Building Strong Teams Using the 4 Domains

Each of the 34 Strengths falls within one of 4 domains.

Relating, Impacting, Thinking and Striving.


It can be very insightful to chart each of your strengths and look at your overall profile.
It is also an effective method to employ when building teams. If after analyzing your strengths profile you notice that you have only thinking and striving themes, it would be beneficial to recruit additional team members with impacting and relating themes.

The 4 Strength Domains


Relating Themes (Working with People)

Harmony, Communication, Empathy, Includer, Individualization, Relator, Responsibility


Impacting Themes (Influencing People)

Command, Competition, Developer, Positivity, Maximizer, Woo


Striving Themes (Working Harder)

Achiever, Activator, Belief, Significance, Discipline, Adaptability, Focus, Restorative, Self-Assurance


Thinking Themes (Working Smarter)

Analytical, Arranger, Consistency, Connectedness, Deliberative, Futuristic, Ideation
Input, Intellection, Learner, Context, Strategic

StrengthsFinderTM, The Gallup School of Management, ©1999.


Below are the profiles of two men that I'm Strengths coaching.

James- Futuristic, Strategic, Includer, Belief, Communication
Thinking, Thinking, Relating, Striving, Relating
Thinking 2, Relating 2, Striving 1 Impacting 0

James is strong in Thinking/Relating themes, but he has no Impacting themes.

Allan- Woo, Positivity, Adaptability, Belief, Includer
Impacting, Impacting, Striving, Striving, Relating
Impacting 2, Striving 2, Relating 1, Thinking 0

Allan is strong in Impacting/Striving themes, but he has no thinking themes. Allan and James are collaborating on film and television projects. Is this a good match? They seem to be an excellent match as far as balancing each other out. They enjoy working together. Allan just mentioned today how he and James seemed to make a good pair. Of course there are many other ingredients involved in making a great team, but knowing your strengths domain profile is a good start.

Do you know how your strengths interplay with others in your life?

I would love to help anyone interested in knowing more about the implications and applications of their strength domain profile. Just write me a note. Tim

25 comments:

Mark Dripchak said...

Tim, I bought StrengthsFinder 2.0 about 3 weeks ago, and I have not been able to use it because there is some sort of security conflict with WinXP on their site. A tech support person told me they were aware of this but that they don't know how to fix it. Are you aware of any tweaks that I should do with Windows in order to have access to the assessment? Thanks.
Mark

Tim McGinnis said...

I'm sorry to hear that you're having troubles. I never ran into any problem using XP. Hmmmmm. Any pop-up blockers? Norton Anti-Virus? Spam Blockers? Disable them all and try again...I wish I could be more help. Take care

ols said...

Hi Tim,
I did StrengthsFinder 2.0 last night and below are my strengths.

Futuristic
Learner
Self-assurance (strange because sometimes i'm not so sure of myself!)
Ideation
Individualisation

Could you advise on what these means and what kind of careers can i apply my strength domains in?

I'm very new to this whole premise of Strengths so I hope you could provide some insight into this area.

Thank you so much!

Cheers,

Olivia

Tim McGinnis said...

Good question Olivia. I can't respond fully in this format, so email me at my email listed in my profile if you'd like to continue the discussion. Cheers. Tim

Kelly Matson said...

Hi!

My top 5 strengths are:

Individualization
Developer
Empathy
Restorative
Relator

I would love to know the different types of jobs that go well with these strengths. According to your domain categories I have 3 Relating Themes, 1 Impacting Theme, and 1 Striving Theme.

Thank you so much in advance for your response. I was really hoping for more career direction. I got my degree in psychology and was debating on whether to go back and get my Master's. I was wondering if that would be a good career according to my strengths and if not, what would be.

Thanks!
Kelly

Tim McGinnis said...

Hi Kelly. You ask a great question. If you would like a detailed response, please email me at the address on my profile page or visit my website and look for contact information.

Regards,

Tim

Wrap Happy said...

Hi Tim,

I took Strengths Finder recently and discovered that I am a one-trick pony :-) My top 5 strengths are all in the working smarter/thinking category:

1. Ideation
2. Learner
3. Strategic
4. Intellection
5. Input

What type of career does this point to?

I am currently a President/CEO of an advertising agency.

Any thoughts on this would be great.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Tim-
I just took the strengths finder and found that my top five are Intellectual, Input, Learner, Analytical, and Consistency. These tests (Myers Briggs, etc.)typically indicate (correctly) that I'm in the wrong job, and strengthsfinder is no exception.

Is there any insight you can offer as to what roles/jobs may best fit that profile?

Anonymous said...

Hey Tim,

Would love to chat with you about strengths finder sometime. I love the explanation behind events, I'm extremely spontaneous, I imagine a vivid picture of progress in the future, and I believe in the inter-connectedness of all humans and life on earth... also bit of an activitor and woo'er
bc397405@ohio.edu

In response to others...
I think its nearly impossible to reccomend career choices based off of your strength themes. There are so many different industries and job roles to take you shouldn't be looking for the one perfect job. Instead find out what you really enjoy about your work, Strengths (or would really enjoy), and what you really don't like in work (weaknesses). Your more than likely going to switch jobs many more times, so just try to find roles that fit you better than your previous job. OR find ways to better fit your strengths in your current situation.

Best of luck all

christine f. said...

Hello!

Here are my top 5:

Activator
Consistency
Responsibility
Achiever
Maximizer

According to your domain categories I have 2 striving themes, 1 thinking theme, 1 relating theme, 1 impacting theme.It is pretty even overall.

My strenghts fit me perfectly and my job is in tune with my strenghts however I have become very bored with it, not challenging enough but I am highly regarded with my superiors and the paycheck is very good...I'm not sure what to make of it...Strategic is my strenght 22 and deliberative #33...need I say more?

Any idea will be more than welcome!

Christine

Anonymous said...

Dear Tim:

I a 43 and sold on strength finder. My signature strenths are Stretegic
Activator
Context
Communication
Woo

Under this structure it says I hold
1 relating (
1 striving (Activator)
1 Impacting (Woo)
2 Thinking (Context/Stretegic

In the new release (Leading through your strengths the divisions are

Executing
Influancing
Relationship Building
Stretegic thinking

There My divisions would be:

0 Executing
3 Influancing
0 Relationship Building
2 Stretegic Thinking

I teach but have some dissatisfaction because the Institution is stagnent and doesn't seem to think ahead or learn from its mistakes. I would say its a learning institution with a learning disibility. Is there anything in strengthfinder research that could help me see positions or jobs that fit and satisfy my design best?

Paul Conway said...

Hello!

My strengths are

Strategic
Activator
Context
Communication
Woo

I work at a learning institution but the team struggles with learning from its environment, customer, and current culture. I teach here and enjoy tremendous influence with the student body, but I am deeply frustrated with the leadership team. They seem more interested in co-operation than collaboration. I know my strategic/activator needs are key in that. I can’t seem to influence change on it much. Is there any aptitude or position you see that makes sense for me with this profile. For instance, what positions should I avoid and what ones should I pursue? In the book "Leading from your strengths" the divide the quadrants differently. In there I have

0 executing
3 Influencing (Communication/woo/activator
0 Relationship building
2 strategic thinking Strategic/context.

I love teaching but I’m deeply frustrated because I wish to influence. I have almost 100% influences in the lives of the student body, but my leadership team has me hemmed in sufficiently to make little or no influence on the institution. I also have a powerful mind for strategic thinking. I see all the paths and dead ends when a committee meeting or planning session happens yet have little influence in the situation (I have been here almost 5 years and do not have self defeating behavior). Where do strategic thinking influencers like me fit? I feel like I’m living on the Island of misfit toys... Is there anyone who has done research on this. Jobs or positions to pursue vs. ones to avoid?

Tim McGinnis said...

Sounds like you have some great ideas for your own school. I support you in that effort.

Anonymous said...

I did StrengthsFinder 2.0 yesterday and below are my strengths.

Futuristic
Strategic
Communication
Focus
Activator

Could you help me what kind of career suits with my strength. Currently I am working as Software Architect, but I am interested in Marketing.

Please help me...

Regards
kishore

Kishore said...

I did StrengthsFinder 2.0 yesterday and below are my strengths.

Futuristic
Strategic
Communication
Focus
Activator

Could you help me what kind of career suits with my strength. Currently I am working as Software Architect, but I am interested in Marketing.

Please help me...

Regards
kishore

Dan said...

Tim,

I'm putting together a new team for a ministry, and have had all 4 potential team members take StrengthsFinder 2.0

What tools are there to help me see if they are cohesive and full of potential?

Here's their profiles...

Lead Guy:
0 Relating
0 Impacting
1 Working (belief)
4 Thinking (input, intellection, learner, connected)
2nd guy
0 Relating
0 Impacting
3 Working (restorative, belief, activator)
2 Thinking (connected, futuristic)

Female 1
1 Relating (Relator)
0 Impacting
3 Working (restorative, adaptable, belief)
1 Thinking (input)

Female 2
1 Relating (empathy)
2 Impacting (Developer, Positivity)
1 Working (Belief)
1 Thinking (Ideation)

Any thoughts?

edwinphong said...

Hi Tim,

I attempted to email you with my gmail account and had it returned. Would you advise me what to do?

Thanks!
Edwin

dustgaudan said...

Greetings!

I would really want to know the assessment of my strengths based on the results of the StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath.

I'd like to know the career path that I can excel and everything about my strengths in your perspective.

Here's my list of Top 5 Strengths:

Adaptability
Strategic
Belief
Empathy
Maximizer


I hope to hear you soon! Thank you very much.

Have a great day!

Alvin

Blu said...

Hi, Tim

My top five are:

Ideation
Futuristic
Strategic
Activator
Command

I have Communication and Empathy following in sixth and seventh place, which means I'm not too relational to begin with. I'm passionate about economic development in my community - I would love giving ideas and helping economically disadvantaged people start businesses and stay with them until it stabilizes, teaching them the entrepreneurial basics.

lorihm said...

Hi Tim,
Like several other comments, I would like to find out what job roles I should be pursuing for my strengths. After 15 years of software support, I can no longer stand to be trapped behind a desk! Maybe because my strengths are:
1. Woo
2. Learner
3. Communication
4. Connectedness
5. Adaptability

Additionally, I am an ESFP. Can you suggest any fields/job roles? Thanks so much, in advance, for any insight you may have!

Lori

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,

My top five are:
1. WOO
2. Communication
3. Futuristic
4. Maximizer
5. Positivity

I have been in leadership roles, sales and am now in a strategy role for a large corporation. There is not a career path for strategy so I have to pick a functional area. I have been recruited into HR due to my passion for people and my ability to influence and motivate leaders to achieve more. I am also being recruited into Regulatory affairs because of what I mentioned above plus my quick learning agility. I am very torn. I feel with my skillset I have the blessing and the curse of moving in many different directions. Any suggestions from your point of view and experience?

KG

Anonymous said...

I was curious if there was anything tangible out there (an excel formula or program?) that could assist in desigining high functioning teams via strengths diversity??

-Maurice

Anonymous said...

Hi, is there anyone who can assist me with how my Strengths relates to someone else's? What the obvious issues will be in the relationship and how to adjust to have a healthy level of compromise between myself and the other person?

Please mail me on: johann_venter@live.co.za

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim

My profile is as follows

Communicator
Individualization
Input
Strategic
Learner

The themes are focused on 2 themes - relating and thinking. Is this a strength or an indicator that I need to work on impacting and striving? I have a very ambitious nature and do drive people at work. What wil be your advise?

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,
I would appreciate your thoughts on how you handle the team component. Our existing team are all profiled:
Thinking dominates with 40% of the team having a mix of themes
Executing 28%
Relationship Building 20%
Influencing 12%

What would you see the qualities, team dynamics, capabilities being of such a team...and what would we do about the gaps/challenges..?