Guardians of what is just and fair.
Leaders, and colleagues, need to position people on work project teams effectively and efficiently to ensure work gets done and people stay engaged. A lot of leaders often spend too much time trying to guess where to put people because they don't have a point of reference.
What follows is a "scouting report" for those with Consistency® talents, as identified via the CliftonStrengths assessment.
If you are a leader or a colleague of someone with talents, consider how you can best position them in the context of your team and your projects. You can also use this as a discussion piece to find out how they see and use their Consistency® talents.
Each person with Consistency® talents operates differently. Make sure you're not missing out on their unique contribution.
Disclaimer: The following insights represent the author's opinions based on their understanding of the CliftonStrengths® themes. These are not statements created by or formally endorsed by Gallup®.
Scouting Report
Position: Hold the Line / Defender
Providing a stable and fair environment for their colleagues and teams to operate in.
Contribution
Ways in which this team member can make a direct and immediate impact. Use these insights to consider where you place them on the team or in an organization.
As a staunch advocate of the rules, those with Consistency talents bring an awareness to develop and maintain a consistent environment within which they and their colleagues can operate. Consider positioning these talented individuals in roles where they can establish and share policies that helps the team operate with integrity. For these individuals achieving a goal while ignoring the "rules" is a very hollow victory.
Those with Consistency talents tend to like to get projects organized and completed, rather than explore abstract work. These individuals have a great capability to develop standard operating procedures. As such, leaders and colleagues would be well-served if they engage people with Consistency talents early in projects. They will ensure the work is evenly distributed, a process is laid out, and roles are clearly defined.
Tendencies
Ways in which people with this theme might "overplay" their talents.
A rule followers, these talented individuals can sometimes come across as "sticks in the mud;" rarely if ever allowing for exceptions. In soccer, sometimes teams need to modify their formation to push for a last minute attack or set a "stonewall defense" to hold a lead. Someone with Consistency talents is likely to insist on playing the position & strategic role they were assigned at the beginning of the game. In the workplace, major initiatives can change due to external factors; be ready to help those with Consistency talents understand changes, reclarify new responsibilities, and reinforce the idea that no one is unfairly burdened.
In the absence of any order, those with Consistency talents might become overbearing in setting up what they feel are fair rules. Like an overbearing parents or sports coach, the rules will come quick and obedience to them will be expected immediately. There is a time and place for order; just be sure you aren't blindly dropping these talented individuals into uncharted territory or projects.
Talent Combos / Position Modification
Harmony®: "The Emotionally Aware Doer" Those with Harmony or Consistency talents share a tendency to look for the practical solution. The advantage, and contribution, of those that have both talent themes is that they can understand and manage the emotional components of team dynamics, AND define clear roles and processes so as to minimize peoples' abilities to "rock the boat" in the first place.
Self-assurance®: "The Confident Backstop": On the soccer pitch a team greatly benefits from a confident stopper or sweeper who can see the field, understand everyone's roles, and knows how to begin moving the ball up the field in a predictable manner. The same goes for the workplace. Those with this Consistency + Self-Assurance combo are likely to be quite confident in the systems they put in place; that confidence is likely to embolden their colleagues to take ambitious but appropriate steps in achieving team and personal goals. Be sure to put these talented individuals in work team positions where they can publicly explain the rules or approach, then let them support their peers in private with the best systems they have at their disposal.
Game Film
Check out these videos from Gallup to learn more
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