How To Explore Your StrengthsFinder Report - With Pete Mockaitis

Published: April 18, 2017, 7:30 a.m.

b'

This Episode\\u2019s Focus on Strengths

This week Lisa speaks with Pete Mockaitis, who joins us in a live example of what it\\u2019s like to explore your StrengthsFinder results for the first time.

Pete\'s\\xa0Top 10 StrengthsFinder Talent Themes: \\xa0Ideation, Strategic, Learner, Activator, Input, Connectedness, Woo, Communication, Positivity, Individualization

Lisa\\u2019s Top 10 StrengthsFinder Talent Themes: \\xa0 Strategic, Maximizer, Positivity, Individualization, Woo, Futuristic, Focus, Learner, Communication, Significance

Resources of the Episode

You can reach Pete through the Awesome at Your Job website.\\xa0You can also connect with him on Twitter and\\xa0LinkedIn. And you should because he\'s awesome!

Here\'s the link to Pete\'s podcast, and to his interview of Lisa Cummings.

Books, terms, and other websites mentioned in this podcast:

Book: Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Dr. Robert Cialdini

Study: 80/20 Rule, which is also called the Pareto Principle

Term: Leadership Domains\\xa0as explained by my friends at Leadership Vision Consulting. They\'re another firm who offers Strengths based leadership training.

And our favorite resource of the episode: evidence of Pete\'s wicked-awesome talent of one-handed clapping:

\\xa0

You\'ll also find lots of StrengthsFinder, leadership, and team tools on our\\xa0"https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://leadthroughstrengths.com/resources&source=gmail&ust=1487264698482000&usg=AFQjCNHUtPcayNXycHfGq_r2Crj5sPIU7w">Strengths Resources page.

\\xa0

Subscribe To\\xa0Lead Through Strengths

To subscribe and review, here are your links for listening in iTunes and Stitcher Radio. You can also stream any episode right from this\\xa0website. Subscribing is a great way to never miss an episode. Let the app notify you each week when the latest episode gets published.

\\xa0
Here\'s The Full Transcript of the Interview

Lisa Cummings: [00:00:08] You\\u2019re listening to Lead Through Strengths, where you\\u2019ll learn to apply your greatest strengths at work. I\\u2019m your host, Lisa Cummings, and I\\u2019ve got to tell you, whether you\\u2019re leading a team or leading yourself, it\\u2019s hard to find something more energizing and productive than using your natural talents every day at work.

And today you\\u2019re going to get a really unique episode on StrengthsFinder. It\\u2019s different from our usual guest interview. Today, your guest joins us in a live example of what it\\u2019s like to explore your StrengthsFinder results for the first time. So I think a lot of guests are going to identify with his love of learning and his corporate experiences.

He\\u2019s actually a former consultant for Bain so he has that pedigree company thing on his list that many of you. And today he\\u2019s the trainer and chief at Awesome At Your Job, so you\\u2019ll hear more about that and his show as we dig in.

So, you know, if you\\u2019re a regular listener of this show that we\\u2019re going to talk about how his differences are his differentiators. So you\\u2019ll enjoy hearing a fun fact about him. So, here it goes. This guy has a unique talent of being able to clap with one hand. So, Pete Mockaitis, welcome to the show. Please give yourself a one-handed welcome and demonstrate for us.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:01:34] Oh, Lisa, thank you. That\\u2019s such a unique welcome and it\\u2019s fun to do, and here we go. [one-handed claps]

Lisa Cummings: [00:01:40] I can\\u2019t believe that is really happening with one hand. It is blowing my mind. You\\u2019re going to have to make us a video so we can see what that actually looks like. I can\\u2019t believe that\\u2019s possible.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:01:51] I can do that, yes, and that\\u2019s probably my number one strength is one-handed clapping. It opens a lot of doors.

Lisa Cummings: [00:01:58] [laughs] Your hand can open a door in a traditional way...but his hand...watch out.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:02:01] Oh, well-played.

Lisa Cummings: [00:02:05] Watch out. Oh, my gosh. We\\u2019re going to totally have this video on the show notes, so if you\\u2019re listening click on over to that because that\\u2019s a serious talent. I love it. [laughs] Okay, let\\u2019s get into the serious side of super powers. That\\u2019s one, I tell you, parlor tricks though they could fuel the Woo that you have up in there. I think there\\u2019s something tied here. Maybe that\\u2019s how you discovered it. Maybe we\\u2019ll uncover that today.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:02:30] Oh, are folks being won over as we speak, or are they turned off? We\\u2019ll see with your emails that come flowing in.

Lisa Cummings: [00:02:35] That\\u2019s right. Okay. So, you know in this episode, we\\u2019re going to do this like a sample of exploring your StrengthsFinder talents for the first time. Well, we\\u2019re going to have to start by telling them what your Talent Themes here. So give them your top five.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:02:50] Okay, can do. With just the words or the descriptions as well?

Lisa Cummings: [00:02:54] Let\\u2019s get a little \\u201cMeet Pete\\u201d moment. So do the word and also the one sentence what this looks like on you.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:03:03] Okay. So, first, I\\u2019ll give a quick preview \\u2013 one, Ideation; two, Strategic; three, Learner; four, Activator; and five, Input.

In terms of the one sentence:

1) Ideation, it\\u2019s true I am fascinated by ideas and how they connect together on my podcast with guests. I eat it up when I see \\u201cOh, wait, there\\u2019s one thing someone said\\u201d can combine with that other thing they said, so I\\u2019m going to focus on prioritizing with the one thing but also building some tiny habits and, boom, there\\u2019s this combination synergy goodness, and so that resonates.

2) Strategic. I buy that in terms of if I\\u2019m always thinking about sort of what\\u2019s the optimal path forward, that\\u2019s the name of my company \\u2013 Optimality, LLC \\u2013 getting the band for the buck and sort of that 80/20 Rule and action, I\\u2019m really after that.

3) For Learner, it\\u2019s true. Ever since I was a youngster that\\u2019s kind of where my trainer and chief story starts. I was always going to the library reading books about goal-setting, success, teamwork, collaboration, influence. I was just into that stuff, and I remain to this day.

4) Activator, it\\u2019s true. I am often impatient. I\\u2019m excited to put things into action. Just this week I was thinking it\\u2019s just too much trying to manage the guests with merely emails and spreadsheets. I need a CRM, customer relationship management piece of software, and five hours later I had tried nine of them and made my decision. So, yeah, I got after it right away. That\\u2019s kind of my nature. I\\u2019ll wake up and I\\u2019ll have an idea and I just want to like run to the computer and implement it.

5) And then, finally, Input. I do, I love to get perspective from wise folks and learn all that they have to offer and collect multiple opinions to really prove or disprove the sort of key facts or assertions that are going to make or break a given decision.

Lisa Cummings: [00:04:59] These are so good. Thanks for adding the Pete color because even for people who don\\u2019t understand the basic definition of it and Gallup\\u2019s terminology you explained it and then added your individual color. Just seeing as a kid in the library, I\\u2019m imagining you going back and training them so it\\u2019ll be fun to hear the depth on that. And then Activator, one that just happened the other day. It\\u2019s just a really great specific example so we can see what these are like in real life.

So, let\\u2019s talk about if we really relate this to career, and you think back on one of your proudest accomplishments, tell us about that snapshot in time.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:05:40] You know, I\\u2019m thinking, the first thing that leaps to mind is just getting the job at Bain & Company itself. I\\u2019d say it was very meaningful to me because I had been interested in it for some years before it came about, and it was just a vivid moment. I can recall when I was emceeing a date auction event as a fundraiser in college for a student organization, and when I got the call I just handed the microphone to someone, walked off stage, received the call.

It was great news. I was excited. I hugged my friend, Emily, who was wearing a red puffy coat. It\\u2019s forever enshrined in my brain as like the moment that this thing I had been after for some years was now mine.

Lisa Cummings: [00:06:31] I love how vivid your imagery is and all of these. Take us through the preparation, what it was like for you getting ready for applying for this job, making it a thing. It sounds like it was a long time coming. So how was that playing out in your life, leading up to that phone call?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:06:49] Oh, sure thing. Well, I was sort of an odd kid in my sort of freshman year of college. I was sort of determined like, \\u201cBy golly, I want to work in a top strategy consulting firm when I graduate, and so that\\u2019s just what I\\u2019m going to do.\\u201d And so I began exploring different avenues very early on in terms of student organizations and what were the linkages and how I could have sort of a distinctive profile that I would be intriguing to them.

I went to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign which is not a hotbed for recruiting into those firms, but there are a few each year who get in, and I wanted to be one. So, I remember I would sort of try to find the right people, and the right organizations, and learn from them and see what I could do. And I remember, talk about vivid experiences, I was chatting guy named Bo who was wearing a Harry Potter wizard hat at a Halloween party.

And he said, \\u201cOh, you should join the student organization.\\u201d And I was like, \\u201cOh, I was thinking about that, but isn\\u2019t that kind of more technology stuff?\\u201d And he\\u2019s like, \\u201cOh, no. It\\u2019s much broader than that. Yeah, and they\\u2019re always chatting with so-and-so and they do case interviews,\\u201d which is a key step to get a job in these firms, \\u201cto get in and, yeah, I think you\\u2019d like it.\\u201d

And so I was excited to discover that opportunity and then go after it. Then once I met a real person named Jeff who had the position, I was just having a real lot of fun chatting with him and seeing, \\u201cHey, what\\u2019s it like on the inside? Is it really what I\\u2019ve built it up to be?\\u201d and sort of receiving that reinforcement that it was good.

And then, ultimately, I think the biggest hurdle to get the job is the case interview where you have to sort of solve business problems live before the interviewer\\u2019s eyes. And so I did a lot of prep. I got the books, I even recorded myself doing case interviews. I\\u2019d listen to them back to see how I was doing and to see how I might tweak it to seem more engaging or succinct and insightful.

I remember I was listening to myself doing case interviews while driving up to the interview the day before. So those are things that leap to mind there.

Lisa Cummings: [00:09:06] Those are so good. Now, if you look at your talents, and then you try to make some linkages, now I\\u2019ve made a bunch of linkages and I\\u2019ve even, although the listeners can\\u2019t see your list beyond your top five, as you would not be surprised if you know a Learner and Input. Pete immediately goes out and wants more input and grabs the full 34 premium version of assessment so he can see the whole lineup.

So I see a bigger lineup and I have some things popping into my head about your number 6, Connectedness, and your number 7, Woo. But when you look at your list and you think back on that experience, what links do you see where you\\u2019re using those talents as you\\u2019re preparing?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:09:47] Oh, sure thing. Well, it\\u2019s interesting, in terms of Activator it\\u2019s like, \\u201cThis is the thing I want and so I\\u2019m going to start now.\\u201d I was a freshman and I was evaluating opportunities. Not only whether they were fun and I would get to meet people, but if they would take me to where I wanted to go, and then jumping in full force for those things I thought could really do it. So, I guess that\\u2019s Activator. I\\u2019m getting right to it yet Strategic is that I was kind of being selective, and saying, \\u201cYou know, while that club sounds kind of interesting, I don\\u2019t think it\\u2019s going to have as much sort of bang for my buck, in terms of taking me where I want to be.\\u201d

And so the interestingness is not quite enough to offset this. And then with Ideation, I think I did take some novel approaches to having distinctive profile, like I authored a book in college about leadership and student organizations, and I saw the opportunity to be the Secretary General of our model United Nations, which I thought, \\u201cWell, that\\u2019s a really cool leadership opportunity in terms of managing dozens of people and thousands of dollars to put together an event for hundreds of folks. Ooh, that\\u2019ll be a real nice concept to make an impression, as well as having a ton of fun.\\u201d So I was a pure career-seeking robot along the lines.

But I do see those in learning, yeah, talking to folks, learning what the firms want, how they operate, getting the books. And Input, certainly, talking to numerous people along the way to confirm, \\u201cIs this really what I think it is?\\u201d and learn, \\u201cWell, what needs to be done in order to get there?\\u201d

Lisa Cummings: [00:11:30] You\\u2019re bringing up what happens for a lot of people where if they heard the descriptors in the StrengthsFinder Talent Themes, and they listen to the thing that you just described, they would probably think, \\u201cAchiever\\u201d because it seems like the easy way to describe what you accomplished. And although Achiever is middle of the road for you, 13, it\\u2019s not extraordinarily high but you found extreme achievement at that age.

So, you\\u2019re demonstrating something that\\u2019s really cool which is I always tell people. StrengthsFinder doesn\\u2019t tell you what you go do in your career. It\\u2019s more about how you can go do it, leaning through the talents you have. So you found achievement through totally different talents and it\\u2019s dangerous to try to look at the words on the surface.

And I think if I listened to your show, which I do.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:12:21] Oh, thank you.

Lisa Cummings: [00:12:22] Which is called Awesome At Your Job. So, for those of you listening and you want to check it out, we\\u2019ll put the link in the show notes. It\\u2019s a great show about being awesome at your job overall. I think if listened to that show I may hypothesize that you have an Analytical talent, for example, because I know that you mention research studies very often, you mention proof points, your favorite hobby is Monopoly. So you have some of these things, right, that some people might think, \\u201cOh, that sounds like an Analytical guy.\\u201d

And Talent Themes show up more in how you approach what you do not necessarily what those interests are. So, kind of fascinating thing you\\u2019re bringing up. So, tell us about yearnings and interests, like Monopoly and research studies and proof points, and things that you talk about in your show and how your Talent Themes speak to those.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:13:14] Oh, that is interesting in terms of just what\\u2019s fun. So, on my honeymoon, just a few months ago \\u2013 Yay.

Lisa Cummings: [00:13:23] Yay.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:13:24] I was reading this book Pre-Suasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini on the beach. And so it\\u2019s funny, it\\u2019s non-fiction but that was just fascinating and fun for me, I was like, \\u201cOh, wow. Well, here\\u2019s an interesting fact. They did study and here\\u2019s what happened.\\u201d And so I\\u2019ll find that all the more thrilling than most works of fiction because I guess Ideation is fuelling that fascination in terms of I\\u2019m thinking, \\u201cOh, look at all these implications for how I could go put that to work and make things happen.\\u201d

And for Monopoly, it\\u2019s so funny. I remember one time I was meeting this guy for the first time, his name is Peter; fine name, fine guy.

Lisa Cummings: [00:14:09] Fine name.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:14:11] [laughs] And so as we were playing Monopoly he kept asking me some questions about my career journey and how I went into Bain and why I left Bain and started my own business and these things. And I\\u2019ll tell you what, I was so focused on the strategic options and decisions I had to make in that game Monopoly to win I actually had in my head the idea that this guy is trying to distract me in order to win at Monopoly.

Lisa Cummings: [00:14:40] [laughs]

Pete Mockaitis: [00:14:41] I thought, \\u201cPete, that\\u2019s crazy. Most people don\\u2019t care. They play games to socialize in fun ways.\\u201d [laughs] I was being a little rude in retrospect. I kind of apologized to him. I gave him very short answers, I was like, \\u201cWell, ultimately, that\\u2019s just something I\\u2019ve always loved to do.\\u201d You know, just one- or two-sentence responses.

Lisa Cummings: [00:15:01] Let\\u2019s get back to the seriousness of Park Place, buddy. [laughs] Okay. So, now what you\\u2019re helping me see and raise is this concept of domains. I don\\u2019t know if you know this about StrengthsFinder, but they\\u2019ve done some studies on leadership, and these four domains of leadership actually came from quite a large study on followers.

So, if I look at your talent lineup, not to get too nerdy and distract from the story of you, I\\u2019ll give you the quick version. There are four different domains of leadership that people often find their strength in, and yours, to give you the tell as I lean into it, you come in really hot on the Strategic Thinking Talents, and then second highest your Influencing.

So, there are four categories. You have the Relationship Talents. You have the Influencing Talents. You have the Strategic Thinking talents, the thinker guy that you probably are, and then you have Executing Talents. And so, as I listened to your reaction to the Monopoly thing, I could see you being really in your head about what was going on in the situation.

The way I look at these four domains is that they\\u2019re all valuable, and they\\u2019re all useful ways that you can demonstrate leadership, but this is kind of, when you have one that comes in heavy in your top five, it\\u2019s often the color of glasses you\\u2019re wearing. Like yours would be, if you looked at your StrengthsFinder report, the Strategic Thinking Talents are actually colored red. And you could see, \\u201cOkay, look, my first view on things, the lens I\\u2019m going to see the world through will, first, likely be thinking about it.\\u201d

Now you have a lot of fast-thinking talents, so Ideation is fast and Strategic is fast, so it\\u2019s not like you\\u2019re going to go deep and sit around and ponder things deeply for months. You can boom, boom, boom, react to that guy and have your answer. And I noticed your Influencing Talents are also high on your list. You have Activator, Woo, Communication up in your top 10. It\\u2019s interesting to see those two. How does that play into how you\\u2019ve seen yourself and your career?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:17:12] Well, that is interesting. And what\\u2019s funny is I have a little bit of a hard time switching at times in that I really do like people and building relationships, and connecting and laughing and seeing how we\\u2019re similar and how we can help each other and collaborate and all those good things. That\\u2019s fun for me. But surprising, or I don\\u2019t know, just kind of part of how I go, is that when I get deep into the realm of this Ideation, Strategic, Input, Thinking and I\\u2019m trying to crack something, or figure it out, it\\u2019s just sort of like Peter in that game of Monopoly.

It\\u2019s like, \\u201cI\\u2019m not in people mode right now. I am in finding an optimal solution given all of my options and constraints mode right now.\\u201d And I feel a bit sort of like I\\u2019m being pulled away from that which I\\u2019m attached to and I\\u2019m into at the moment, or I\\u2019m just sort of like I\\u2019m not really present or there. I think that does show up in that they are different clusters and I feel them differently in terms of my whole headspace and emotional state. It\\u2019s like, \\u201cI\\u2019m not in people mode right now.\\u201d

And sometimes my wife will notice and she would like me to enter into people mode as we\\u2019re being together, or where she\\u2019ll just say, \\u201cOkay, you\\u2019re in your groove. Go ahead and finish that first.\\u201d So that\\u2019s the first thing that pops to mind there.

Lisa Cummings: [00:18:45] What a deep powerful insight. I love hearing how the thinking stuff is playing out in your head, and then also the relationship part. So, I apply StrengthsFinder to work all the time and find that sometimes the easiest ones to get how you perform relative to other people is through people you\\u2019re really close to. So your wife probably knows you about as well as anyone in the world so she\\u2019s going to be more comfortable saying it out loud or noticing it or mentioning it. Do you happen to know hers? Has she taken this yet?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:19:20] You know, I don\\u2019t think she has.

Lisa Cummings: [00:19:22] Okay. Would be fun. So this could be one where you say, \\u201cOkay, look, your first Relationship Talent is Connectedness. It\\u2019s your number six. I hear you relying on it relatively often.\\u201d So you could ask a question like how could you lean on your Connectedness talent when you\\u2019re trying to consciously switch into a mode that would complement the conversation you two are having?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:19:47] That is a great question. And, particularly Connectedness, that\\u2019s one of those words for the Strengths Finders that makes me think of, \\u201cOh, like a super network.\\u201d But, no, no. Connectedness is more about having sort of like the faith in why things are the way they are or a higher power. And so, for me, that is big.

I\\u2019m a Catholic Christian. I think tapping into some of those, well, one, I guess is the headspace of worship or sort of loving people and serving them as folks made in the image and likeness of God can be pretty potent in terms of a reminder of, \\u201cHey, what\\u2019s really important here?\\u201d \\u201cWell, how about we give that person the listening ear and respect and attention that they deserve?\\u201d

Lisa Cummings: [00:20:32] Oh, this is so good. I could take this in 20 directions because, one, I hear the interplay of Talents, how your Connectedness and Strategic gets so wound together because you do have so many Thinking Talents, the connection of ideas and not just people and meaning but pull all those things together \\u2013 connecting meaning, connecting people, connecting ideas. Those are going to play out for you in a way that might even be difficult to separate, you know, \\u201cWhich talent thing is talking here?\\u201d

And then your first Executing Theme is Belief and that, of course, I hear it in what you just said, and so it really helps me see when you say it. Oh, yeah, this would drive how you go about getting things done as well with the perspective of the meaning in your life and what is this all for and how does it play out. I also think this is the direction I\\u2019ll ultimately take it, because there are so many ways we could go from that conversation.

So a lot of people struggle with this. You look at your lineup, and I\\u2019ve told you about these leadership domains, and you see, \\u201cOh, my gosh. My first Executing Talent is number 12. This sounds like a person. Oh, no, I might be doomed. Does it mean I never get anything done?\\u201d Well, clearly you get a lot done. You are a machine it seems. So, where do you get your ability to achieve and get the outcomes and results you want? Because you clearly do.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:22:00] How does it happen? Well, I think part of is just that I think about it in terms of I have a standard in mind in terms of how things should be or go. I think that\\u2019s kind of a vague broad thing to say. But, day after day, what mostly happens is I have kind of a picture in my head for what is done, good, complete, dream, nirvana state look like, and then I have all these ideas for what are the things that I could do that I couldn\\u2019t bring it there. And then I just become very excited about those ideas and I just sort of run after them.

In terms of the CRMs, I was thinking, \\u201cI have a dream\\u201d \\u2013 so dramatic.

Lisa Cummings: [00:22:57] [laughs] Martin Luther Pete has a dream of CRM systems.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:23:03] In which every guest that comes on my show will be absolutely outstanding, like leaving me and listeners with, \\u201cWow.\\u201d Well, what\\u2019s it take to get there? Well, probably a fuller pipeline so that I don\\u2019t ever have a scramble in terms of, \\u201cOh, I\\u2019m a little light on interview appointments. I better get some right away.\\u201d That\\u2019s like an obstacle to that is like when you have the time to patiently vet candidates as opposed to, \\u201cOh, I\\u2019ve got to grab somebody,\\u201d then the odds are in your favor in terms of getting great ones.

So then, I think, \\u201cWell, then what does that system look like? And how can I do that without spending my whole life stuck into analyzing their tweet history?\\u201d That\\u2019s how I often think about how it gets done, is I feel this tension inside me. It\\u2019s like, \\u201cI want that to be real and I\\u2019ve got these compelling, exciting ideas for what I could do to make that real so let\\u2019s go do it.\\u201d

Lisa Cummings: [00:24:01] It\\u2019s really pretty deep what you just said because I could see Strategic helping you sort quickly, \\u201cHere\\u2019s the outcome. What\\u2019s the best way to get there?\\u201d Boom, your Activator says, \\u201cGo!\\u201d and then you create these systems and the insight that listeners won\\u2019t have, is that you and I have had some other conversations outside of this.

Pete and I are pals. So we\\u2019ll talk podcast nerd-talk and he has all these great systems and team members who make things happen, and it actually is one of the great things you can do as Activator. You partner with people who see it through the finish line so that you can get the excitement at the starting line, and then other people can do the execution of the systems you\\u2019ve established and the vision you\\u2019ve created. So it\\u2019s actually a beautiful way you\\u2019ve worked through it.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:24:43] Oh, thank you. You know, it\\u2019s so funny, when you say it like that I think, \\u201cWell, of course, isn\\u2019t that how everyone does it?\\u201d And the answer is I guess clearly, \\u201cNo, it\\u2019s not.\\u201d Because I think, \\u201cWell, isn\\u2019t executing the same thing hundreds of times kind of dull?\\u201d But, no, some people are into that.

Lisa Cummings: [00:24:59] A-ha. Okay. So, here\\u2019s the last topic we\\u2019ll bring up only because we\\u2019re running out of time because, geez, this would be so much fun to keep going and going and going. So that comment you just made made me think of the Talent Theme of Consistency, doing the same thing hundreds and hundreds of times. Well, it is Pete\\u2019s number 33 talent, so we call that a lesser talent, or maybe somebody else\\u2019s talent. Meaning somebody else, right? Yes, somebody else might get really excited about doing something the same way consistently over and over every day. But if Pete had to do that every day, what would work feel like for you?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:25:37] Oh, it would just be so dull. It\\u2019s like I would want sort of some spark of newness to make it come together.

Lisa Cummings: [00:25:48] This is a great way to end the show because living in your strengths makes you a stronger performer. Living in your strengths brings you energy and enjoyment about your job. If you\\u2019re pulling on your lesser talents, or someone else\\u2019s talents, all day every day, you feel drained, you feel burned out, and so many people feel like that and wonder, \\u201cYou know, gosh, it\\u2019s not so hard and people are nice. So why do I feel like this?\\u201d And that\\u2019s often why, it\\u2019s because they\\u2019re calling on their weaknesses all day every day but they just don\\u2019t quite realize why.

So, thanks, in an unexpected way, for illustrating that point because that is so powerful for people to have that insight.

Pete Mockaitis: [00:26:25] Oh, thank you. It\\u2019s been a blast.

Lisa Cummings: [00:26:27] It has been a blast. I\\u2019m so excited to have you here to do this. I wish we could triple down on it. Let\\u2019s get listeners over to you because you have so many great shows to help people be awesome at their jobs. So, where should they go to dig into your content, your training, your podcasts?

Pete Mockaitis: [00:26:42] Oh, sure thing. Thank you. Well, I\\u2019d say if you\\u2019re already, well, you are a podcast listener, fire up your app and whatever you\\u2019re doing and search Awesome Job. That should be enough to pop up the show How To Be Awesome At Your Job. Lisa herself is a guest on an episode. You might check that out to get another flavor for her. Or just my website AwesomeAtYourJob.com.

And it\\u2019s been fun. I\\u2019ve had about 130, wow, conversations with tremendous folks and every one of them is about trying to sharpen the universal skills required to flourish at work. So, whether you\\u2019re an executive, or a manager, or an individual contributor in marketing, or finance, or anything, it should be applicable because that\\u2019s kind of the primary screen we\\u2019re using.

Lisa Cummings: [00:27:26] I second that. It is a fantastic show. I met Pete last year, and ever since leaving our meet-up in Chicago, I just have been an avid listener, and it\\u2019s just full of great guests and great tips. If you want to go back and listen through the lens of the StrengthsFinder Talents it\\u2019ll be really fun to do that. Also, for listeners, if you want some Strengths focus tools to use with your team at work, also check out LeadThroughStrengths/resources and you\\u2019ll get a bunch of great free info there.

As we close episode, remember using your strengths makes you a stronger performer at work. If you\\u2019re putting a lopsided focus on fixing your weaknesses you\\u2019re probably choosing the path of most resistance. So claim your talents and share them with the world.

\\xa0

'