Strengths Based Leadership Tom Rath

Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, Strategic Thinking. These are all strength themes developed over 30 years by Gallup research which was then developed into the Gallup’s StrengthsFinder assessment. Executors know how to make things happen; influencers help their team reach a much broader audience; relationship builders are the essential glue that holds a team together; strategic thinkers are the ones who keep us all focused on what could be.

I became familiar with the assessment about 5 years ago as I’ve taken it as well as a dozen other leadership assessments through the years. I like StrengthsFinder best because it really breaks down your strengths in leadership from multiple viewpoints. I found that while I am an Executor, I also lead through Relationship Building and my highest leadership is development in Strategic Thinking.

The book that I read Strengths Based Leadership was engaging and relevant because it is a follow-up to the first book that I read years ago. Strengths Based Leadership provides the reader with dialogue from some of the most successful organizational leaders as they share how utilizing the assessment and learning their leadership strengths have taken their leadership to new heights. The introduction asks you quickly to reflect on the most effective leaders forever alter the course of your life—the best leaders get to move on. Who came to my mind quickly were Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Jr., Oprah and John F. Kennedy. These are the ultimate leaders of my life and they all have made an impact that will forever touch my life.

There were three key findings from the research: 1) the most effective leaders are always investing in strengths; 2) the most effective leaders surround themselves with the right people and then maximize their team; and 3) the most effective leaders understand their followers’ needs. I take from these three findings that 1) as an educational leader you never stop working on your leadership brand. As an educator you impact so many lives and a good leader is concerned about how they influence students and colleagues and are regarded by others; 2) to be an effective educational leader you always bring the right individuals around you to make your team or school or department the most effective and best it can be; and 3) an effective educational leader understands the needs of their students, staff, community stakeholders, and all others who may fall under the leadership of your classroom, school, district, or other organization.

The book delves into investing in your strengths, maximizing your team, and understanding why people follow which goes in depth into the three key finds. In conclusion it closes by sharing the next steps of leadership which lasts beyond a lifetime. If you keep people similar to yourself around you, you place yourself at a disadvantage and good leaders continue to grow by complimenting
their team with effective members. I like the last quote of the book that Rath shares, “perhaps the ultimate test of a leader is not what you are able to do in the here and now—but instead what
continues to grow long after you’re gone.” I challenge those of you who are reading this blog to
consider these last words of wisdom—what will continue to grow long after you’re gone?
StrengthsFinders can be a great asset to you as you continue to build your team and affect the lives of the students, staff, and stakeholders that we work with every day.