A beginner's guide to the four StrengthsFinder Leadership Domains [Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking] under Gallup's StrengthsFinder assessment.
The full guide can be found at: http://strengthsschool.com/strengthsfinder-blog/four-domains-of-leadership-strength
Proudly presented by Strengths School™ Singapore.
3. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
1. WHAT ARE THE FOUR DOMAINS OF LEADERSHIP STRENGTHS?
‣ Executing
‣ Influencing
‣ Relationship Building
‣ Strategic Thinking
4. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
2. WHAT IS A COMMON MISCONNECTION PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE
STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS?
▸ TRUTH: A particular theme will excel in the domain it is
categorised in.
▸ MYTH: That same theme cannot function well in other domains.
▸ E.g. the Learner theme (categorised under Strategic Thinking)
can be used to build relationships. Learners are curious:
▸ about what makes their friends upset and what their friends
enjoy, dislike, and so on
▸ to learn how to strengthen relationships
5. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
3. WHAT DO THE FOUR DOMAINS OF STRENGTH MEAN?
Domains are guides as to one's greatest value-add in the team:
▸ Executing domain
▸ Intuitively wants to get things done well
▸ Concerned about the structure, system, budget,
processes, timelines and rules
▸ Task-oriented
▸ Highly depended on to get things done
6. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
3. WHAT DO THE FOUR DOMAINS OF STRENGTH MEAN?
▸ Influencing domain
▸ Wants to rally people in a particular direction
▸ Lots of energy; more extroverted
▸ Concerned with freedom to speak out, act and make
changes
▸ Passionate when it comes to inspiring and rallying
others for a cause
7. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
3. WHAT DO THE FOUR DOMAINS OF STRENGTH MEAN?
▸ Relationship Building domain
▸ Wants to show care and concern to others through an
emotional connection
▸ Concerned with authenticity, encouragement, listening to
the unvoiced and ensuring no one is left out
▸ Hear the hearts of people, feel their emotions, and
connect them to communities
▸ Well aware of human needs and highly sensitive to them
8. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
3. WHAT DO THE FOUR DOMAINS OF STRENGTH MEAN?
▸ Strategic Thinking domain
▸ Loves thinking; mind is a playground
▸ Concerned about facts, data, concept, ideas, dreams,
strategies and having a big picture
▸ Need to know purpose behind a plan
▸ Enjoy opportunities to create new strategies and explore
ideas and meaning
▸ Source of wisdom, counsel and ideas
9. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
4. HOW DO THE STRENGTHSFINDER DOMAINS AFFECT WORK PERFORMANCE?
The four StrengthsFinder domains can be divided into two
general categories:
‣ Task-oriented (Strategic Thinking and Executing domains)
‣ Move team forward with their goals
‣ Sometimes get a bad rap for not caring about people
‣ Enjoy finishing the tasks at hand
‣ Often build relationships through doing things with others
10. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
4. HOW DO THE STRENGTHSFINDER DOMAINS AFFECT WORK PERFORMANCE?
‣ People-oriented (Influencing and Relationship Building
domains)
‣ Rally people and hold the team together
‣ Sometimes get a bad rap for not prioritising tasks
‣ Tasks are completed to give meaning to relationships
that exist
‣ Motivation to complete tasks comes from these
relationships
11. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
5. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTHSFINDER
LEADERSHIP DOMAINS?
▸ Domains help to understand strengths from another angle
▸ Individuals need not be well-rounded, but teams should
be
▸ Teams with representation of all four domains often have
valuable contributions that lead to high levels of
performance
12. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
5. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTHSFINDER
LEADERSHIP DOMAINS?
As individuals:
‣ Understand dominant domains, understand type of tasks we can
easily excel in
‣ Aware of greatest contributions to team
‣ Opens up new possibilities to grow raw talents into strengths
‣ Seek complementary partnerships
‣ Leverage on others to strengthen areas we are not as strong in
‣ Create effective collaborations
13. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
5. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTHSFINDER
LEADERSHIP DOMAINS?
As a team:
‣ Understand domains to get an idea of how we usually impose ourselves
on others (without being aware of it) through lenses of domain filters
‣ Allows greater self-awareness and to regulate behaviour when it comes
to working as a team
‣ Allow a team to understand from another perspective the areas they
need to watch out for
‣ Most competitive edge
‣ Weakest link
14. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
6. WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN MOST OF MY STRENGTHS ARE IN ONE DOMAIN?
▸ Tasks and scope of work in that particular domain will be our
greatest value-add to any team/company
▸ Likely to feel most engaged when contributing in that domain
▸ Even more so when contributions are acknowledged by the
team
▸ Team leader to take note of great value that exists within the team
▸ Intentionally create opportunities that leverage and maximise
each person's unique contributions
15. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
7. WHAT IF MY STRENGTHS ARE EVENLY SPREAD OUT AMONG ALL FOUR DOMAINS?
▸ You are unique!
▸ Can give different perspectives (spanning across all
domains) without overweighing any particular domain
▸ More balanced views
▸ Great value-add to any team
▸ Most overweigh judgements in one domain
16. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
8. WHAT SHOULD I WATCH OUT FOR IF I AM VERY STRONG IN ONE
PARTICULAR DOMAIN?
▸ Know that perspectives in that domain can be extremely
strong
▸ Any job that does not engage the domain can lead to
low motivation and disillusionment
▸ Be selective about roles to take on at work
▸ Regularly check in with manager to ensure opportunities
are sufficient for these strengths to be engaged
17. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
8. WHAT SHOULD I WATCH OUT FOR IF I AM VERY STRONG IN ONE
PARTICULAR DOMAIN?
▸ Form good partnerships with others who are strong in
other domains, be open to feedback
▸ Operate in humility! Be very conscious of your need to
be interdependent
▸ Blind spots can be discovered by being very open to
perspectives of others
▸ Greater chance of success by focusing on strengths and
managing weaknesses
18. STRENGTHSFINDER LEADERSHIP DOMAINS
8. WHAT SHOULD I WATCH OUT FOR IF I AM VERY STRONG IN ONE
PARTICULAR DOMAIN?
▸ Have a deep sense of security about yourself
▸ Focus on domains that you re strong in instead of the
ones you lack
▸ Find a personal coach/mentor who understands how to
bring out the best in you