This past summer Tracy Lysne, M.Ed. Program Director, attended the Clifton Strengths Summit in Omaha, Nebraska. She was immersed in 3 days of workshops, conversations, and large group keynotes (with learner, input, connectedness and positivity as her top Strengths she was in heaven!) One of the biggest things she took away from the Summit were ideas shared by many of the keynote speakers… that people who learn their Strengths are much more inclusive in their thinking.
Tracy said “I could feel this at the Summit. I also felt it with other groups where I had done work with Strengths. Still, it made me wonder. Why might this be? I wrestled with it a bit on my long drive home from Omaha. I began to think about my own experiences and came to this conclusion: spending time learning about our own talents and Strengths gives us the language to name what makes us who we are. The language of Strengths allows us to understand and appreciate who we are and then develops into valuing the differing Strengths and talents of those around us. When you put it all together, through the language and exploration of Strengths, you begin to better understand that our differences are why we need each other. After that we begin to see one another in a different way. This can ultimately make us more inclusive in our thinking.”
One of Tracy’s current learners summed it up like this, “instead of judging and assuming things about community members, I know that everyone has a strength that works best for them. So, when we break into small groups, everyone has something special to contribute based upon their strengths. For me, it is a perspective change.” What an amazing experience to be in an environment where everyone looks at one another for what they have to offer, not what they are lacking.
Tracy Lysne and her strengths at the summit!
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