Gallup CliftonStrengths® is an assessment of personality, rooted in the theory of positive psychology. Research indicates that people who know and use their strengths every day are more likely to experience positive emotions (energy, happiness, respect) and less likely to experience negative emotions (stress, worry, anger, sadness). The assessment identifies an individual’s top five “Signature Themes” from a list of 34 common talents. Individuals can then develop those talents into strengths, and apply those strengths in all areas of their life.
Overview of the Consistency® Strength
Have you ever encountered a situation at work and immediately thought to yourself, “That’s not fair?” There’s a reason we have rules; it’s to ensure that everyone is treated the same. You’re incensed by people getting special favors because of who they know or how they behave. You also value consistency within work processes. Why put effort into changing something that’s already working well just for the sake of change? That’s only going to slow things down and decrease efficiency.
Action Items for the Consistency® Strength
Choose the right job. Does it seem like a company is free-spirited and always trying to reinvent the wheel? They may not be a good match for you. Know which rules of consistency are deal breakers and which ones within you can embrace a bit of individuality.
Pick the right partners. You want everyone to be treated fairly and equally, but sometimes a bit of customization can help. Partner with a coworker that has a strong Individualization® theme. They’ll be able to help keep you aware of individual preferences and variations for getting things done.
Listen to your coworkers. You have a rare gift – you’re able to make people feel appreciated and heard. If your coworker is complaining about work or the way they’re being treated, it could be a sign of a larger problem. You may be able to nip things in the bud with a quick chat with your manager.
Standardize processes. Perhaps your teammates are churning out project components without any overarching guidelines. Or, perhaps a monthly report is completed by a different person each month. Take the bull by the horns and create a set of standard operating procedures. Doing so is an energizing application of your natural talents– and it’s beneficial for your company, too.
How to Manage Someone with the Consistency® Strength
You know you can depend on a person with the Consistency® theme to get their work done on time – every single time. And they’ll be able to sniff out any sense of unfair play from a mile away. Because of these strong traits, keep an eye on the work you receive. Sometimes Consistency® focuses a bit too much on the way work gets done rather than what is actually being completed. To keep your Consistency® employee engaged and leverage their talents, try the following:
Avoid favoritism. An employee with a strong Consistency® theme expects the same treatment towards a manager as they would an entry-level employee. Try to pay equal attention to all employees and offer both encouragement and discouragement in similar fashion. You can even ask your Consistency® worker for input on handling employees in a fair manner.
Enforce deadlines. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, but it’s 11:15 here and that report was due 15 minutes ago. Your Consistency® employee believes deadlines must be met, with no exceptions. Make too many exceptions and your Consistency® employee may lose faith your leadership.
Assign projects with recurring, actionable tasks. Because Consistency® prefers to focus on making sure a project gets completed on time, they may struggle when presented with more conceptual objectives, like long-term brainstorming. To keep their engagement, assign work that allows them to cross items off their to-do list. They thrive with regularly scheduled items, such as a weekly roundup or a monthly data analysis.
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Gallup®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, StrengthsFinder®, CliftonStrengths® and each of the 34 CliftonStrengths® theme names are trademarks of Gallup, Inc. For more information, or to take the CliftonStrengths® assessment, visit www.gallupstrengthscenter.com.
