Does strength-based leadership work? Maybe? Yes? No? It seems like it should be a simple answer.
First, let’s define the term since you may be asking yourself “What is strength-based leadership?” My view? It’s when a leader’s unique talents help drive their success. Gallup indicates that it is to help people uncover their talents.
My top five strengths are Achiever, Analytical, Relator, Competitive and Strategic. These distinctions — and in this order — are what make me unique as compared with someone else. According to Gallup, only in 1 in 33 million people have the exact same top five strengths (of 34) in the same order. How I harness my abilities to lead is in my unique fashion.
I can tell you that of the other possibilities, such Developer or Woo, they are just not my forte. I see myself as analytical and strategic. And not just in a leadership role but in how I approach and experience everyday life.
There is one trait that I believe all great leaders have: flexibility. They are flexible enough to understand if they need to “Woo” or be “Empathetic”. By being so diverse, a leader can control and better understand the opinions and point of view of various employee’s and/or peers. If the leader can peak over one side of the fence and understand someone’s point of view while also maintaining their own opinion, they can make a better and more informative decision that benefits a group and/or an individual.
Will these 5 specific traits make me a successful leader though? I think that depends on me. If I use my strengths flexibly and surround myself with complementary strengths, I can only make myself better not just as a person but as a leader.