Your Strengths Will Lead You to Success
Six years ago, I opened Leaf Consulting, LLC. I knew “Why“ I wanted this to be my next journey.
I wanted to partner with people and teams. I wanted to give them tools to be energized every day and engaged with what they are doing and who they are. I wanted to provide opportunities for them to understand themselves. I wanted to be the catalyst for people to embrace their own strengths, understand how they are hard-wired, and develop personal operating systems that were uniquely theirs.
I wasn’t sure how to go about this, but I knew I could. My strengths gave me my tools, and I trusted my ability to do this, #selfassurance.
I thought about what I knew and what I didn’t know and developed a few roadmaps, #strategic.
I jumped in and was comfortable building as I went, #activator.
Over the past six years my skills and abilities as a coach have evolved. I set goals for myself, #achiever and was not afraid to change things up as needed, #arranger.
I have joined with so many colleagues who I now call friends, #relator.
My word has stayed strong as my integrity is paramount, #responsibility.
I can give examples of how I impact others every day. They are all motivated by the very same “Why” to build Leaf Consulting, LLC six years ago. Thanks to so many of you for your trust. I will continue to provide what you need to grow, and I will continue with my own growth as an individual and as a company to ensure that I show up ready for you, #maximizer.
Think about a goal you have achieved - something you’re proud that you accomplished. It doesn’t have to be monumental or impressive to anyone but you. Get a specific goal in mind.
Now think about the process you followed to reach that goal. What was one thing, one detail, that enabled your success?
Be specific. What part of your process do you think you would notice if you failed to repeat it the next time you pursue a goal? Maybe it's a partnership, an expectation, a way of working, a habit, a ritual, a routine.
When you recognize how your strengths have helped you accomplish things you've already done, you're identifying what will work for you in the future. Investing in your talents will build your strengths. Practice applying your strengths. It's not just the best way to grow them — it's the best way to achieve your goals.
5 Words of Advice for My Former Self About Building a Business
In keeping with the five year anniversary theme, I was thinking the other day how much I wished I had the opportunity to give myself five words of advice as I began building my business. My hope is these five words strike a chord with business owners at every stage, because I think they resonate whether you started your business yesterday, 20 years ago, or are even thinking of beginning a business. OK, so these are more than 5 words but my maximizer just can’t help it.
Ask for help 5 times more than you think you need it. Really. Starting a business is HARD. Just imagine how you feel when you start a new workout routine. It is overwhelming, causes doubts about your abilities, and it can also be a very scary leap. Ask for help! You don’t have to know it all. None of us do. And asking for help from the people surrounding you also makes them feel good, and helps them become a part of what you are building.
Find a coach. Everyone needs a coach. The highest-class caliber athletes in the world need a coach, so why should you be any different? Beginning a business can be a very lonely endeavor, and finding someone to support you, cheer you on, and yes, call you out on your mistakes at times is invaluable. It makes you better and holds you accountable on your journey.
The most important thing is how you see things happening. Listen to others but don’t believe that everyone knows what makes sense to you and your business. On the flip side of this, it is important to know yourself, and your business journey. Not everyone’s advice fits your particular business or your journey. It is great to listen to others with experience, but also remember that their journey is theirs, and your journey is yours.
Believe people when they tell you that you are doing well. This one can be tricky, especially when you are navigating so many unknowns all at once. It is important to accept the compliments of others along the way. While you may feel like you are not always doing the best job, chances are that you are. Other people can see this more clearly at times than we can for ourselves.
It is not world peace, mistakes are part of the process. Don’t be so hard on yourself. This can be particularly tough for those perfectionists in the room. But building a business is very tough, and the conditions are ever-changing. As we have seen more clearly than ever in this past year, we don’t always know how life is going to look. Sometimes we make the right call, and other times we don’t. It is all part of the journey.
Identifying your Strengths as part of the process of starting and owning your own business can help you remember these five keys too. I believe being high in activator and achiever allowed me to begin without all the answers but kept my focus on excellence. Being strategic, I always sort through information, themes and patterns quickly. This helped create road maps for me to use as templates. My maximizer generally kicked it up a notch as in my brain my ideas and plans could alway be a bit better. I am very high in realtor and responsibility. The foundation of my business is people. I always start from where my client is at and build a coaching relationship from there. When I step back and look in on myself, I clearly see how my dominant strengths have and continue to show up. This is how my strengths operating system impacts my business. How might your strengths operate? Let’s find out!
Learning Your Strengths Can Help Your Personal Life
While StrengthsFinder is a natural fit for the workplace and professional relationships, it is also worth exploring in your personal relationships as well. Understanding my husband’s strengths and mine collectively has been a game changer in our marriage.
What we discovered is that our strengths in many ways are very different. This has resulted in some difficult conversations in our early years together. We frustrated each other, believing that the way each of us saw moving forward on a topic was the “right” way. What became clear to both of us as we explored our strengths and each other’s strengths is that there is no “right” way, but that if we work together and speak in a language of strengths, we can move forward in a much more productive way collectively. Here is an overview to help highlight how this works.
I am generally about identifying where we want to get and moving forward strategically and energetically, assuring excellence along the way. He is more about understanding the basic direction and then taking time to think and learn about it and identify areas of risk that need to be mitigated before we start.
I am generally quick to take the “command” post, plot the direction and then lead others to our goal line. He is about thinking and learning more about our goal and then joining forces with others, together moving forward. He is comfortable with the give and take of how we do something; the importance being we are in “harmony”.
In the worst scenario sometimes, my strengths hinder. I bark orders and he retreats to avoid conflict. This is something we have had to work on as a couple, because neither of us is playing to our strengths in a positive way.
In the best scenario our strengths help us. He is clear as to why we (I) need to slow down and take some time, assure our ducks are in a row and we have identified the amount of risk we are able to tolerate.In the best scenario I am clear as to why activating my energy and listening to and trusting my strategy will be what is best in this case for us (him).
In general, understanding my strengths and talents allows me to “aim” the right strengths at the right time. It also helps me notice when what I am doing is not working. I then press my internal pause button and come about it in a different way, maybe using different strengths. The result is I remain engaged and energized.
One key to our success lies in a strength we share. We both have Relator very high in our strengths. Relators value the core group of people who are their inner circle. This is the group that they go deep with, that they count on, that they ultimately are always there for. That is one strength that my husband and I share. So even when we need to navigate a rocking boat there is never a question that we together will make it to the shoreline. Sometimes we will take the longer route because I trust taking the time to avoid the potential alligators makes sense. There are other times when he actually is excited to trust my vision and hold on because we are going to paddle really fast.
This is our strengths story. Are you curious about your family? I encourage you to think about how discovering your strengths might smooth out some familial relationships, or even how discovering your own might help you navigate your own personal relationships.
Leaf Consulting: Celebrating 5 Years in Business
It all begins with an idea.
Five years ago, my world changed. I was consulting as an Executive Coach with the state of Colorado, and dreaming about the next stages of my life. I retired a few years earlier at age 56 from my position with the Colorado Division of Youth Corrections, and I knew that I was far too young to become a full-time retiree, and besides, I like to work! So I utilized the funds I was making as an Executive Coach to save for attendance at Gallup’s Accelerated Strengths Certification program that was being held for the first time in Denver, Colorado. And thus, Leaf Consulting LLC was born.
My own top five strengths indicate my propensity toward entrepreneurship. I am Strategic, a Maximizer, an Activator, a Relator and high Command. All of these talents indicate that I have stepped into a role that I can embrace as a Clifton StrengthsFinder coach and consultant. I like to understand and create the big picture, create action, activate change, and connect with people on a deep level. I also like to have a voice that is heard and improve efficiency within a team. While I was able to use all of these attributes in my past roles, building Leaf Consulting has given me a place where I utilize all of these strengths on a regular basis, thus creating a very happy and fulfilling role for this chapter of my life.
Some fun facts about me, top five style!
5 Reasons I started Leaf Consulting:
I retired from the Colorado Division of Youth Corrections when I was 56 years old after 20 years of service. I was too young not to work at all.
I knew I could only swim and ride my bike so many hours a week.
Gardening season in Colorado is only 6-7 months of the year
My favorite part of leadership was coaching and mentoring other professionals.
I wanted to pursue something outside of my comfort zone.
My 5 favorite drinks (don’t judge):
Coffee
Coffee
Coffee
Coffee
Flavored water
5 things that drive me:
Role modeling strength and kindness.
Being healthy and fit so I can run circles around my 4 grandchildren.
Cooking with my husband and talking while we listen to music.
Being available for my family and friends
Taking my role as a coach and mentor very seriously.
5 facts about me:
I'm the youngest of three children and the only girl. I was my grandmother’s only granddaughter and my aunt and uncle’s only niece. Yes, I am spoiled!
I love the ocean and often feel connected, comforted and energized when I visit the shoreline. I don’t experience this feeling anywhere else.
My father passed away when I was 20 of brain cancer. He was one of my biggest supporters and motivators. I wish he got to see more of my life.
I completed my first triathlon when I was 57 years old, the year after I retired from State government. It was one of the hardest things I ever did. Now I swim and ride my bike but do not compete against others, just against myself. That fits me better.
I participate a few times a month in an International Coaches Mastermind. I am humbled to participate with peers from New Zealand, Australia, Toronto, Manilla, California, Washington State and so many other parts of the USA. It still blows my mind that for many participants it is already tomorrow when we meet. These are some of the smartest, most talented, generous people I have ever had the privilege to partner with, and I value them greatly.
I love what I do each day, and as I celebrate five years in business, and the journey that has brought me here, I am both grateful for the past and excited for the future! If you would like to learn more about me and Leaf Consulting, please visit my website at leafconsultingllc.com.