Have you ever wondered why you choose to behave a certain way? To help answer this question, Tom Rath and Barry Conchie have classified leadership strengths into four domains: (1) executing (driver), (2) influencing (persuader), (3) strategic thinking (analyzer), and (4) relationship building, (stabilizer). So what does each of these domains mean? Suppose you identify with being an “analyzer”, or someone who is good at strategic thinking. People will experience your behaviour as cautious, careful, consistent, and diplomatic.
It is important to recognize that everyone has a behaviour preference that can be represented into one of these four domains. You do however, have the ability to flex outside of your preference into other domains if you first acknowledge your own behaviour preference and the preferences of others. You determine your behaviour preference by how you choose to see the world around you.
Your strength domain increases your potential for success by bringing what you believe to be true from your inside into a congruent alignment to your daily outer world of life events. It shapes the way you function in the critical areas of performance, such as communication, visioning, processing information, thinking creatively, managing emotions, aligning of core value or beliefs, and relating to others.
Having awareness of your dominant strength as well as the other strengths in those around you is essential in leading others under times of stress, change, fatigue and chaos. In other words, if ever there was a time to have this knowledge and expertise, now is it – as we all struggle to manage and lead in a pandemic world.
Your behaviour strengths connect you to who you are, what you believe, and how you choose to behave. As you gain awareness of your individual behaviour strengths, you can then use them for the optimal outcome in relationships and performance.
Furthermore, if you are going to become an effective leader, you must understand the power of collaboration and connection so you can create a team composed of people who have strengths in all four domains. In this blend and balance of strengths, you will be able to propel those around you and your organization to a higher level of performance.
