Use The Relator Talent Theme To Build Deeper Bonds At Work

Strengths Stories In Action – Relator Talent Theme

With eager anticipation, I reached out to fellow strengths coach Lisa Cummings. “Are you attending the first ever Gallup Strengths Summit?” I asked. Thankfully Lisa replied with a yes. “May I tag along with you for awhile?” I asked meekly. Graciously, Lisa agreed and I heaved a huge sigh of relief!

My number 5 CliftonStrength? It’s the Relator Talent Theme. While I am great at one-on-one, deep and meaningful conversations and relationships, I shiver at the thought of meeting someone new. I was about to be in a room with 800 new people. EEEEK!

As a strengths coach, I had the solution. I have learned to lean on others to fill my gaps and Lisa was the perfect person for that. With Lisa’s high Woo talent, I was confident that she would be more than comfortable with a sea of fellow coaches and I could quietly tag along and meet other coaches through her.

Humans are not meant to be well rounded individuals where we excel at everything. Rather, we all have areas of expertise and strengths that become even stronger when we focus our efforts on our natural talents. When we wisely choose to partner with someone else who has the talents we are lacking, together we are better.

Did I feel ashamed of myself for initially feeling uncomfortable with meeting new people? Absolutely not! I am quite proud of the gifts that my unique set of talents bring to the world. I am blessed in knowing how to navigate myself in life by relying on the strengths of others and not just my own.

Once introductions are over and names have been exchanged, I am comfortable in knowing that each person could be my next new friend.

The superpower of Relator is the deep bond I can form with individuals. I am often told that I am a joy to talk to. People naturally pour their hearts out to me. They trust their story is safe. It is! This is an especially wonderful talent in my coaching. People feel free to express themselves honestly knowing their story is protected and they will not be judged.

If the Relator talent theme is dominant for you in your CliftonStrengths report, understand that you too will hate the initial social discomfort of meeting someone new. Embrace the fact that you need opportunities for one-on-one interactions. Close, caring and mutual relationships will feel like music to your soul. You will be seen by others as someone who is caring, authentic, genuine and intimate.

In a work setting, you can help to bring a team together by forming strong bonds of friendship and a caring heart. Teams are more productive when individuals have these types of relationships.

Find people to mentor. Help your colleagues get to know one another better. This can extend outside the office. Always remember to stay in close contact with your friends because they will fortify you to face each day with a smile on your face and a song in your heart!

As a strengths coach, I believe every person can rise high and fly with strengths. I encourage you to fully leverage yourself with strengths and soar. Take care and take flight!