My Voice

Earlier this spring, a good friend suggested that a group of us do the “strengths finder” assessment and compare notes. We have always done the Myers Briggs personality assessment with the scholars, so this sounded interesting. Same concept, slightly different spin. Turns out that my top strengths are dead on. Number one – no surprise – I’m a relator. One of the best things that I do is relate to my students. I work with students from lots of different backgrounds, so I’m proud of my ability to achieve this. I would venture to say that pretty much every student that comes through my door feels connected and empowered as a result of our interaction. Gosh that sounds a bit pompous to profess, but dammit, it’s about time that I stop shying away from embracing my strengths. Truth is, I thrive on connecting and relating to my students. I try to “keep it real” and I think they appreciate that about me. I don’t try to “cover things up” or sugar coat it – I simply put it out there, generally offer samples of experiences from my own life and then work through whatever “item” is at hand, together. For me, it works.

Strength number two – I’m a developer. That means that I see the potential in others. Every individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And I am drawn toward people for this very reason. Can this be any more spot on? I don’t think so. Maybe it’s because I somehow fell into this McNair gig or maybe it’s because I’ve been constantly working to see and seize the potential in myself? I’m not sure. Either way, I love it. Lots of people are hung up and stuck in their own heads. I sure am and can be! However, I love when I can help others think about things in a new way or try something new that encourages them to move forward with an idea or it simply gets them in motion again. I’m always challenging my students and asking them to be open to new things. You never know when some small notion or method or shared revelation will be the spark for someone else’s creative energy and passion. Sometimes, it just means helping someone to see and realize their own potential. According to the “strengths finder” descriptions it states, “Over time many will seek you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you.” To this, I say – yes, yes, yes!

My third top-strength is harmony. Again, no surprise here. It’s no secret that I dislike conflict. It makes me feel yucky and I don’t like it. After ten years as a McNair director, I feel like, if anything, I’ve always been able to create a strong sense of harmony among the group. For me, this is important. It builds connectivity, promotes sharing on a meaningful level and contributes to an overall positive vibe and energy – that in my mind, is essential for growth and forward movement. It’s not that I discourage “lively” discussions that might encompass differing viewpoints; it’s just that at the end of the day, I want everyone to “feel good” about what they’ve learned, what they’ve shared, what they’ve been exposed to. I demand that my students maintain open minds. I do believe that one of my strengths is to maneuver and facilitate among the group so as to keep the positive energy flowing. That’s progress to me.

My next layer of strength happens to include empathy, adaptability and discipline and positivity. Can I sense the emotions of those around me? Yes. Do I strive to live in the moment and adapt to whatever needs might be arising? Yes, I would say so. Does my world need to be orderly? Pretty much so – if not, it drives me insane. Am I a positive person? Actually, I think I’ve struggled with being a negative-type person through the years; however, now that I am more fully embracing whom I am and really living that ideal, I do think that I am a glass half full kind of girl. I certainly get a lot of feedback from others that I’m this way and I love it. Being positive is the only way to go in the face of challenge and general bullshit that life can tend to throw our way.

So, as Harley Blake encouraged our group to think about during a workshop on this very topic, being cognizant of our strengths can lead us toward developing our “voices” or our “unique contributions.” What do we each have to offer to the world? What are our unique gifts? Harley would argue that they’re made up of our passions, our talents, our values and the needs of the world. How are we going to use our gifts to respond to those needs? In such small, but powerful and super meaningful ways, I feel like I do that with my students.

Strengths Finder mastermind, Marcus Buckingham talks about how a very small percentage of people (two in ten to be exact) actually do work that encompasses their true strengths. Kind of seems like a crime doesn’t it? As I write this, my gratitude for the work I’ve been able to do through McNair is running deep. Everyday I think to myself, is this for real? Seriously. Everyday, I’m putting my strengths to work and it feels great. I’m honored to say that I will continue in this vein for another five years. Along the way, I want to expand my reach. Not sure how, but that’s my intention. I’m going to dig a little deeper into my strengths and tease out my niche. I’m going to fine-tune my strengths and further define my voice - my unique contribution.

  

I challenge you to do the same. Check out this video that is certain to cause you to pause when you really think about whether the work you are doing is work that you are passionate about and work that truly draws on your unique capabilities and nuances. Take the Strengths Builder assessment for yourself and see how closely the outcome may match up with who you think you are, or perhaps even better, who you think you can become. I’d say it’s worth a shot.