pair it with something like Belief, that tends to have more of an external compass of either values or a mission or purpose. It could help point that internal confidence outward. Or even something like Significance, where you're thinking about confidence and where you can have an impact. So a lot of fun strengths to think about partnering with. And then flip side of that, you know, complementary partners, these might not always feel as natural, but on a team, these are oftentimes what you need to help balance out that strength. So what do we know about Self-Assurance? It's got a lot of internal intuition. It oftentimes needs to have some feedback in the form of data to help guide that instinct and confidence. So think about Analytical or Deliberative. Those would be strengths that think more in that way of what's the data, where's the risk, right? It's going to be that feedback loop. I also think because of the internal nature of Self-Assurance, you need to have some partnership with themes that are more externally focused and help to bring people with you. So think about things like Empathy, Individualization, Connectedness, Relator, Includer, any of those strengths that help take that internal confidence and bring an external focus to it. And then finally, we talked about the importance of feedback with anyone who has the strength. So what are other strengths that could help give feedback? Partnering with Learner, Input, Context. Those are things that are going to be able to give some direction from some feedback loops with that Self-Assurance. So lots of wonderful partners that we have with this specific strength.
Jim Collison:
[11:31] We have some tips for leaders, teams and individuals. I spent a little time talking about leaders first. How can leaders recognize and harness Self-Assurance in their teams and organizations?
Jillian White:
[11:40] Yeah, I mean, first of all, just think about how you see it show up on your team. These are likely the people who don't need a lot of guidance. They're comfortable taking charge on something. They lead from that place of intuition. They believe in their own abilities often. So what do they need if you're leading this person? They do need that autonomy that we talked about. Same thing they need in partnership, they need from their leaders. So think about giving them a clear area of ownership where they can actually control their work. They're going to enjoy that. They do need that clear feedback loop like we've been talking about. So make sure you've got ways to kind of help them listen to where they're getting feedback around them. I would also say encourage collaboration. Remind them that it's not just, you know, their own internal direction, but they're stronger when they're involving other people in that process. And that will be a good way to help coach those individuals to have that Self-Assurance show up at its best.
Jim Collison:
[12:31] I might add one to that, and this is "ask the why." Like, in, I think sometimes the confidence comes through so solidly that we're kind of afraid to be like, OK, I hear you, I hear you, but tell me a little bit more about the why. And it's not to, I don't think it's necessarily to check it. It's more because for you to learn what's going on and, like, they're ready to go, They're ready. They've got this. They've thought about it. They're standing on it. But I think them articulating that back to you of, of the foundation, the confidence, where is this coming from? I think that's a helpful, a helpful exercise. And so leaders, don't be afraid to ask the why for your, I think, for your Self-Assurance. Yeah. Not in a mean way or in a poking way, but in a genuine, curious way. Hey, tell me more about how you laid this foundation. Like, I would be curious of, how did you come to this conclusion, or why do you feel that way? And I think there's some benefit in pulling that. We think about the needs. I think for folks who have high Self-Assurance, they want to tell you the why. And so, I mean, they're fine if you don't. But I think, in some cases, that can be a little recognition as well. Tell me the why.
Jillian White:
[13:44] Tell me the why. Or what, what gives you confidence in this, you know, in this scenario or in this situation and even helping them articulate it might help them be able to bring people on in a more solid way or to think through that feedback element with it.
Jim Collison:
[13:57] Yeah, I know when I've butted up against that at times, instead of fighting it. Say, oh, tell me more about that. Like, let's, let's dig on it. And that's how people defuse me sometimes too. So maybe I've learned it that way as well. What, when we think about a team, what should a team keep in mind when working with someone with this high or maybe onboarding them?
Jillian White:
[14:18] Yeah. You know, I imagine if somebody is coming on to a team and they've got strong Self-Assurance, I'm even thinking of one of my partners in Gallup that has this. And, you know, they love an opportunity to own something. I think giving them a challenging opportunity that they can take on. I mean, remember, they're comfortable moving forward, even in the face sometimes of resistance. So when you need someone in that place, like in their onboarding, ask them where they want to confidently take a stand in the organization, you know, give them a challenging opportunity to take on. Seek their input. You know, they do have perspectives that they're oftentimes not afraid to share because of that confidence. And so tap into that, especially if they're joining an organization. Hey, what are you seeing? You know, where do you see something we can run with? Where do you see something we need to watch out for? They'll have confidence bringing their perspective.
Jim Collison:
[15:11] And then lastly, what should we keep in mind as we're using this in partnerships?
Jillian White:
[15:14] Yeah. And what I always like to think about with this one is just how our strengths can be a gift to the people around us. And so with Self-Assurance, I would just say use it to build confidence in the people around you. So think about, you know, what are you confidently taking a stand for? And how are you using that to build the confidence of people around you? I would also encourage, balance independence with interdependence. So remember, this tends to be a fairly independent strength. It can operate on its own. But think about those times where you need to bring people with you and have that interdependence, where you can confidently move forward because you're also bringing in skill sets that are going to complement you well.
Jim Collison:
[15:54] I love that. Independence, interdependence. I love that.
Jillian White:
[15:58] A little play on words.
Jim Collison:
[15:59] I like it. I like it. Well, with that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available for you on Gallup Access. Log in, upper left-hand corner, choose the Resources section, and then type in Self-Assurance. All the resources we have available, including all the podcasts available there for you as well. And continue the learning process. Start that today, if you'd like to do it. If you're listening live, stay around. We'll do a little bit of a mid-show, and we'll get some good feedback on this one. If you're listening to the podcast version of this, awesome, or on YouTube, just click Next. There's probably another one there for you. Thanks for coming out today. With that, we'll say goodbye, everybody.
Jillian White's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Achiever, Input, Learner, Belief and Responsibility.