Discovering Your Strengths: What the Strengths-Based Approach can do for Faculty

1. Discovering Your Strengths:What the Strengths-Based Approach can do for Faculty Advising Success Center & Career Services Bemidji State University March 27, 2013

2. Introductions Margie GiauqueZak Johnson Individualization Responsibility Communication Relator Empathy Analytical WOO Individualization Developer Developer

3. Clifton StrengthFinder 2.0 Donald Clifton was a professor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in psychology for over 30 years was know as the Father of Positive Psychology. • Based on 40 years of study of human strengths , Donald Clifton along with The Gallup Organization and Selection Research, conducted 2 million interviews and came up with 400 themes of talent that great employees possessed. • They condensed those 400 into a smaller number and created a language of 34 common talents

4. The Strengths Approach: The 34 Talent Themes

5. Weakness Fixing. . . The wrong assumptions • All behaviors can be learned - If you try hard enough, you can do it. - If you want it badly enough, you can do it. - If you dream it, you can achieve it. • The best in a role all get there exactly the same way. • Weakness fixing leads to excellence.

6. Strengths Building. . . The right assumptions • Some behaviors can be learned. Many are nearly impossible to learn. There is a difference between talent, skills, and knowledge. • The best individuals in a role deliver the same outcomes, but may use different behaviors. • Weakness fixing prevents failure. Strengths building leads to excellence.

7. Concept of StrengthsQuest? • You have a group of talents within you. • Your greatest talents hold the key to high achievement, success, and progress to levels of personal excellence. • Becoming aware of talents builds confidence/provides a basis for achievement. • Learning how to develop and apply strengths will improve your levels of achievement. • Each of your talents can be applied in many areas including relationships, learning, and leadership.

8. StrengthsQuest Formula for Success • Discover • Develop • Apply

9. SQ at BSU • Spring 2009 Introduced StrengthsQuest (SQ) to Bemidji State University. • Fall 2009 had all new entering freshmen through FYE courses take the assessment. • Career Services to presents to FYE students on using your strengths to choose a major. • We use it in Academic and Career Advising Sessions. • Continue to have FYE students take the assessment (2009-2012).

10. StrengthsQuest at BSU • StrengthsQuest in First Year Experience (FYE) All students in FYE are issued a SQ code • At the conclusion of fall semester 2012, 2500 students, faculty, and staff have taken SQ. • New Student Orientation T-Shirts “Do you know your top five?” • SQ is making a difference because it fits- advising and learning!

11. Orientation T-shirts

12. Why isn’t everyone living their strengths? Most people are not aware of, or unable to describe their own strengths. . . Or the strengths of the people around them. Rath, 2007

13. My Strengths and How I Use Them • Take five minutes to complete. • Write down your top five themes of talent. • Add a brief description. • Why do you think it is a strength? • When/Where have you recently used this strength?

14. Seven principles you can use to make the most of your talents: • Know your talents. • Value your talents and assume personal responsibility for using them in strengths development. • Talents are most powerful when inspired by a personal mission. • Healthy, caring relationships facilitate the development of strengths. • Reliving your successes helps you develop strengths. • Practice your talents. • Teaching leads to learning. • To gain further understanding of talents, teach others about them.

15. Why a Strengths-Based Approach Promotes Student Achievement • Strengths Awareness ConfidenceSelf-EfficacyMotivation to ExcelEngagement • Apply strengths to areas needing improvementGreater Likelihood of SUCCESS

16. Strengths Paradigm in Education • Engages students in something other than fear. • Levels the playing field among students and between student/educators (mentors). • Provides positive language and value-added observations regarding behavior. • Reframes the concept of “student success”.

17. Identifying Students’ Gift and Strengths • A major reason students leave school is because they are unsure of their major and/or career AND are not getting the help they need to figure that out. • Students who are aware of their gifts and strengths find it easier to select a major.

18. StrengthsQuest Resources www.strengthsquest.com • Access to online StrengthsQuest book and resources • Action items for applying strengths to academic advising. • Curriculum development and Teacher Action Items • More information learning about all 34 Themes to help understand others • Templates for making door signs with top five

19. Door Signs/Bulletin Boards Name Signs/Name Badges Bulletin Boards

20. Contact Information Margie Giauque Director Career Services mgiauque@bemidjistate.edu (218) 755-2775 Zak Johnson Director Advising Success Center zjohnson@bemidjistate.edu (218) 755-4226