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| Format: | Recurso educativo Open Access |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ926005 |
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Table of Contents:
- Showing Our Strengths Jacobsen, Teresa L. Industrial Training Public Agencies Leadership Principals Administrators Libraries Leaders Back when leadership academies were proliferating (a mere two years ago), succession planning was a key curriculum component. Solano County, California, like many other entities, was looking at impending retirements of top-level administrators, and so it began to groom prospective leaders. The County's administration designed an "emerging leaders" institute, to which it invited all departments, including the library. Such planning has pretty much fallen by the wayside as people grapple with fiscal survival. Retirement, upward mobility, and other dreams seem to have been put on pause. Those who thought they'd be retired are still chugging along, while other positions remain unfilled or are held by interim folks. Despite the discouraging atmosphere, all is not lost, because a gem emerged from the county's leadership institute--the introduction of StrengthsFinder[TM] training. Developed by Gallup over roughly 40 years of interviews and refinement, and used steadily since 2001, this online assessment tool "helps people find their talents." From the positive psychology school of thought, Donald O. Clifton and his colleagues devised a list of 34 themes that they felt represented strengths that people might carry inherently. Rather than focusing on weaknesses, things to fix, the Gallup StrengthsFinder[TM] gives a "Top 5" ranked list of traits/talents that may help shed light on one's work personality. Strengths training has been administered in universities, public agencies, and medical establishments, and it is quite the rage in corporate training circles. This article discusses how strengths training can reinvigorate team spirit and foster a healthy atmosphere in tough times.