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:
[0:10] And I'm Jillian White, Gallup's Subject Matter Expert on Culture and Leadership and our Lead Subject Matter Expert for CliftonStrengths.
Jim Collison:
[0:16] Today's theme is Woo. We'll explore what this theme brings, what it needs and how it fosters collaboration. As always, Jillian, welcome.
Jillian White:
[0:24] Thank you, Jim. I love partnering with your Woo, No. 2 for you, and fun to see it in action.
Jim Collison:
[0:29] It's a powerful one I've gotten to use over the last 10 or 12 years here in podcasts, so I'm sure I'll have some things to say about it. But let's take a look back. Refresh us on what this theme looks like.
Jillian White:
[0:41] Yes. So you often get people who love remembering that this is an acronym. So Woo stands for winning others over. These are people who love to break the ice. They love making a connection. It is an Influencing strength. So it oftentimes has some charisma that comes with it. People will do things because they like someone who has high Woo. The images that I picture with this are either the setting of a cocktail party where I oftentimes hear people with high Woo say, you know what, everyone who I see around me is just a potential new friend. And so they look at this opportunity to meet new people and it's exciting to them, right, that they get to meet this person, move over to another person. And another image, one of our live participants just put this into the chat, and I really like it, but an image of a magnet. There is a kind of pull and draw with Woo. And Jim, I'm going to use you as a little bit of an example here, but Jim's out of the Omaha office. Anytime I go to the Omaha office, Jim is like the mayor of the lobby in Omaha. He sits down there and, like, welcoming everybody, meeting new people. You do the same thing with our strengths community. You're oftentimes reaching out to different coaches and helping people feel connected. And there's a magnetism that shows up with that Woo that can oftentimes connect people and bring people together.
Jim Collison:
[2:03] I think the important thing to remember in, with Woo, is that's just the mechanism to get people moving in directions.
Jillian White:
[2:10] Yes, it's an Influencing strength.
Jim Collison:
[2:12] Right. It's Influencing. I think sometimes, you know, we, we often say in our examples, life of the party, you mentioned cocktail, you know, cocktail party, mayor, right? Those are all fun things. But I don't do them because they're fun. I do them so I can influence people to go, go places or do things. Or, you know, I used to, pre-pandemic, I used to sit in the, sit in the atrium. Til about, you know, from 8 to 10. And I would have five or six meetings that were 10 minutes each as people would walk by. And it was so much more efficient to do it that way. But not only efficient, but I could get them moving faster. So they'd come by, Hey, you got a second? Can you just sit down, right? And then get them, influence them and get them moving before and not having, not having to have a meeting or waiting for meetings or wasting time. So, Woo friends, I think, oftentimes, don't forget the purpose of being in that, in that environment. It's because you want to move people. You're trying to, you're … Don wanted these to be about getting things done, right, about doing stuff. And so don't forget, you have an obligation. You're there to move people, right? That's really what we're, that's really why we're there and we're doing things. You have some great examples from your consulting. Talk about the way you've seen it.
Jillian White:
[3:24] You know what I'm going to actually use on this one? This was actually a faith-based example, a pastor that I'd worked with that had Woo. And it was really, really neat to see because what you saw as a result was this person who was able to build a very, very strong network and lived out a value of a very welcoming environment. So I remember actually talking to somebody who was a part of their congregation who I said, you know, why did you stay at this at this church? And they said, you know what? This pastor saw me, said something to me the first weekend that I was there, and they remembered my name and remembered something about me. And so that quick ability to connect and then kind of build a network around that really drew people in that magnetism. Right. And then they made a real point of being very connected to their neighborhood that they were in. So even, oh, there's a new principal at the elementary school. Hey, let's connect. That social courage can come in with that Woo. And all of a sudden, they were like, hey, how can we use people who are a part of our congregation to help serve as men as tutors for your students? Right. And so it's a door opener, and it connects with people, and it opens doors and builds strong networks as a result of having that ability to win others over.
Jim Collison:
[4:39] We have a newly named section in Gallup Access called Connections. It used to be your Community tab. You can connect with other folks, share your reports, an opportunity to have these conversations, these ad hoc conversations, maybe sometimes in new partnerships. So a great tool. In that is an “I Bring” and” I Need” area where you can kind of look at what you need and you bring and they bring and need, and then you can have that conversation. We're going to practice that a little bit, just kind of generically. But, but Jillian, as we look at that, what does Woo bring?
Jillian White:
[5:09] Yes. If I'm partnering with a strong Woo, what can I expect? I can expect they're going to bring that social courage. So they are going to not be afraid to open doors. Hey, we need to connect with this part of the business. They'll be comfortable reaching out, making a new connection. I can expect they're going to come with a network. So usually I almost think of this as, you know, oh, I've got a guy, I've got a gal, I've got somebody I know, right? Because they love connecting with people, they oftentimes have a pretty broad network that you can tap into. That can be pretty powerful even in a business context. Think about somebody maybe in a sales role who, you know, hey, I know somebody at that company who could give us a little information and, you know, help us make a connection. I think you can also expect when partnering with them, they're going to bring a welcoming and warm spirit. Oftentimes this can help put people at ease. It can energize a group. They're also going to bring a likability that brings people along. So one of my favorite, just silly little examples of this, I was in a car with somebody who had high Woo and we were in the wrong lane and they just rolled down their window and got the car next to them to roll down their window. And they were like, Hey man, I'm so sorry. We got in the wrong lane. Can we just get in front of you? And that Woo, they did it in such a likable way that that other car was like, Oh, yeah, no problem. Go ahead. Right? So that's where you see that ability to influence through that magnetism that has some social courage with new people. And fun to get to see that in a simple daily situation like driving.
Jim Collison:
[6:44] Exactly. We often visibly see or feel the effects of Woo and what it brings. But what does it need?
Jillian White:
[6:50] Flip side of this, right? You know, I'm working with somebody who has high Woo. What do they need? They need social variability. Jim, you're probably not going to feel good if you just say, Hey, we're just going to lock you in your office all day with a computer. You need people interaction, right? You are at your best when you're getting to, you know, play a little of that connector role. They also need collaborators who can help to deepen relationships. Remember that energy comes from that initial connection. So thinking about where to have that effective follow-through, take things deeper. I know for you, you do have Relator high as well. So sometimes you can have that in yourself, but oftentimes partnering with others who can help bring that. I think that Woo needs feedback because think about when it's at its best. It wants to win others over and it wants to actually be liked. And it's, it does best when it's got a little bit of positive response. And so if it's not getting that, it can be pretty hard for a Woo. And I think they need recognition in their role for being someone who can, you know, create a welcoming environment around them.
Jim Collison:
[7:50] It's like you see into my soul. All those things are true. We have put, if you haven't seen it yet, in our new Top 5 report, we have this area called Theme Dynamics, the ability to take a look at two themes together and what they could look like when they're partnered together. But we also have some stats on the most commonly paired. So let's start with that. When we think about Woo, what's its most common pairing?
Jillian White:
[8:17] I'm guessing that our strengths practitioners could probably guess this one. There's a classic combination that we see show up of, there's actually three different ones that I see often show up together, but one that it commonly pairs with inside of someone is Communication. So think about, you know, Woo loves to make a connection. Communication uses words. So those two together connect with people through words. The statement we have on it is your interactions with others are effective because you speak with clarity and a pleasant charm.
Jim Collison:
[8:47] Yeah, it just reminds me of that note that was sent home from my English teacher that it's going to take more of, it's going to take more than Jim's charm to pass my class. That was the note. So obviously, brain's not working as much, but the charm was on full speed. When we think about theme dynamics in the context of partnerships and collaboration, what pairs well with this? How do you use that?
Jillian White:
[9:12] I think those same strengths that we just talked about inside of someone are really fun to partner with. So the third one in that little trilogy of strengths that I see a combination around is Communication and Positivity with Woo. So imagine partnering with those. Those are a bit of an Influencing package. You get that partnership excited about something, that Woo is going to open doors and that Communication and Positivity are going to generate excitement and tell people about it. So those can be really fun ones to partner with. I think there's some other strengths that can match the energy of Woo. There's some energy that comes with that connection. Something like Activator also has high energy. I also think you could get a little confident charisma with like Self-Assurance and just that amplification of that courage. So, I always think of those catalyst partners as almost amplifying the strength, and then on the flip side, complementary partners are more of those that might balance the strength. So, what did we talk about earlier with Woo? The energy comes from the new connection. And so having people, there's a little bit of a danger of some people could interpret that as disingenuous or are you here to stay? So partnering with something like Relator or Empathy that can bring a little depth and authenticity to those interactions or help think about where you bring loyalty and go deeper, those would be a good complement. I also think Woo is probably fairly quick to share in order to connect with people. So something like Deliberative that might help manage a little bit of risk in what you share. And then I think something like Strategic or Analytical that can bring some focus and depth to the interaction and help think about not just winning someone over to win someone over, but how do you strategically utilize your network? And to your point, Jim, move people through that ability to connect with them. Those strengths can help you think about how to be a bit more strategic with those connections.
Jim Collison:
[11:09] Yeah, all of those true in me, you know, Woo 2, Communication 4, Positivity 6, they come along as Activator 5, right? Yeah. So as you're talking about this, like, oh, yeah, all those things make total sense.
Jillian White:
[11:21] Well, what would you add for great partnerships? Is there anything else you really value in, in partners?
Jim Collison:
[11:26] Discipline and Focus, for sure. Like, I need, when we talk about what I need, I don't have Arranger to, to get some things done. But I really, and I've grown, as I've gotten older, I've grown to appreciate those Discipline and Focus talents. By the way, my wife has those.
Jillian White:
[11:43] Very high.
Jim Collison:
[11:44] So we clashed on that part early on. But learning, yeah, learning how to figure, learning to, to actually appreciate those to help me do more. Right? That's what that does. It allows me to do more. OK, let's spend a little time. We've got some tips for, for leaders, groups and individuals. Let's talk about leaders first. How can a leader recognize and harness Woo in their teams or in their organization?
Jillian White:
[12:06] Yeah, you've got to provide interaction for these folks. I remember working with a leader during COVID who, you know, got to a place of just tired and burnout. And they realized that part of what they were missing, their high Woo, they needed, it was like gas in their tank to have people interaction. And so they started intentionally just building in, hey, a 10-minute virtual coffee connect with someone. And all of a sudden, it fed life into them. So if you're managing somebody who has Woo on your team, these are probably the people you're going to notice it because they like meeting new people and interacting with new people. Make sure they have interaction built into their work. Don't lock them in their office. Give them work that allows them to connect. I would say place them in a friendly environment where they can expand the network. Leverage that on your team. Remember, all of these things can be a powerful tool for business strategy. If I identify what someone is good at, think about how helping them use it in their role. This is someone who can expand your network, who brings that ability to reach out to new people. Leverage them as, I'm going to call it, like a welcoming committee and as an energizer for your team. So that interaction is very, very important.
Jim Collison:
[13:22] What about teams? What should they keep in mind if they're thinking about working with someone who has high Woo or maybe even onboarding them?
Jillian White:
[13:30] Yeah, I'm going to give two things with this. I'm going to loop back to something I shared earlier, just been reflecting on too. But I do think giving networking opportunities to someone right away, if you're onboarding them, you know, so make sure their onboarding plan actually has connections with the right people. So maybe it's a mentor connect, maybe it's a leader connect, maybe it's a peer connect, but build that in. That's, that's going to be very helpful for them. And then I think if it's a team working with a Woo, remember that they do have, and this can be good and bad, you know this, Jim, but it does have a likability factor, but it also needs a little bit of that feedback loop. And so I think kind of reminding them like you hear them or see them or I always think like if you're in the audience for somebody who has high Woo, like smile back, you know, like there's a little bit of just, like, they need that affirmation. And I think having that in the partners around them will actually just put some wind in their sails. And that's a good thing to remember when you're partnering with a Woo.
Jim Collison:
[14:30] I used to say when I'd be speaking to groups, if you're happy inside, tell your face, so we all know. That was one of those, like, that's, but that's that feedback loop. I want to know, like, hey, is this working? Like, am I, what is, what I'm saying, landing, because I don't want to spend any more time if it's not. Like, it's important that I'm doing things. That's the feedback loop, because I want to move you. I want to get you going in a direction. I want to influence you. I want to win you, so to speak, right? And so that feedback helps me know, like, you know, again, if you're happy, tell your face.
Jillian White:
[15:03] And we also, I mean, we talk a lot about, like, raw versus mature with talents, right? I mean, if we only live in a space of wanting to be liked, that's dangerous. But if you can use that ability to have a positive feedback loop and bring people with you toward a better cause or, you know, a bigger goal, that can be very powerful, because Woo is that magnet that draws people with you.
Jim Collison:
[15:24] Yeah, for sure. As we kind of wrap this and we think about individuals, how would Woo use this in partnerships or in collaborations?
Jillian White:
[15:33] Yeah, I always like to just think about what can you gift others through this strength. So I'm just going to simply say open doors for others. You have social courage. Bring that social courage to the people around you and think about who do you need to connect them with? Or who do you need to open a door to allow them to have some exposure to? Maybe it's even opening the door with your partner, and you're the person who just asks the question and makes the connection to go a little bit deeper. But be that, be that social door opener for those around you.
Jim Collison:
[16:05] Yeah, and not just figuratively, I think, sometimes, but actually physically open doors for people. It's amazing, listen, it's amazing the conversations you get to have. I think about when I open doors, you know, like a church, right?
Jillian White:
[16:17] Yeah.
Jim Collison:
[16:17] And people are coming in, and you can see on their face, I mean, they've had a morning. Or just this morning at work, we got the opportunity, the security guard needed to step away for a second. He said, Hey, can you watch the door for a second while I got to go do something? I'm like, absolutely. So as Gallup employees and GGSC people are coming in, I was like, Hey, welcome, welcome. We're glad you're here. It's funny, the face, the facial change that happened. They were like, Oh, this is great. Like someone should, could you do this, you know, every day?
Jillian White:
[16:47] Welcome committee. But look at that. That's the talent in action. And you see the effect it can have on other people because all of a sudden that took a small little touchpoint and made it an incredibly welcoming touchpoint for people and made them feel energized and a part of something. So that connection can be mutually beneficial.
Jim Collison:
[17:07] It changes the trajectory of their day, some, in some cases. You know, like, oh, it was, I just came out of traffic. We have the College World Series going on right now. I just got here in College World Series traffic. And then someone smiled at me. And you'd be amazed at the influence and the power that has in changing someone's day.
Jillian White:
[17:26] I love that one. Great reminder.
Jim Collison:
[17:28] So I think that's a good, I think that's a good way. You have more influence than you think. And opening both physical and literal doors is a great way to get that done. Jillian, thank you for, thanks for your comments on that. With that, we'll remind everyone to take full advantage of all the resources we do have available in Gallup Access. Log in, choose the Resources tab, upper left, put in Woo in there, and all the resources we have available, including the podcasts, are available for you. Continue the learning and, and continue the influence. For those of you listening live, stay around for a little bit of a post-show. For those of you listening to the podcast, we've got plenty more episodes available before you click Next. We'll have something for you there. Thanks for coming out. Thanks for listening. With that, we'll say goodbye, everybody.
Jillian White's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Achiever, Input, Learner, Belief and Responsibility.