Understanding and Investing in Your Context Talent -- Season 4

To learn more about Gallup's additional strengths resources, visit
the Gallup Strengths Center: http://on.gallup.com/1l04XVZ.

Gallup's Theme Thursday is a live Webcast that targets strengths
coaches and enthusiasts to provide a deeper context behind the
language of strengths by talking in-depth about each of the 34
Clifton StrengthsFinder themes.

Context is about comprehending the present by knowing the past.
There is a value in being able to not miss things that have been
relevant and important in the past, especially as you are thinking
about how to move through the present and into the future.



If you are high in Context you create safety by ensuring that
mistakes are not repeated. You can promote inclusivity by
understanding individual and group histories. When Context is at
its best those high in it are well informed. They are prepared for
anything. They can calmly reference what they know when faced with
a problem. It is helpful to show the path that lead to where you
are today, and explore the steps on how you got there.


Raise your hand for the opportunity to help people understand what
they’re currently a part of. Help them understand who came before
them, and what stories led us to where we are today. Set the scene
for where you are based on what you’ve been doing. Context brings
the amazing ability to show where you’ve been, and give a glimpse
into what could happen next.



Ask for the history even if other people don’t think there is a
history. Ask for a strengths-based understanding of history. Ask
for the most important failure. Ask for the most important success.
You can hear from these questions that they’re all looking
backwards, but doing it in a supportive way that garners excitement
for the future. Look for other ways to read history. Worry less
about being creative on your own. Look for advisors you can go to
in order to inform you on where they’ve been.



Expect some curiosity from people high in Context on where you’ve
been before, not just what you’re doing today. If you don’t have
high Context this can appear as resistance, but for people high in
Context it is just showing that they care. Context isn’t looking
for risk, it isn’t necessarily looking for a plan, it is looking
for historical understanding. Context is telling stories for the
reason of doing the right thing. People high in this theme aren’t
just great story tellers, they are great story listeners.



Recognize the roots that they provide for thought. When they can
get their understanding of history in a place that other people can
digest it creates a solid understanding that opens up others’ minds
for creativity. Context creates a lot of great roots that allows
things to happen that wouldn’t otherwise be credible. Recognize
someone by looking at their own history. Look at now just where
they are, but where they’ve come from.



Give someone with Context the chance to practice sharing what they
know to get into others’ heads. Context doesn’t need an audience,
but it can benefit from having one. Give them information, and then
help them sort. Guide them through all of the details, and let them
navigate you towards the points that are standing out.



To partner with someone with Context share some personal history.
They are going to know you better if they can know where you’ve
been. Tell them what pieces of history help you move forward. Help
them realize what pieces are relevant to improving your own
performance.


If Context is one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this week
through the following challenge items:

Find a local totem that has helped defined the folklore of your
community.
Find someone who has been working on your team the longest, and ask
them about what daily life was like for them when they first
started.

If Context is not one of your Dominant Themes, invest in it this
week through the following challenge items:

Storyboard your personal history.
What gives you confidence in your decisions?