Analyze Talents, Synthesize Strengths: A Pattern for Energy and Growth

"Reality is one, though wise men speak of it variously."

The Rigveda (c. 1500-1200 BC)

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the blind men and the elephant. It’s a parable about enhancing one’s understanding through the insights of others. It has been passed down through many religious traditions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, and generally follows the format of this Hindu version found in the Kathamrita:

“A number of blind men came to an elephant. Somebody told them that it was an elephant. The blind men asked, ‘What is the elephant like?’ and they began to touch its body. One of them said, ‘It is like a pillar.’ This blind man had only touched its leg. And another man said, ‘The elephant is like a husking basket.’ This person had only touched its ears. Similarly, he who touched its trunk or its belly talked of it differently.”

The blind men systematically examined the elephant, breaking it down into smaller components and detailing each one. As individuals, their understanding was incomplete because analysis alone does not foster true learning or growth. Benjamin Bloom knew this and depicted it well in his taxonomy for learning: synthesis must follow analysis for us to make progress. Bloom’s taxonomy was revised in 2001, with “synthesis” replaced by “create”, but the dialectical process remained the same: The polar forces of analysis and synthesis form a pattern that always leads to deeper insight.

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Psychometric tests, sometimes called personality tests, are a great way to start this process for individuals and teams. These assessments are fundamentally the tools of an analyst to measure natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. If you’re not sure which one to use, don’t worry—there are plenty out there to choose from (here are the top five of these assessments according to Forbes Health).

Whether it’s an analysis of your individual talents or a break-down of an elephant-sized team project, analysis is only valuable when it’s done to support a future synthesis. The real power lies in the unique combination of insights and ideas to create something new—otherwise you end up with only part of the elephant.

I was in the Marine Corps for 20 years, so I’ll quote the Corps’ favorite military theorist, the legendary and occasionally blunt, late Colonel John Boyd.”

“…there are two things you have to be able to do: analyze and synthesize. Analysis and synthesis. And if you can do that in many different areas, tactics, strategies, goals, unifying theme, you can run businesses, you can do any goddamn thing you want. And so when a person calls you an analyst, you’re really only a half-wit. You only got half. Idiot. So there’s two things that I don’t like being called, one an analyst, and the other is an expert. Because an expert means he knows everything and can’t learn anything new. He’s rigid. And boy, if you’re an analytical expert, you’re really in deep trouble.” (lecture by Col. John Boyd, USAF (Ret), “Patterns of Conflict”)

Among the top five assessments according to Forbes Health, Gallup’s CliftonStrengths™ is arguably the most research based. There are 34 individual CliftonStrengths™ themes, including “Responsibility” and “Adaptability.” Four distinct theme categories, called domains, emerged from Gallup’s research: Executing, Relationship Building, Influencing and Strategic Thinking. These domains can serve as a powerful unifying purpose for a team, for example:

• How do I use my top talent theme to execute an important task on time?

• How do I use themes in my top 5 to ensure we build relationships that will enable success?

Natural dependability, a strong sense of commitment and avoidance of excuses are talents and behaviors that fall within the general theme of “Responsibility,” which can serve as a powerful source of energy to execute tasks. Domains are a synthesis of the 34 themes, just as the themes themselves are a synthesis of specific talents and behaviors. This dialectical process can be leveraged in a powerful way within us and especially within teams.

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A strengths-based team deliberately analyzes individual members’ talents and then combines those themes to synthesize more powerful partnerships. According to Gallup’s research, new ideas and insights are generated that increase productivity and even profitability within those teams.

Why would this be the case?

Because by focusing on discovering and applying a team member’s unique strengths, you increase the probability someone within the team will be postured and empowered to do things like this:

• Readily adjust to chaotic or dynamic changes

• Notice valuable insights that may have otherwise been overlooked

• Provide a more complete “big-picture” of a particular problem

• Bring an innate eye for incremental improvements of a particular process

• Naturally break a large task into a detailed plan of specific actions and milestones

Whether or not we have built a team with the right strengths—and whether the members of that team know their unique strengths—shouldn’t be left to chance. When each person leads with their strengths, he or she can articulate the needs and requirements within a domain from their unique perspective. As each teammate does the same, a tapestry of themes within domains paints a clearer picture of the challenge and primes the team for a better synthesis of solutions. It is a pattern for energy and growth that we can look for and design within our teams.

This is when these talents truly become strengths.

In the parable mentioned at the beginning of this article, the blind men synthesized an elephant. By leveraging the unique talents within yourself and your team, you will create something even bigger. Leaders can approach their teams as a coach would by investing in individual talents and team strengths to facilitate growth, development and performance.

I can’t tell you what exactly you and your team will create—therein lies the magic. But if you choose to start by analyzing talents, together you will synthesize strengths that will produce elephant-sized energy and growth.

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Contact Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Mike Vincent, at mike@kaleocoaching.com to get your Clifton Strengths Assessment code. Mike is also available for team workshops, keynote speaking, or 1 on 1 coaching.

Kaleo Coaching is currently working with organizations and individuals to help clarify the GOOD work they are called to. Learn more at kaleocoaching.com