Talents & Burnout: Harmony®

By Chad T. Ahern

We recognize that within the United States many communities are going through massive upheaval in trying to address longstanding, systemic racial inequality and injustice. Even as we join in the efforts to support such initiatives, we also believe continuing to share perspectives via our #talentswithoutburnout series can help people better understand one another as unique, talented individuals that should be celebrated and supported, regardless of their skin color or national origin.

""People exceptionally talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict; rather they seek areas of agreement."
- Gallup CliftonStrengths Themes Quick Reference Guide - 

Burnout Concerns

Change is often accompanied by upheaval (big and small) and opinion differences among team members. The bigger the change the greater chance that friction. In our current times, with a pandemic and civil unrest, effecting our entire society those with Harmony® talents may be pushed toward burnout in the following ways:

• Feeling as though they need to solve or address the political and cultural divides occurring around them. Even the effort thinking about how we can "all just get along" may be enough to exhaust their emotional reserves. 
  
  
• Trying to reconciling a wide range of opinions (some often contradictory) on what to do next. Those with Harmony are often looking for practical solutions so when others are sounding off on their "pet" approach, they may actually be draining the energy of their Harmony -talented team members.
  
  
• Encouraging or demanding them to actively participate in emotionally charged debates about the right course of action(s) are likely to drive them into “shut down” mode, rather than engage them. Most people with Harmony® talents want to spend their energy looking for areas of agreement so people can come together for action. If everyone else is still wrapped up in emotion, those with Harmony® will exhaust themselves trying to move forward on their own. 

Addressing Burnout

Those with Harmony® talents can provide some very practical approaches to move your team's  initiatives forward. They are also very adept at avoiding emotional turmoil so long as they aren't dragged into it. If you're a leader or team member looking to help those with Harmony® talents contribute in ways that won't burn them out consider taking, or helping them take, the following actions:
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• Help them focus on and contribute to data-informed, decision-making processes. Those with Harmony® are more likely to prefer making decisions based on non-emotional data and expert perspectives that emotionally charged debate. 
  
  
• Ask them to help address day-to-day operation challenges, where practical solutions need to supersede emotional desires.
  
  
• Be sure to define and give them a clear scope within which you trust them to take action.
  
  
• Help them highlight where the team already agrees. By bringing to the fore where  team consensus has already been reached, you might help extend their emotional energy so they can help you and the team find other, new compromise positions. 

As with coaching any individual, their combined set of talent themes will effect how their Harmony® talents show up, and how to best manage them. As a beginning, next time you check-in with them, ask,

Where are you finding or feeling conflicts right now?
How are you helping colleagues find agreements?

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash

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