Clifton Strengths, One and Done or Rerun? Should You Retest?: With Melissa Ortiz
In this engaging episode, hosts Melissa Ortiz, Sarah Collins, and Bill Dippel dive into the world of strengths and personal development. The conversation pivots around the CliftonStrengths assessment, exploring whether it's a "one and done" or worth a rerun. Melissa shares her journey with strengths, emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are and using tools that resonate with them. The trio discusses the nuances of strengths, the impact of life changes on assessments, and the value of focusing on core strengths. With lively anecdotes and insightful debates, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in personal growth and team dynamics.
Main Takeaways:
Main Takeaways:
- Understanding Strengths: The CliftonStrengths assessment helps individuals identify and leverage their core strengths for personal and professional growth.
- Retesting Considerations: While some advocate for retesting during different life stages, the initial assessment results are often seen as enduring and valid.
- Personalized Approaches: It's crucial to meet people where they are, using tools and methods that resonate with their unique needs and preferences.
- Impact of Life Changes: Life changes can influence the expression of strengths, with adaptability often becoming more prominent during challenging times.
- Focus on Core Strengths: Prioritizing the development of core strengths over weaker areas can lead to more significant personal and team achievements.
- Pragmatism in Assessments: The emphasis should be on practical application and action rather than getting caught up in the semantics of assessments.
- Dynamic Teamwork: Understanding and utilizing each team member's strengths can enhance collaboration and drive collective success
Sound Bites
1. "Understanding your strengths is the first step to unlocking your potential."
1. "Understanding your strengths is the first step to unlocking your potential."
2. "Retesting isn't always necessary; your core strengths often remain constant."
3. "Meet people where they are, and use tools that resonate with them."
4. "Life changes can shift how our strengths show up, but the core remains the same."
5. "Focus on developing your core strengths for the greatest impact."
6. "Don't get lost in the semantics; it's about what you do with your strengths."
7. "Adaptability can become a key strength during challenging life phases."
8. "Investing in strengths yields better results than trying to fix weaknesses."
9. "Dynamic teamwork thrives when each member's strengths are understood and utilized."
10. "Your strengths tell your story; let them guide your actions."
11. "The best tools are those that align with your personal journey."
12. "In the end, it's not about the test; it's about the transformation."
Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Individualization
2) Developer
3) Activator
4) Woo
5) Restorative
6) Empathy
7) Harmony
8) Connectedness
9) Relator
10) Learner
Sarah's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Positivity
2) Woo
3) Communication
4) Harmony
5) Activator
6) Developer
7) Input
8) Individualization
9) Responsibility
10) Arranger
Official Strengths On Fire Website: https://strengthsonfire.transistor.fm
Creators and Guests
Host
Bill Dippel
Bill Dippel is a certified, professional Strengths coach with a 35-year career in nonprofits and higher education. His passion is working with organizations, teams, and individuals to ensure they are performing and communicating at the highest levels. As president of Bill Dippel Strengths Coaching, he travels frequently for large events and public speaking, as well as working with whole companies through their management teams.
Host
Sarah Collins
Sarah Collins is a certified CliftonStrengths coach and founder of Collins Collective, with over 12 years of experience in strengths-based coaching and leadership development. Her passion lies in empowering businesses, teams, and individuals to communicate and perform at their best by focusing on what they do well. As the leader of Collins Collective, Sarah combines engaging workshops, high-impact keynotes, and in-depth coaching to foster growth and connection. Based in Nebraska, she partners with businesses to drive meaningful change and create high-performing teams.
Guest
Melissa Ortiz
For nearly two decades, Melissa has focused on improving employee retention by matching the right people to the right seats and measurably improving Employee Engagement. Her focus area is Talent Optimization and her “why” is Better Work, Better World. From her time with Gallup Consulting working in their San Francisco and Houston offices, Melissa saw clearly how critical fit-to-role and engagement were to the health of the business AND the individual employee. When those two elements are present, employees and financial metrics are healthy, robust… thriving. The drive to help organizations harness the power of talent is Melissa’s core focus because of the meaningful impact her work makes on individuals and organizations, but also on their families and communities. The ripple-effect of talent optimization is far-reaching. Melissa helps clients discover that Talent Optimization happens at every level – from defining culture to crafting individual roles; from discussing team-level engagement scorecards to debriefing organization-wide engagement hotspots; it’s all about understanding where you want to go then aligning your talent strategy your with business strategy to get you there. These metrics allow clients to quantify the level of psychological attachment that exists among employees and teams – then proactively manage those relationships. These metrics matter because they are leading indicators. Unlike traditional fiscal measurements (P&L, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows) which look in the rear-view mirror at where a company, division, or department has been, Melissa helps clients focus on forward-looking metrics that predict where they’re headed and course-correct as needed. When Melissa isn’t working with her team or clients, you can find her on her 5th generation family farm in Northern California, on mini-adventures with her husband Antonio and their two children, or investing her time in local youth programs such as the Colusa Cyclones Swim Team.
