StrengthFinders is a personal and group leadership tool. We are using it to help build relations based on who we collaborate with, what are our strengths, who can help us, etc.
Catalogues individual and teams? what their strengths are based on...
UW is putting in structures to improve team via epics in Jira to execute on this.
Individual Contributor Perspective - Piet N. - UWash
Outcomes resonated with group that strengths are recognized and valued.
Tool focuses on strengths more than weaknesses
Using it to determine how best to leverage strengths in engagements
Sharing of Local Experience
Mojgan Amin - UC San Diego
Beginning of journey using it, but it has been very impactful for us.
Uses it to help sharpen individual strengths and to create teams that are well-rounded and balanced.
Quesiton: Do you use this externally or just internally within your group?
Jim - Focus currently is internally but will bring it up if know others have used it
Piet - Own profile is conversation started with project manager on major project to help set team expectations and understand team dynamics
StrengthsFinder at EDUCAUSE - Susan Grajk - EDUCAUSE
Have used it for many year. Strengths have changed over time.
Created a heatmap to create a team profile to help highlight top strengths and weaknesses
Use this to identify go-to people, to see what style the team has overall, celebrate our differences and who can help us bring out.
Correlated team member to each other to pare up with people least like us to discuss, think about how to improve their collaboration and communications, and develop appreciation our differences & reduce friction - helps see people in difference light.
StrengthsFinder at UW-Milwaukee - Beth Schaefer - UW-Milwaukee
Found that succesful people were ones who leveraged their strengths
Used as employee retention and engagement
Strenghts incorporated into employee dev plan and to improve communications with client services planning team
Use as part of employee onboarding
Seems to have helped build more relations in siloed areas once staff got to known each other better
Lessons learned
Assure buy-in from leadership/mgmt
It is for awareness building
Have dedicated resources (when using at scale)
Plan for ongoing training and exercises (when using at scale)
Question: How long have you used the program and what is compelling difference seen before & after?
Beth - Used since 2010. Seen cross-functional team communication significantly improved
Susan - Benefit is to learn about yourself and colleagues in the workplace by creating a shared vocabulary on how to talk to one another. Also increases self-knowledge (emotional intelligence building)
Piet - Only been applying for 1 year (age of EA team). Motivated by need to put structure in place to focus on strengths. Indiviidually gives focus on their professional development.
Itana Org Updates
API Working Group - Last week's call was cancelled
Business Architecture Working Group - Had a call last week. Dana will send out update to list-serv.
EA Maturity Model - Expect a message to the list showning examples and calls for others to participate
IoT White Paper - Reported on last week
Book club - 1st discussion in 2:00 to 3:00 pm CST. See Itana calendar for connect info and agenda.