Talents & Burnout: Discipline®

By Chad T. Ahern

"People exceptionally talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create."
​- Gallup CliftonStrengths Themes Quick Reference Guide - 

Burnout Concerns

Order. Structure. Routine. Regularity. Plans. These are the hallmarks of how those with Discipline® talents approach their world. So when change, particularly unexpected change (like a pandemic), occurs these same individuals can potentially be pushed toward burnout by over-extending themselves trying to:

• Deal with the loss predictability. If our current COVID-19 pandemic has shown us anything it's that things can be stable one day, and chaotic the next. This is the antithesis of the lives those with Discipline talent try to lead. 
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• Establish routines in the midst of chaos. At-home-schooling, kid needs, family needs, house needs, and on-the-fly work meetings have limited our ability to hold regularly scheduled meetings and determine our own daily pace. Those with Discipline talents are likely still trying to hold onto their daily planners. 
  
  
• Acclimate to the destruction of existing order and organized environments. From establishing make-shift home offices to dispensing with typical meeting agendas, those with Discipline talents are likely trying very hard to recreate what they one had.
  
  
• Address the lack of clarity on expectations and desired outcomes. What was important is likely no longer important. Plans from three months ago, or three weeks ago, are likely no longer valid. They are likely struggling to define what the new outcomes should be.

Addressing Burnout

Those with Discipline® talents are exceptionally talented in finding ways to organize their lives. They bring precision. They can make the most of limited resources. The carry an awareness of how to get things done. These are people you want operating at their best in moments of change. 

As a leader or teammate, it would behoove you to help them avoid burning out by:

• Providing them as much lead time as possible. Those with Discipline talents need opportunities to adjust plans when needs and priorities  change. The more time they have, the better their response will be and they won't feel "jammed up" trying to establish something on-the-fly.
  
  
• Assisting them in reestablishing an organized environment. You may not be able to replicate their original office, but in helping them access or purchase materials to create a new, organized home office you can provide them a stable place to do their best work.
  
  
• Being very clear about what resources are still available. Those with Discipline® talents are often very effective managing limited resources, but they may need help defining what those resources are.
  
  
• Getting very clear on your most essential goals. By providing clarity on where energy and effort should be directed, your Discipline®-talented team members can offer the best structures, plans, and organization to get you there.

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

How are you prioritizing your tasks in this
​time of unexpected change?

Photo by Oli Dale on Unsplash

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