How to Help Line Managers Be Brilliant

I’ve become a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach – as part of my commitment to continuous personal development, so I can stay one step ahead of what my clients want and need.

The business leaders I work with are already seeing tangible benefits as a result. Especially considering that retaining star talent is a priority right now against the backdrop of ‘The Great Resignation’.

In this blog I talk about what Gallup Strengths is all about and how I use this approach to help make line managers be brilliant. 🏆

THIS IS THE KEY TO GAINING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 🗝

My years as a HR director in the corporate world – and working with business owners – has taught me that happy and high-performing teams are the way to gain a competitive advantage and scale your business fast. 📈

I’ve seen first-hand how high-performing teams soon disband if they’re unhappy. On the flip side, I’ve also witnessed the happiest of teams who deliver very little.

Since becoming a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, I’ve helped businesses – through identifying the strengths and blind spots they have in their teams – to:

✔ Hire the right candidates
✔ Unleash individual potential
✔ Improve employee relationships
✔ Understand and boost team dynamic
✔ Make line managers be brilliant!

Let me now tell you how it works... 👇

GALLUP STRENGTHS IN A NUTSHELL

Somebody online described strengths-based leadership as “Focusing on what’s strong, not what’s wrong.” 💪

I love this. 😍

It evolves the old way of assessing a line manager’s capability and potential through the lens of strengths and weaknesses. Or more recently where weaknesses are referred to as ‘development areas’.

As a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, I focus on identifying a line manager’s Strengths through an assessment that asks them to go through 177 paired statements and choose which best describes them.

For example, they might be presented with these two statements:

I am a sensitive person
I am a logical person

I wonder which statement best describes you?! 🤔

Once the line manager I’m working with has completed the assessment, I then take them through the results which tells them what their top strengths are. But more importantly, how to best play to their strengths in the workplace and as a leader. 👌

For example, you might have a line manager who has been identified as having incredible Focus. This comes naturally to them. However, if they’re so immersed in what they do, they could miss valuable cues from their team about what they’re doing and how they’re feeling.

My job is to help the line manager over time to channel their strengths in a positive way, and in doing so, ignite their potential.

I also show them what they’re NOT. Which is equally valuable to them.

That’s the game-changer. 👌

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRENGTHS AND ENERGY

What ignites or consumes our energy levels directly impacts how we perform. In other words, there’s an intrinsic link between strengths and energy.

When you’re playing to your strengths, you’re NOT depleting your energy levels, because things come naturally to you.

But if you’re doing a task, or you’re in a job, or you’re in a physical environment that doesn’t play to your strengths – you’re going to have to work MUCH harder to muster up the energy to be brilliant.

For example, being Analytical could be one of your strengths. But if you’re in a team full of Activators – who want to get on and do stuff NOW – you could find yourself frazzled and unhappy. 😴😩

That’s why knowing your own strengths can influence so many things. From the type of job you can perform well in, to the type of environment you’re happiest in. It can also shape relationships in the workplace and affect team dynamics.

GALLUP STRENGTHS AND LINE MANAGER PROBLEM SOLVING

I also use Gallup Strengths to help line managers to solve problems that might occur because of their leadership style.

For example, by helping them to delegate more, have honest conversations, address poor performance, and resolve internal conflict. The list is endless!

For example, you may have a line manager that has Positivity as one of their key strengths. When they play to that key strength, they’re on fire. 🔥 Their team is motivated and happy.

But, when that line manager is required to have a difficult conversation with a team member who is falling short of what’s required of them, they might fail to communicate what needs to change and why.

This gets the recipient off the hook and performance doesn’t improve as a result 📉😱

MY OWN STRENGTHS PROFILE 🤔

I have the privilege of helping line managers to be as brilliant as they can be. That’s when I’m playing to my own strengths, and it feels very natural to me.

Having become a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, I’ve discovered what my true strengths are and some of them may be of interest to you!

In order:

1. Achiever: I work hard and don’t give up!
2. Relator: I make friends with those I work with
3. Strategic: I find different ways to solve problems
4. Maximiser: I draw out the best in people
5. Self-Assurance: I’m confident in my decisions and abilities

IS THIS COACHING APPROACH RIGHT FOR MY BUSINESS?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you want a happy and high-performing team? 🤔
• Do you want to create a great place to work? 🤔
• Do you want to retain star talent by investing in personal development? 🤔

If the answer’s yes, then Gallup Strengths could help!

HELP YOUR LINE MANAGERS BE BRILLIANT TODAY!

As a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, I can work with your line managers to help build happy and high-performing teams.

If this is something you’re interested in, please book a FREE consultation here.

*Some of the content in this blog is inspired by the materials I’ve been through myself via Gallup.

HERE'S A HELPFUL LIST OF MY MOST POPULAR RESOURCES...

• Take the Leadership Quiz to uncover your natural leadership style.

• Watch my Free Masterclass to learn how to build a high performing team.

• Grab my Free Guide for Busy Managers to help you save 5+ hours every week.

• Browse and download my Free HR Guides and Templates.

• Book a free consultation with Mandy here, to learn more about us working together.