Who says?
Design your Life on Purpose – who says series – is about looking at amazing crazy ideas.
It might be my extreme positivity (I have been measured and I am 98% optimist and 99% happy), but I choose to look at the world from a strengths-based lens, rather than a deficit.
‘Existing wisdom’ is that we need to concentrate on what we do poorly and work on how we get better at it. I have had many performance improvement discussions in my career, where they told me to focus on x, even if I am really crap at it. Baffling!
Thankfully, there is evidence that this will not generate high performance and frankly can lead people to believe there is something wrong with them. Different people have different talents and these talents will show up in different ways. If this was not the case we would not have different people performing different roles.
People are successful using the talents and skills they innately have. That is why we have accountants and artists, boiler makers and ballet dancers, because we are not homogenous beings.
My experience with strengths is relatively new, but fits very well with my view of the world. But the research and rigour applied by Cliftons/Gallup is an impressive way to evidence my world view.
Gallup measure everything that moves and their research shows that people who know and use their CliftonStrengths are:
more engaged at work
more productive in their roles
happier and healthier
However, my biggest reason for loving it, is that it helps people make sense of themselves in a way that allows them to apply their strengths regardless of their role.
It helps you appreciate how and when you succeed and how to repeat the circumstances that will make that happen more often.
Utilising your Strengths
It has helped me create the Design your Life on Purpose program, using my top 5 strengths, let me explain:
Positivity
My infectious enthusiasm, helps people unearth what is possible and then believe it is possible
Strategic
Helps me create different plans and approaches to get to the outcomes, and help them quickly decide what is going to work best for them
Futuristic
Helps paint a picture of what the future could be for them and helps me create a picture of what my future is
Ideation
Means I can quickly generate a bunch of ideas (quickly) that can help buffer against the roadblocks that can come up
Relator
Building deep enduring relationships means I can design an experience that is uplifting and unique, I am their partner in this for the long haul
The same strengths, in a very similar way show up in designing Incahoots, into a whole different business model. Where I will spend time working with teams and projects to design their change strategy, strategic plans and then coach their teams to achieve the outcome.
Have you ever received advice that you knew you could not apply? I often get the advice “are you going to toughen up now?”, usually after someone has let me down spectacularly, or being very judge-y that hurt me right to the core. I get the sentiment, but that is not how I navigate the world and I would prefer to be open and welcoming and be cut to the quick very occasionally.
If I look at why that is so, my strengths point towards that outcome.
Knowing your strengths will help you know what is going to work better for you and what you are trying to achieve.
So, what does this mean for you?
Knowing your strengths will mean you have a more effective at designing your life on purpose - think of it as Strengthening your Strategic Life Map.
Strength’s assessment and debrief (debrief – is essential to help understanding, connection and application) can fundamentally change the way you approach the dreams you have in place and will help you achieve them.
What “existing” wisdom do you feel needs to be flipped?
Just because everyone is going one way, you can choose to go an entirely different direction. I want you to do the thing you have been avoiding, thinking it was not right or odd. It is doable. Ignore the naysayers and go do your thing.
I will be the cheerleader for your quirkiness.
You can get started with just a little bit of time each week. Even 1 hour a week will get you started. At the very least you will understand if this is for you or not.
Yours Collaboratively
Christina MM
READY to SIGN UP for Design your Life on Purpose (DYLOP) program
DYLOP is designed to guide professionals who have deferred their dreams, to unearth possibilities and design their strategic life map answering the question - now what?
“We all need this. Don't waste time being aimless”
Julianna Canale - Executive Manager, Westpac
“It was my time and I was giving myself permission to invest in me”
Deb C - Connexia Change Management Practice Director
“Do it. Even if they sort of know their path its' such a great exercise and it triggers your brain. Even more so for someone that is a bit lost - Everyone can do it.”
Frida Eriksson-Moussa
Special Offers
Bring a friend
Everything is better with friends, so if you bring a friend along then you both get a bonus one on one coaching session. Each person will work on their own Strategic Life Map and they can choose to share or not. The session is all about you and what you need and is strictly confidential. Giving you all my focus and attention to help accelerate your dreams.
READY TO GO!
If you are ready to create a Strategic Life Map that suits YOU personally.
Is this the year that you start designing a life that suits you perfectly?
Yes, then lock the Saturday the 6th November in your calendar and register right now. I would love to see you there and see what amazing things you can achieve in the next 12 months.
All the information is here, including the magical registration button.
Incahoots exists…
To guide professionals who have deferred their dreams, to unearth possibilities to design a strategic life map that answers the question - now what?
About this Christina Morgan-Meldrum (CMM) person
I am coach, facilitator, author, change professional and creative. I particularly love helping people and organisations unearth what’s possible to design a future that suits them perfectly (a Strategic Lifemap).
I have cultivated the ability to walk into any industry; see what is not seen, distil what is complicated, and simplify the chaos. This skill has been forged in a deliberate and concentrated way for over 20 years, through Personal Coaching and working in Organisational Change Management. Bottom Line is… I know CHANGE. I know how to plan for change, how to start change, how to adjust change in progress, how to track change and how to embed change.
I fill my time on various side hustles, blogging, creating and learning the piano. If you are looking for me, look for me at my spiritual home JB Hi-Fi, exploring stationery stores or artisan markets.