What gives you energy? And why it matters

Here’s a question I want you to ask, consider, and answer for yourself:

WHAT IS IT THAT TRULY GIVES YOU ENERGY, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? 

One of the reasons I love CliftonStrengths is that it helps people understand themselves better. It’s based on the idea that we each have dominant talents, the combination of which make us unique.

When we tap into the power of those talents, we boost our potential and productivity in a manner that’s fulfilling, not draining. And when we identify them as a team, we can appreciate one another’s talents and maximize everyone’s strengths for the benefit of the team. 

Let’s take a peek at my top 5 CliftonStrengths to demonstrate how they affect the factors that give me energy or deplete me.

1. WOO WINNING OTHER OVER. 

People with this CliftonStrength love to meet new people, welcome them, and win them over. They bring lots of energy to social situations.

For me, having WOO as a strength means I derive energy from:

• Personally: A room of 100 new people!

When I’m in an environment with new people, I love to work the room and get to know people. I feel like my battery is charged and feel a spark with each new connection.

• Professionally: Networking events!

I absolutely love to attend networking events, especially new member meetings. I’m a great person to be a greeter because I love welcoming everyone and having the opportunity to win them over.

Things that deplete my WOO strength:

• Being stuck in a room where I can’t talk to anyone.

• Too much quiet time. Ugh!

2. COMMUNICATION:

People with this CliftonStrength are great conversationalists who are verbally expressive and generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words.

For me, having Communication as a strength means I derive energy from:

• Personally: Talking to others.

Communicating with people is like water for me: I need it every day! I love to tell stories and need space and time to communicate my thoughts through words.

• Professionally: Giving presentations!

I absolutely love facilitating workshops. I enjoy clarifying my thoughts by sharing stories in work settings as much as in personal situations. And I loooove public speaking.

Things that deplete me:

• Email. I’d much rather pick up the phone and talk.

• When I’m in a setting where I’m not able to participate verbally but I know I could contribute and/or help articulate a point. It’s even worse if I have a particular story in mind!

• Speaking without audience participation. Group expression is crucial for me—I want others to speak so we all get the most out of my presentation.

3.  ACTIVATOR:

People with this CliftonStrength like to Make. Things. Happen. They want less words and more action.

For me, having Activator as a strength means I derive energy from:

• Personally: Doing things!

I love putting energy and momentum behind creative projects, throwing parties, and anything else where I can seeing forward progress by taking action.

• Professionally: Action.

The energy I get from taking action is palpable, and that’s true whether it’s a personal or professional endeavor. If someone suggests a new idea I think is good at a workshop, we try it! Let’s see if it works – I’d rather jump in and give it a go than stop and think about it for weeks.

Things that deplete me:

• Being part of a committee that spends lots of time talking about ideas but doesn’t take action.

• It’s super difficult for me when people take a long time to consider an idea that requires action. I feel like, “Can’t we just do it right now?”

4. POSITIVITY:

People with this CliftonStrength like to have contagious enthusiasm. These are the glass half-full folks that are upbeat, optimistic, and full of fun. 

For me, having Positivity as a strength means I derive energy from:

• Personally: Spending time with other positive people.

I can feel myself light up when I’m surrounded by others with a positive perspective. These are my favorite interactions!

• Professionally: Giving praise.

Because I focus on the things people are good at, I love to give them praise. It’s easy for me because I don’t think you can ever give people enough kind words, compliments, or love.

Things that deplete me:

• When people focus on the negative. This drains the life out of me. It’s hard!

• When people mistake my positivity for naiveté. Just because I choose to focus on the positive doesn’t mean I don’t see the big picture. I do, but I prefer to put my time and energy into the positive aspect of the situation. 

5. MAXIMIZER:

People with this CliftonStrength focus on strengths and prefer to manage around weaknesses. They’re committed to excellence on all fronts. 

For me, having Maximizer as a strength means I derive energy from:

• Personally: Killing lots of birds with one stone.

I love to group errands for maximum efficiency. If we’re having a family meeting, I like to think about questions ahead of time so we can make the most of our time together. I also use this when I’m doing strategic planning. I think about how I can maximize my actions to create the best outcome for a particular problem.

• Professionally: Making the most of relationships.

In a work setting, I love the relationship-building aspect of this strength. I often thing about how I can maximize the relationship: What do they need from me? How do I bring my best self to this meeting today?

Things that deplete me:

• Wasted talent. Wasted energy. Wasted resources. Wasted potential. When resources aren’t utilized, it frustrates me because I can see how much more effective the situation could have been if resources were intentionally used.

• Focusing on weakness. Whether we’re talking about an individual or a team, I want to focus on the strengths!

It’s important to keep in mind that these are my top 5 CliftonStrengths and they work together to make me—and my experience in the world—unique. Every person has natural talents that influence how we feel, think, and act.

When we identify our CliftonStrengths and can better understand how they interact, and how that influences the things that give us energy or drain us. Recognizing those things allows us to tap into our strengths and potential, helping us to be more effective and productive personally and professionally. I’d call that a win-win! 

Contact me today to find out more about how Millennial Guru can help you be the best version of yourself—both at home and at work.

We’d love to work with you, and your coworkers, to help you discover how your strengths can best complement one another, maximizing your talents to boost performance on the team.