Special Board Meeting 10-8-25

001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, Heat. [Music] Welcome to Southside ISD, a proud public school district for all in San Antonio, Texas. Home to more than 6,000 students achieving excellence. We are the best choice for education. As an award-winning district, we offer a Spanish medical minor program, CTE, and early college. Community involvement of town hall meetings, summer movie nights, and our monthly food distribution is a key to our success. >> We're the only district in Texas with a dedicated mental health facility. Supporting student success in school and life. Southside ISD is driven by the teamwork of our teachers, staff, superintendent, and board of trustees. Southside ISD is strong, successful, and soaring to new levels. Good evening everyone and welcome to the special board meeting of the Southside

002Independent School District uh for Wednesday, October 8th. Uh please let the record show that there is a quorum present. Justice present. Mrs. Marbel Angoras >> present. >> Mrs. Katie Faras >> present. >> Mrs. Lisa El Salazar >> here. >> Mrs. Mary Silva >> here. >> Thank you. The time is now uh 6 pm on Wednesday. October 8th, 2025. As president, I just hear Nandis call this special board meeting of the Southside Independent School District Board of Trustees to order. At this time, I'd like to invite uh Mrs. Faras to welcome our visitors and guests. >> Hi, good evening everyone. Uh thank you for joining us um here online um wherever you may be. Uh we look forward to this workshop that um and everybody that was able to come. So, appreciate the staff that's here.

003Um, I hope everybody's had a great week so far. I know we're coming up on a fall break for us here. So, that's great for our students and our staff. Uh, nice little welcome break. But, um, appreciate everybody being here. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Mrs. Faras. Uh, please let the record show that, uh, Mrs. Olivarees has joined us. Welcome, Mr. Oliv. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Please note that this meeting is being held and it has been posted in accordance with government code chapter 551 state of Texas open meetings act. And at this time uh we do not have any public comment. Uh so we'll go ahead and uh move on to our only item on the agenda today which is our presentation on the strengthfinder assessment training session. Superintendent. >> So

004we have a presentation on uh the assessment that was taken. I think everyone took an assessment and talking about your strengths and we have Heather here who is going to lead us in the presentation. So Heather, you want to make your way over here to the to the mic and she has a presentation for us and I think it's going to be a little bit of a hands-on activities all across >> a lot of bit. >> Yes. All right. Well, uh before you get started, I just want to thank you uh for for joining us tonight and and for working with us. I know Miss Luan uh probably reached out to either you or or one of your colleagues I assume uh to help us do this, but um I know uh just from my

005own personal experience, I've done this in in the past and and uh had shared it with with my colleagues on the board and I think there's good value in in uh the assessment and and just getting to know a little bit more about each other and I think your executive team as well was was able to participate. So, uh, just really good for everybody to to know a little bit more about each other from this perspective. So, thank you. >> Absolutely. Yes, >> ma'am. I also want to apologize for my delay in answering and I think some of us I didn't see the email with your name and so I apologize for our weakness. >> No need. You're good. You're good. We got all 13. So, we're ready to ready to go. >> All right.

006We're ready. Thank you. Um, so as my name is Heather Olag. Um, in case you're curious on how to pronounce her last name, um, it's um, and my top five are learner, analytical, discipline, restorative, and responsibility. Um, so a little bit about, u me, so you see my family, um, up there. My undergrad is from Texas Tech um, in in finance. Um, and then my I have a master's in higher education and administration and supervision from the University of Houston. although that one was done online. The only time I stepped foot on that campus was when I walked across the stage at graduation. Um my husband and I have been married, it was 20 years in July and we met at uh college. He also works at&m San Antonio. Uh we have four girls. Um

007I've got two in high school um and two in middle school. So our oldest is a senior so we're doing all of the college stuff. Um when she'll kind of funny she'll bring, "Mom, did you know?" And I'm like, "Yeah, I work at a college. I have awareness." Um, but uh, she's at JCA, the Judson Early College Academy. I have a freshman um, in high school. She's at Wagner. She plays flute. She's in the band. Um, we have jumped fully in. We are in the boosters. Um, the secretary of the band boosters. In fact, my phone is giving my wrist a massage because we are hosting a competition on Saturday and all the different things are going through. Um, let's see that. Other than that, we have a seventh grader and a sixth grader. So,

008two in middle, two in high school. Uh, a lot of fun, a lot of drama, um, and and good times. Everyone keeps saying my husband will be well taken care of, and I'm like, at least one of the four, right? 25% hopefully will also take care of mom. Um, I have worked at UTBTSC, so if you when they were still together way down in Brownsville and then when they were UT, Brownsville, it's where I got my start in higher education. um thought I was going to be in banking. My husband kept saying you should probably try higher ed. Be good. Um I wish I had a a much better reason, but their holiday schedule was better and gave me Black Friday off. And so I said, "I'll try it." Um and found my passion, right?

00916 probably closer to 17 years uh later now been working in in higher education. Um we spent a little bit of time in Oxford, Mississippi. It's actually where our oldest was born. And I said, "Give me back to Texas." I kind of met San Antonio Austin. He got a job in Brownsville. It's like I could give you a year six and a half years later. You know how some of that goes. Uh but we had a really good time uh there and then a position came open at&m San Antonio. Um and that's how we we got here. So we actually both work there. He's the director of Rex Sports. Um and I'm the assistant dean of students for the Cetto um Institute of Emerging Leaders. I've been there it'll be 10 years in December um

010which is been amazing. If you've been to that campus, it is growing rapidly. I think I started there with three buildings and I've lost count of the amount of buildings we have. Um so it's it's been a true joy. That is where I became a certified um strengths coach in February of 2017. Um I am super passionate about it. Um hopefully you will see that try to keep my my passion um at a a normal level, but uh I really do believe in strengths. uh we have all of our incoming uh first year students complete it. Um it's embedded in our course curriculum and then um in other other programs. So I'm really excited to be here with you all today and even just the few minutes kind of listening to you all look at

011your packets and and chat about some of those things. So I do want this to be interactive. If you have questions um please stop and ask um and in full participation. So I tell my students um you're going to get out of it what you put into it. Um and so um I hope that you put into it so that it's worth well worth your time. Uh so we will go through introductions and uh talk about some themes and we'll talk about the domains and then go into power and edge. And then what I really love um is the team grid. And so as you all I saw a couple of you kind of looking at your partners' um assessment results, their test answers so to speak. Um, but I've got grids for you with

012everybody. So, you will eventually when we get through this be able to see um all of your your colleagues and and where they land. Any questions before we start? Okay. Um, so just at a baseline, why do you think it's important to know your strengths? Why do you think you were asked to complete this assessment? So I know I know why but >> I may >> anybody >> if I may. >> Yeah. I I think uh by by knowing what your strengths are, you build on build on them and also you get to identify areas where you may not be as strong and it helps when dealing with others, you know, building those relationships and and trying to uh assist others with whatever their needs may be. >> Yeah, absolutely. Any others would like to

013add to that? >> Yes, ma'am. >> No, for me is I looked at my weakness. I didn't even look at the strength. I looked at the weaknesses and where I can improve myself to make my strengths even stronger. >> Yeah. And we'll talk a little bit about that. Um, and kind of where Gallup is trying to to flip that because you're right, that is the normal tendency, right? What are your weaknesses? Oftentimes, that's what we know best. It's what we've been told. You're not good at this. Work on this. Um and Don Clifton who is the founder actually said what if we stop thinking about what's wrong with people and focus on what is uh what their strong suits are. Um and so we'll talk a little bit about that. You all did take the

014full 34 like our uh incoming first year students usually take the the top five. Um so you have that ability to see all of them. And yes the human instinct usually is let me go to that last one and see what's what's there. Um, but I will challenge you as we go through uh today in this lesson is to really focus on those top 10 um and and those strengths there. And as we as we progress through um we'll talk about why that is important. >> Anybody else want to chime in on? >> Uh I'll just add um in regards to your interaction with with others, right? If you understand what their strengths are and and how how they may interpret things, that also helps and speaking for myself, helps navigate how you execute on

015a message that you're delivering, right? Or how you do it um or the approach of um you know, the information you're sharing, right? Someone who's very analytical, they might need the detail, but there's others that might not, right? They that might just shut them down. And so it helps you understand that, right? And not that you're going to remember everything, but having this session kind of helps. And and I would think just I've done this a couple of times and and as you're going through it, I would think that some people whether they say it or not, they're going to be like, "Yeah, that's right. That is that person, right?" And I see that in that person, right? And >> and um that helps you not that you're going to change your message, but uh

016adapt your message um accordingly. Yeah, absolutely. Um, I will have you all think back, right, maybe to when you were in high school or or middle school, right, and you wanted to do something and you were hoping to get a yes, right? Who'd you go to, right? And did you have a strategy? Like, think back if you wanted to go movies with friends or convince mom to take you to get ice cream, right? You had a strategy. Yes. Right. you knew maybe went to mom or dad or maybe went to grandma, right? I knew that if I could if my best friend Jesse was going, right? I that's how I would start. Jesse's mom is letting her go and we want to go do this, right? And my ability to get my mom to be

017like, "Oh, okay. That sounds really good." Right? Very parallel, right? You want to understand, right, where people are coming from and then you tailor that message, right? in hopes that it hits what the point that you're trying to to get. Right? How I talk with my supervisor, right, is different than how I interact with students because I've understood what they need and I understand what what he needs. And hopefully through this, right, you're going to see because sometimes where those differences lie is where some of those frustration points are, right? And it's not that the other person is trying to be frustrating, right? It's they're looking through it from a different lens. So just real quick what it is not it is not a career placement this is it's not this strength plus this strength

018this strength you know means right oh you should be a teacher or you should be a financial analyst or you should be a chief of police it's not what it is now after people understand about themselves right and how they interact that they've made career decisions right like oh that's not why why I'm not finding joy with this and have have made a career choice, but it's not a career placement. Um, it's also not a way for you to ignore your weaknesses. It's not for you to say like, well, that's my 34 strength, like I don't have to deal with it. No, we want you to be aware of them, but then we really want to have you think about how your top 10 strengths you can leverage, right, to make up for that weakness,

019so to speak. Uh it's not meant to put you in a box. Not everybody is the same. Everybody has different life experiences. Um the likelihood that someone has the same top five in the same order is almost impossible, right? It's like one in a billion. Um and so that's going to those interactions of those strengths in the top um are going to cause then some differences of how they're applied. Um so they're not applied the same from person to person. We might share learner but because our other strengths are different and our life experiences there might be some commonalities like oh yeah but then there might be some like oh that's not how I leverage it. So just because you share a strength with somebody doesn't mean you articulate it um and leverage it in

020the same way that somebody else would still good and with me. Um four maybe some of my more analytical people are like is this really a thing? Is it legit? Um, Gallup has done years and years and years of research. Um, and part of that, um, is that they have found that people who leverage their three their strengths are three times as likely, uh, to report having an excellent quality of life and six times as likely to be engaged um, in their um, work. You have all 34 because you took the assessment. You know that. Um, usually it's one of the things, especially with our first year students, they have the five. They're like, "Oh, I don't have X strength." I'm like, "No, you have it. It just wasn't in your top five." Um, you

021have the ability to see all 34. You have all of them. They just lie in uh different domains. Some are stronger, come more naturally to you. Um, and then others take you um doesn't mean you don't have it, but it might take a little bit more energy for you to to leverage it. Okay, you ready to play a game with me? So, if you need to beat the GPS estimated time of arrival, chief, please don't pay attention to people right now. Um, please stand. So, if you like, it's like estimated time of arrival is 9:29. You're like, bet. Okay, don't look at that. I'm just kidding. Uh, right. Or you might like be like, "Oo, I see that red truck. I'm going to try to beat them." Right? The poor red truck has no idea

022they're in a competition or race, and you're like, "Yes, I won." And the red truck is like, "I wasn't playing with that." Um, all right. Have a seat. Stand up if you like to push the elevator button to nicely remind the elevator that you are still there waiting for it to come. Anybody? Right. Right. And if somebody's in the way, what do you do? You're like, "Oh my goodness." Move. You go around them. Right. Doesn't matter. Right. Uh stand up if you almost always ask a lot of questions. Where are my question askers? I'm a question asker. Um stand up if you always talk to people in the elevator. Right. Right. Uh Jesse and Rolando over here are the ones who look down. They're on your phone. Right. You're trying to avoid eye contact. But

023guess what? For my people standing, does it matter? No. You're still going to try to talk to them. You're still going to tell them hi. Ask them how the weather is, right? Doesn't doesn't matter. I am also I'd be sitting down right now. Um you all can sit. But these are different traits, right? they are connected right to your strengths. It is not um I'm gonna it's one is not better than the other, right? There are some people who are just naturally competitive, right? They want to win, right? There are other people that are like it's whatever like I'm just here to to have fun, right? Uh there are people are like I need to be able to ask some questions to be able to understand this more, right? people who write list um who

024have organized clo closets and others who are like I've got one shoe over here and another shoe over here and it doesn't bother me right one is not better than the other but it's important to understand that right understand that someone who maybe is coming in frazzled and it's because their long sleeve shirt was put with their short sleeve shirt and they went into their closet and they couldn't find it right just who um who we are um and what we do so if you will open your folder. In there, you have your full 34 report that is custom to each of you. You have access to this, but it's also printed. And I want you to find the theme awareness handout. And in the first column, I want you to write your top five.

025So, one strength in a box. And then I'd like you to fill out the second column, which is what you like most about this theme. Do not worry about the third column right now. >> Go according to what we have on here. >> Correct. [Music] >> One per box. >> Yep. One per box. Just focus on your top five. One, two, three. be better. >> Most of you look like you're wrapping up or are done. Um, so what I'd like for you to do next, you're have to get up. So, I've displayed a lot of photos um over here. So, I'd like you to think about your top five, right? And kind of what you like about them, right? and think about how they potentially work together, right? You might already looking at them going

026like, "Oh, yes, I do use this very frequently in my everyday." Um, and find a photo that captures that. So, as you think of these top five and how they interact together, I want you to come look at these photos and be like, "Oo, I feel like this photo captures several or all of these top five strengths. They're right up here. No, just come pick a photo. >> Do just one photo. >> I know. >> For any of the five or >> try to think of the five collectively. >> That was easy. >> Wash my hands. [Music] >> But if there's like maybe two or three that you think of as they work together, like that's okay. And if you're like really can only focus on one, that's okay, too. But find a photo, just

027one photo, >> just one photo. >> And then you can take that back to your seat. >> And I'm gonna have you think about why you picked this photo because I'm going to have you share it. >> Okay. You know why I picked this one, don't you? >> Yes. Because it looks like New York. >> See, she knows. >> Do you know why I picked that? >> Because it's peaceful. >> That's it. Well, it's supposed to be a picture that captures all this. >> Yes. >> You're very mean. >> Yeah. >> What did I tell you? >> How' you know >> about the fifth one to the left? >> So, I must be match everything because it includes all these >> should be the responsibility >> right >> I don't think I think that's a

028mistake. >> I think that should be think >> I think so. >> The world looks right. [Laughter] >> Sorry, Jesse. >> Where's your Actually, it's the same. >> We just need one. >> Yes, just one. All right. So, I'd like each of you to um share your top five strengths and why the picture you pick spoke to you as you think of your top five strengths. And we can go in this order, we can go in that order, and we can just go random, whoever wants to go. But I would like to hear from everybody. >> I'll go first. >> Okay. >> Um can I put my too hard? Oh, does she want to go? >> Oh, I thought you wanted to. >> No, I think she wants a different picture. >> Okay. So, my

029strengths were developer, woo, positivity, communication, and how do you say restorative >> Restorative. Sorry. >> No, you're good. >> A long, long day. >> You're good. >> And why I picked >> Hold your picture up. Show everybody. Yep. >> So, what spoke to you about that picture as you think of your top five strengths? >> Oh, sorry. Is that a concert? >> It's a concert because >> I love music, >> but I also want to try to stay young, enjoy life, >> not be so stressed out, >> and sometimes a little too daring. >> A little too daring. Yeah. You have positivity. >> Did you have positivity? Yes, I have. Yeah, positive. Also, WO um is an acronym and it stands for winning others over. So, the fact that she's woo and positivity and picked

030a concert doesn't surprise me any sort of bit like all energy um a lot of the time. So, all right. You'd like to go next? >> Go next. Oh, maybe you want to go up first. >> Okay. >> Are you sure? Yes. >> Sorry. >> I just want awkward salad. Okay. >> So, my five top strengths are learner, analytical, strategic, achiever, and individualization. >> And I chose this picture because it seemed like it encompassed all that. It seems that, you know, there's a lot of analysis going on. It seems that, you know, with a large group of people, each one has, you know, their own qualities and seeming that there's analysis taking place. um there seems to be some kind of development of strategy of some kind or what they're working on and then uh

031being productive. It seems that nobody's there just falling asleep but everybody's taking part in the activity. >> Awesome. Thank you. My top five were woo developer, empathy, positivity, and relator. And this is the picture that I chose. And I chose it because of several things. One, I love to go on vacation. Two, I love to go to the beach on vacation. Three, I love for other people to go with me. >> I I feel a theme is coming. >> Yes. And I feel like brings positivity into my life. >> I need more vacation. >> I say you need more vacation. >> I do. Thank you for noticing. >> I'm going Thanksgiving week on the net. >> Awesome. Next. Okay. >> So, uh my uh themes were individualization, achiever, restorative, woo, and commandment. So I picked

032uh this lady of what she's doing right and not so much her but on the other side of that you can't see she's a music conductor so you need individualization if you know anything about music and especially in a big band everybody plays a piece everybody has a role um achievers you have to work at it have to keep at it you want come out well. Restorative, it's a problem solver. Somebody's not doing their part right, you know, you can stop or quiet as winning others over. You gota make sure that everybody together in command you make a decision as you start and you stop. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. I'm also learning all the band stuff too. Like husband played band. I usually am like was that good? I'm like so hopefully in

033the next four years I I'll be able to understand that. Like as you were talking I was like oh yeah I see the director doing that all the time. But as I sit there I'm like I can put together props and bring them on the field. But I'm like I don't know. Are they Was that good? Was that not? And I'm just like just sit there and smile. All right. Next >> I'll go. >> Okay. Uh I chose this picture. My strengths were developer, empathy, includer, positivity, and context. And this to me just encompassed everything because uh a lot of what I feel like I have uh in my top five is like a lot of harmony, positivity. Um it felt like a space that you could develop ideas um and a safe space, peaceful

034place. So I figured that was encompassed everything. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Very relaxed. >> Next. >> I'll go next. Um, so I actually took this three years ago and my top five changed >> which I did not see coming. I thought I was going to be similar. I don't have activator and adaptability anymore, >> but I have a taller so I feel like my life is 30 foot. They're just in different levels. >> So I use this one. >> Um, so my I picked the picture with a little team celebrating. My top five are woo, empathy, communication, connectedness, and individualization. I feel like to be a part of a team you have to have a little bit of of everything that or well you have to have more than you have to

035have all 35 but um you have to have that communication the individualization because everybody plays a certain role a certain part um and that's why I picked this picture just because all of us have to work together to get where we need to be. >> Awesome. Thank you. Next. All right. >> I wouldn't picked the picture up because I like the picture. >> My strengths are an achiever, uh, responsibility, harmony, arranger, and context. I feel if you're achiever, responsible, find your harmony. And this is I live out in the country. I just like sunsets. >> Yeah. Awesome. Thank you for sharing. >> I'll go next. >> Okay. >> Relator restorative harmony, empathy, and input. And so this is my >> where it's my getaway. It's my escape. It's like reality can go away. And this

036is this is where I'm happy. >> Awesome. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for sharing. I said thank you for sharing. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. A few more. Okay. >> Okay. >> All of those together. When working with my team, I like to see everybody achieving their goals. So, working together, putting the puzzle together, piecing is big and >> thank you. Um, I have strategic achiever learner relons and I picked this picture right here because it most like [Laughter] >> Okay, you have Two more. >> I I'll go. >> Okay. >> So, my top five is achiever, arranger, individualization, responsibility, and belief. So, I picked this >> because the achiever part of course um that this is kind of like the achiever and the ranger go together, right? So you think you think about your

037next move and you think about how how you're going going to uh expedite things. The individualization everybody has a part in this. It's one-on-one but everybody plays a role. And then the pieces each have their own moves. >> Um responsibility of course is just the responsible for the for the role, right? And then the belief the belief that everybody well in this game or in life in general should should be honest and have loyalty. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Okay. I >> think Mary, you are our last. >> Okay. >> Oh, no. Jesse hasn't gone yet. >> He's sitting quietly over there. Mine is uh positivity, includer, responsibility, adaptability, adaptability and ideiation. >> And I chose this picture. >> This is my happy place. >> So >> I can see that. >> All right. Um,

038so I chose this picture and you can tell it's a teacher helping a student with a project. Uh, so my five are arranger, uh, relator, developer, learner, and futuristic. So um, thought that was the best fit. Uh, helps helps people get things done, right? So in this case, helping the students get the project done. uh helps helps me uh the relator part right connect connect to the students uh obviously they're learning and they're developing so that's the developer part of it and along with the learner and then futuristic the robots got to be futuristic [Music] >> awesome I think that now that everybody has shared awesome um my hope is as you keep working on strengths right like I I am not going to give you all strengths in in this time with you today.

039um you'll have to well I hope I would like you to keep working on it um and understanding it and the more you do um and I'm hoping in just this little bit some of you as you've interacted with with each other are like oh yeah that that makes sense right that's that's that person that's their personality right oh I absolutely uh see that my hope is you will continue to see more of that um as you think about your strengths and how they interact um with others Uh, at this time I'm going have you turn your paper over to the back side and then I'd like you to put your writing utensil in your non-dominant hand >> and write your name five times. >> Okay. Not print >> first and last. >> Oh jeez.

040>> I used to be good at this. I'm not anymore. >> It doesn't have to be straight. Whichever makes you happy. >> Well, not yet. >> Cursive print with the left. >> Let's try. >> Oh, look at you. You're ambidextrous. >> No, >> I thought it was getting better. >> Yeah, this hating right just looks like a >> I think the second one was >> that. What happened, Kate? I don't know. >> My first one was pretty good and then >> the first one is perfect. >> It's just getting getting worse and worse. >> Yeah, my second one. >> Now she's >> Heather, I think you're playing tricks on me. >> So good. >> Do what? >> I think you're playing tricks on you. I know. She's like been doing this forever. Are you ambidextrous?

041>> Was she asked to find something to do with her time? >> Oh, >> fine. >> If you are ambidextrous activity, >> you're like, I got this >> because I work I work with both hands. Maybe that's why. >> But look how slow I'm >> supposed to do my last name. >> But look how slow I'm going too. >> I just >> Katie, what is up with yours? >> Oh, and mine is terrible. And I just did my first. Ain't no way I'm going to try my last name. Wait, what happened was way too hard. >> Oh, you did yours in. That's good. >> The first one was the best. >> My dad was left hand. He would do both. He would go back and forth. Especially when he had a stroke, he had to

042switch to right since his left was affected. And he he did both. >> Nope. That >> I think for the most part, I see lots of heads up. So now you can put your writing utensil back in your dominant hand and write your name five times, >> first and last. Cursive or print is up to you. a lot. >> You know what's funny is the other hand. >> Not on the other one. No way. >> Brenda, yours looks just as good as the other one. >> This I mean obviously >> and I'm just using my one last name. I have two last names and it's Nago. Can you imagine? My hand would be tired, but I don't like it. >> Yours looks so good. on both. >> Brenda has a secret talent over there. >>

043Brenda, how many times did you write yours? >> But that looks pretty good, but then I look on top. >> Wy that was the >> Let me see yours. >> I couldn't read my last name. >> What is that? It looks like a >> do it. It looks good. See your left hand. >> All right. >> So, let's talk a little bit about >> when you wrote your name in your non-dominant hand. >> How did it feel? >> Uncomfortable. >> Awkward. >> Challenging. >> Made me think. >> Made you think. Right. Like how does this >> Well, because I have to have it perfect. So, it makes you >> Well, for me, >> clearly >> it it works. I work harder. Did it take you longer? >> Sort of because I just did my first

044name. I think you can get my last name. >> A couple non-roll followers over here. Okay. >> Uh awkward, uncomfortable, articul, right? And then when you went to your dominant hand, >> It was natural, right? Didn't think about it. Didn't have to think about which way or how the letter went. You just did it, right? That's kind of like your strengths, right? Your top five strengths, your top 10 strengths are like writing with your dominant hand, right? They come so naturally to you, right? My hope is that for several of you after you took the assessment, you went, "Oh, this is a little scary that this assessment knows me so well." Every now and then, it doesn't quite hit the spot. Sometimes is it's so natural. It takes a conversation, a one-on-one conversation to be

045like, "Oh, I do absolutely do that. I've just never thought about it in that kind of context or or light. Could you get better with your non-dominant hand?" >> Sure. Right. Maybe with except It sounds like Brenda, you've got great handwriting on on both. So Brenda's the exception over here. Um, right. But you could, right? You could spend hours each day, right, with your non-dominant hand, right? In a pinch, if something happened and your dominant hand was in a sling, right, and you had to, you could get by, right? But it wouldn't be something you would choose to do. When I'm working with students, I'm like, you're not going to go in your biology class and try to take your notes with your non-dominant hand. Your professor is going to be 15 minutes into class

046and you're still going to be trying to write the first sentence from the notes, right? So that's how we want your strengths to be, right? The more you work on them, the more you think about them, right? It should become like breathing, right? For the most part, you don't have to think about breathing, right? Every now and then you got to tell yourself to breathe in certain situations, right? But for the most part, you're not going breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. It just happens. That's how we want you to get with your your strengths. the more you work on them, the more you think about them, um the the more you engage and are intentional with them, they get to that that point. Technically, they start off as themes and then when

047you put in that time and investment with them, they become strengths. We use them interchangeably as as we talk, but that's what I want you to get to, right? Because we have limited time in a day, right? I don't think you have the time to be able to work on your non-dominant hand. That's kind of like the bottom half of your strengths. They're there. We know our non-dominant hand exists, right? We like our non-dominant hand, but that's not where we want to put our focus, especially when we have limited time, right? We want to focus on our strengths, right? And Gallup has founded when you do that, you're actually more effective and you're going to make greater strides than if you were to focus, say, on the bottom half. Still good? Still with me? Any

048questions as of right now? No. Okay. So, in your folder, you have a document that looks like this grid. This is called the best of me. And I'd say the other kind of premise around Gallup and strengths is really getting to understand yourself first and then we'll get to that interplay with others and teams. But if you don't understand yourself first, then understanding that interplay with teams is going to be more difficult. So as you look at your top 10, right? And if you really feel strongly about like the 11th or 12th strength or something like that, um, but those are your kind of upper domain strengths that really are you, what comes naturally to you. You don't necessarily think much about them. Um, I want you to think about when we get the best

049of you. Then I want you to think when we get the worst of you. Then I want you to think about you can count on me to do. And then this is what I need from you. So for example, I have restorative. I am typically a question an a question asker and that is because I don't like band-aid solutions. I want to be able to get to the true root of the problem and be able to to solve it. So part of say what I need um for my supervisor is that space to ask questions. Does that make sense? So, you get the worst of me when maybe I'm put on the spot. Don't have that time to ask questions and have to think. You also get the worst of me when I'm hangry. And

050that's okay, too. You can have that in your box. That's fair. Okay. But does that make sense? So, I want you to think about when do we get the best of you? And really look at your top 10 strengths. When do we get the worst of you? What can we count on you to do? And then what you need to um from somebody else All right. So, we're gonna go around this way. Um, and Mary, I'd like to start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about when we get the best of you? Um when you show me when we treat each other with respect and um and and when you showed that you're willing to work together. Thank you. >> I think you get the best of me when when um you

051fulfilled responsibilities to a job or to a relationship or friendships or whatever. >> Thank you. >> I I did it in terms of work. So, you get the best of me when I had had when I've had time to plan and be prepared to present different options on how to address an issue. Thank you, Jesse. >> All right. You get the best of me when uh we're thinking about the future uh and not letting and not only letting others learn along the way, but also leveraging each other's strengths. >> Brenda, >> mine is honesty. Someone being honest to me and to to the group overall. >> Um you always get the best of me once you start talking to me because I'm a talker. Uh >> that's that woo. uh also uh get the best

052of me when people give credit to someone who has an ideal and and recognizes that whether it's a good idea or a bad ideal >> and just working as a team. >> Katie, >> uh so I I kind of did the same thing Mr. Rome did and I applied it to not only here but to the to my job. But >> yeah, absolutely. >> I'm a great listener. So, you get the best of me when I'm just listening because I'm absorbing all the information. Uh, but I'm still able to offer my input um when it's when I feel like it like I've gotten all that information and I received it. So, yeah, that's Yeah. Thank you, Lisa. >> You get the best of me when I'm challenged or when I when I feel safe. >>

053Thank you. I read it. Um, you get the best of me when I feel supported and I have a creative space to perform and bring in like partnerships or ideas. Um, since I have communication and woo are part of my strengths, I'm really good at networking, it's my superpower, but if I don't get the support and like the ability to build those relationships and I there's no point of having woo when >> uh when you need to get something done um or organized, I'll help any way I can. Awesome. >> Yep. >> Again, I didn't know it was going to be personal or workrelated, but I saw mine was a little bit >> So, you'll get the best of me when I'm part of the process. So, if it's at home and decorating for Halloween

054at work, same thing. when I'm feeling problem. >> Awesome. Okay, Michael, we're gonna start with you. When do we get the worst of >> you? Thank you, >> Chief. >> That's That's fair. >> Sometimes people negativity. >> Yeah, that's that's fair. Bill, >> when I feel overwhelmed or not when I'm not, >> right? When it's just the box of Halloween decorations, it's like do this and you're like, I wanted to talk about placement and where we put the big skeleton and if we put the orange lights here or touch it. [Laughter] Um, when things aren't organized and you want me to clean up the mess you made when I tried to give you ideas to help you organized and you didn't want anything to do. >> Okay. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for being

055vulnerable. I appreciate that. >> Um, when I don't feel like there's harmony or there's suppressed feelings, that's when I'm not at my best. I second guessed myself and I judged myself. Um, my coworker always has to start off with, "You're not in trouble, Maggie." Just like as a reminder that things are okay in the office. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> And mine, it's when when I feel attacked or I'm not heard or valued. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Kind of off of that, I'm not heard or understood. Um, uh, when I finally do speak out, but I get cut off. That happened to me too at work and um sometimes when things are like I feel like they've lost control like just or even around me my surroundings have lost control then I don't

056function well in that space at all >> like I shut down. >> Yeah. >> So >> Brenda >> minus when someone's mean or speaks mean to someone else um someone or or when there's lies and someone doesn't admit the guilt. Um, and when um, whether it's an individual or as a team, when you're discussing things and then the same question is being asked again because I feel like that person's either not listening to me if it's one- on-one or if it's as a group, they're not listening. So, it that's a pet peeve of mine. >> Um, you get the worst of me when uh there's no plan in place uh and there's more talking than actions. Okay. >> Uh, you get the worst of me when I don't see that you're giving it your best.

057>> This is hard for someone who doesn't work >> because I'm retired. >> I agree. >> It's kind of like So, you get the worst of me when people fail to to do what needs to be done. They don't live up to expectations of the job or life or just whatever. >> You get the worst of me when people are insincere. >> What can we count on you to do, Mary? >> Me. That's not fair. >> Or is this is it this Mary? >> Can you count on me? >> You can count on me for anything. I I'm I'm always willing to help. Just don't be phony. >> Don't be phony. >> Be authentic. >> And you roll up your sleeves every bit. >> Yeah. >> Right. You can count on me to do whatever

058you need. Responsible, reliable. >> Yeah. >> Uh you can count on me to assist in anything that's needed and to be respectful of other staff members points of view. >> You can count on me to bring the group together to ensure that uh we get things done. Uh, you can count on me to always be there. You can count on me for forgiveness and you can and to work with others to make things better. Uh, you can count on me for help um to get to the bottom of of something. I'm always willing to do that. Uh, and to bring what I consider that customer service attitude. >> Awesome. You can count on me to be direct, to show up and and be present always. >> You can count on me to listen and relate.

059Um, yeah, I feel like that's that's something that I like to do is listen to others when they feel like no one's listening. >> Um, you can count on me to help any way that I can. Um, I'll take care of anything that you need to take care of and you can count on me to adapt as needed. You can count on me to give my full attention, commitment. >> Be responsibility. >> And you figured out the pattern. We're gonna start with you, Michael, on our last play. Uh, what do you need from others? >> I put to be to be left alone to complete my task. >> Hey, he's being honest. >> It makes me think of like you need like a note on your door that's like no distractions right now. Like no

060no no talking no talking to Michael >> support >> being explicit about expectations [Music] >> I need you to be understanding and support me when I ask for I need structure, a plan, accountability, check-ins because I have ADHD sometimes and I don't know what I'm doing. >> I need to um from you is not to take offense or be offensive and then also to know or understand where I'm coming from. >> Uh I need all the information and have it in a respectful way. >> Mine is honesty to be real, not to talk down to others. Friendship uh work to learn and to not act smarter than I am if I'm learning something or I have a question and I don't know. Jesse. >> So for me, it's uh for you to help me build

061relationships, uh bring ideas and be open to others thoughts uh and input and also be willing to be vulnerable. >> This is what I need from you is to give it your best effort and to continue to improve. >> What I need from you is to be real. >> What I need from you is a plan. tell me what it is you need and I'm there. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um I thank you all for for sharing, for thinking about this, um for being vulnerable, um and and putting that information out there. And I think my challenge to you is to keep having these conversations about what you need from others, what helps you be at your best. Now, that doesn't mean in every case, right, or every situation, right, that I'll be able to

062say, get that processing time from my supervisor, right? There are just sometimes where you won't have all the information. I've got the information that I have and I've got to make that that decision, right? Um I don't have that magic wand to have that in in every moment, right? But when those moments are there, right? I definitely appreciate that. But you all are in education, you have jobs, you know that that's not not always the the case, right? And as you work together, sorry, as a board, keep having these conversations, right? And when those say moments aren't there where you can't have that full plan, maybe explain here's where we're at, here's why we're here, right? Can we get to that place? What in that moment that we can do, right? When you see maybe

063somebody is off, right? you just heard when you get people at their their worst is think bump it. Okay, chief, maybe it's time for a vacation, right? >> I didn't do a motion. I started >> There you go. Um, >> we have it all. >> Yes, with so does Judson because I'm making I'm like, "Oh, you know, fall break. I'm so happy for you. What does that mean? I'm going to get have to get you aware. Um, but think about that, right? And your colleagues and and what they need and when in those moments you can give them, right, that space to be at your best and be the most productive, right? And then when somebody seems off, right, you work together a lot. My assumption is you can probably tell, right? Like, oh, Jesse

064already looks like he's having a bad day. You know, do you want to talk about it? Do you not want to talk about it? and and what does that what does that mean and look like as you continue to to dive in with your strengths and um and your colleagues. So your strengths live in domains um believe this is another handout. Yeah, you have this handout as well. Um your report probably also told you the domain that you lead in, right? So there are four of them. executing, influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking. Right? So there are 34 strengths and they are divided in these four domains. You as an individual while you have all 34, right? Your top strengths, right? Um are in a domain and that is where you lead with. Several of

065you lead in the relationship building domain. Several of you lead in the executing domain. Others are in the strategic thinking um and the the influencing. And what I like to remind people about is um one domain is not better than the other. You don't need to be equal across in all domains to be effective. It's about that understanding. And when you have that understanding, right, you can get to the same endpoint, but the path that somebody who leads in executing is going to take is going to look different than somebody who say leads in relationship building, right? We can still get to the same end point, but someone who leads in executing, their path might be over here. Somebody who leads in strategic thinking, their path might be over here. When you don't understand that,

066right, that's where it can lead to frustration, right? Because I might be like, Lanne, what are you doing way over there, right? We're trying to get here. You should be over here, right? And man's going, "What are you doing way over there, Heather? You should be over here." Right? One path is not right or wrong, right? It's being able to understand that and how can you come together to leverage, right? Uh Margarita, you shared, right, that you love to network, right? that woo and communication, right? So, for me, not my fan favorite, right? If I go to conference and they have like the networking hour, I'm like, "Okay, we can do this." Right? Maybe the ticket that's in my name tag helps a little bit, right? Where Marrio here, she's like, "Yes." Right? That is

067fueling her. I can do it. Right? Right. And I can go and talk to people and and network. And then afterwards, I'm like, "Nobody talked to me for four hours." >> Right? >> Tires me out. I can do it. Right? So, as you think about your goals and what you need, if there's that opportunity, right, you've got someone who just told you she loves that, right? She thrives off of that. So, I might, you know what? In this case, I'm going to step back and you take the lead and you go and you network and you make these connections. That doesn't mean at some point you also need a break, right? And that it will will tire you out. But on some level that fuels her differently than it fuels me, right? And so as

068you think about your collective goals, and you do have a handout there that we're not going to go over tonight, but at a future time you can um go over that is think about what is that goal? What do we each bring to the table? And how do you leverage each other strategically, right? say to put that puzzle piece together to be the most effective and get the best out of everybody. So executing is exactly what you probably think it is, right? That's turning ideas into reality, right? They're executing, they're doing um influencing again kind of exactly what it seems, right? taking charge, speaking up, um making sure others are heard, relationship building, exactly what it says, right? Building relationships, holding a team uh together, and then strategic thinking, right? Helping make better decisions um

069and create better outcomes. Now, the fun part, the power and edge, right? So, we've talked a lot about strengths, but when you use your strength ineffectively, that in Gallup's mind is when it is a weakness. So, it's not your 34th strength that is your weakness. That 34th strength is exactly what it is. It's still a strength. Might take a lot more effort, right? My 34th is positivity, in case you're wondering, to be able to pull that up, right? But I can when needed, right? But the learner is my top one. And when used effectively, that's a strength. When I use it ineffectively and it starts to hinder my work, that's when it's a weakness. So when I'm using my strength effectively, that's the power of the strength, right? It's going, it's helping me be productive.

070I'm working well in a team and we're moving forward. When learner gets in the way, that's the edge. Every strength has a power and edge. No strength is left untouched by that. So, we have an example on the board and that's the power of communication. Show of hands. How many of you all have communication in your top 10? Good. Couple people, right? So, power of communication. Find it easy to put their thoughts into words. Good conversationalist conversationalist verbally expressive and great storytelling. People that raised your hand, do you agree? >> It fit you. Okay. >> So the edge though of communication could be too much talking and not enough listening. Yeah. And people with communication maybe can see that. Yeah. What else do you think might be a edge of communication? Sometimes you might speak

071and it's not your place to speak and that person may get their feelings hurt. Even though you're being honest with them, but it's just not your place. But you don't mean no harm. >> You're just being honest. I was just told this today. So that's why it's brushed in my head. I just try to make sure that when people are talking to me that I say, "Are you telling me this because you want me to respond back to you or are you just telling me this because you want me to listen?" Because my natural is to respond back and I don't want to always do that because sometimes all they want is for me to listen to. >> No, that's that's great awareness, right? And again, I think as you dive more into this, right,

072that's where my hope is you see some of that, right? Um, I will share. So, my husband is also a certified strengths coach. Um, and he had done it first and then he was like, "Come on, you need to take yours and and let's get this this moving." Um, and it's allowed us to have better understanding with each other. So, he has he's high harmony. I am not right. Right. And there were definitely times where that caused some frustration where I'm like, I just need you to be mad. Why are you not mad right now? Right. And then after doing strengths, I was like, oh, it's not that he's not mad, right? But his natural instinct is be like, here's a problem. We need to find a solution and let's move forward. When I had

073that understanding, I was like, oh, okay, that makes a little bit more sense, right? And we can have these these conversations better, right? And now I know, right? Sometimes I'm just like, "No, I just want you to be mad right now." Like, "I don't want your harmony. I just want you to be mad." And vice versa, I'm high restorative, so I'm problem solving, right? And so, we've learned to improve our communication because it'll be like, "I'm just sharing. I don't need you to solve this problem." Right? I've also learned to be better. I'm like, "Are you telling me this because you want me to solve your problem or are you just telling me this to share?" >> Right? And that's helped a lot, right, in our relationship and our dynamics, right? So, in a works,

074I know it was more of a personal setting, but in a work setting, right? Um, I have a supervisor and there would be times when he's been my supervisor now for I think almost three years. When we first uh started, when I moved into the role, I'd like I'd share something. I had a problem or something. Then a little bit later, maybe the next day, he'd come in and he'd be like, "Why fix it?" And I was like, "I didn't tell you to fix it. I was just sharing, right?" And it happened a couple more times. And I was like, "Does he think I'm incompetent? Why did he hire me? Like, I can fix these problems, right? I had a little bit of a like, I don't need a man to solve my problems. Like,

075I can do this." Right? And so, I was like, "What?" And I was like, "Okay, Heather, you're strengths coach. Let's look at their strengths." He was an activator and achiever, right? So in his mind he was like oh she has problem I can fix it. He activated and go and he was like oh he achieved something. So I have learned right to be like I'm just telling you for awareness I don't need you to fix this right now. I will let you know when I need you to step in and fix it. But without that understanding it was a friction point. Right? He's over here. Think he's doing great being an effective supervisor. She told me this problem. I went and solved it. And I'm sitting at my desk going, I didn't ask you to

076do this. Why did you do this? I'm capable. Right? But then we've sat and I've told him what I need, right? And I've been open in that communication and things are really I do really enjoy my supervisor. He's great. Um so in case you ever run into him he's but but right those dynamics are very different right my activator is much lower in my strength domain right but it was that being able to understand that so as you work with your colleagues right and now that we've done this I would challenge you if you facing kind of that a friction point right a point of frustration right is to look at your strengths right and look at their strengths, right? And it wasn't about fixing him, right? He is who he is at his core

077and that is what comes naturally to him. I'm not trying to fix his activator, but I'm trying to understand how we best work together, right, to achieve what we need to for the success of our program and our students um and the work we do with. So, every strength has a power, every strength has an edge. Um, and being able to think about that and have also that self-awareness, right? Like, oh, maybe this isn't the time and place to ask my hundred questions, right? I know I want to ask them and I know I need them, but maybe not right here in this division meeting. I'll set up a separate meeting with my supervisor to be able to to ask those right not everything right needs to say be a competition right so understanding like

078this desire to be first as isn't actually effective in this setting right and that's when you lean on other strengths right like maybe in this moment right even though competition is number two it's not going to be effective in this setting So I don't you all don't actually have anybody who has activator um in their top five even in their their top 10. Um so there are a couple of strengths that are just natural opposites. So >> I had activator which is what threw me off. >> Yeah. And so again, right, everybody has them all, right? Just not their upper. I will say Gallup is still kind of going back and forth on what causes strengths to change. They used to be pretty solid of they don't change. It's who you are, right? Maybe they

079just switch a little bit. Um but I think as they've done more research, they're seeing that I think life experiences and um what you you go through and as you grow professionally does cause some of those. Yours is definitely I was check when you made that comment. I like looked at the full 34 because yours really fell and and switched. Sometimes uh you don't do the full 34. You just get the five and then you retake it and you get the five again. And what's happened is like four went to seven. Seven moved up to to four. So they didn't go far, but sometimes life experience makes them them go far. Um but some are just natural. So there's activator. Its natural opposite is deliberative, right? So someone who wants the time to process and

080think before they make a decision, right? I joke sometimes that an activator, if you said run through the wall, they're just like, "Okay, boom." They're going to go and run through the wall, right? Someone who's high and deliberative is going to pause and go, I don't know if running through the wall is the most effective, but we could go through that door right there, right? And so working together, if you don't understand that, that can be very frustrating, right? The activator is ready to go, right? They probably don't enjoy brainstorming meetings. They don't want to know all the ideas and all the things. They're like, "Where's the list? I want to go to Hobby Lobby and get the supplies that we need, right? Um, sometimes that's what a deliberative person needs to help balance them

081out. So, I have an admin, hi and activator, right? So, I work on my communication with her, right? And sometimes I'm like, nope, you need to be in this brainstorming meeting. Don't lead with activator in this meeting. It will drive you crazy. Look at some of your other strengths. maybe have context and you can provide some historical backing during the brainstorming meeting. Sometimes though, it's really good like when I couldn't decide on a whiteboard for my office and I was all of my strengths were in the basement or the edge, right? Because I was thinking way too much about it, trying to learn all the things. And I just said, "Oh, you know what? She's activator." I said, "Kelsey, I need a whiteboard." And then here's she's like, "Here's three options." And I was like,

082"Oh, yay." Right? Right? And then I got a whiteboard, right? So, how do you leverage those strengths in those moments? Right? And understanding your right. I understood in that moment that my strengths were getting in my way and I needed to leverage somebody else to help me in that situation. So, go back to the paper, probably the one that you wrote your name on. Flip it back over back to our columns. And with your top five, I want you to write what you need to look out for. So, what is the edge of that strength? How can that strength get you into trouble? On our top five, right? >> Just your top five. >> How can you get >> do it? >> How we can get in trouble. what you need to watch out for

083the edge of it. So, kind of like how we talked on the communication, the too much talking but not listening, that would be something you'd want to watch out for. Um, is there anybody who'd like to share um one of their top five strengths and what they feel they um should be on the the lookout for? Miguel, >> any of them. any of them. >> The individualization when you focus people focus on what their strengths are sometimes you give yourself a chance for. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Anybody else? Marville, >> mine is a relator and and that can be dangerous because you tend to exclude others in in the little groups. >> Yeah. Um, typically if you're high in relator, you're probably lower in woo and vice versa. If you're high in woo, you're

084lower in relator. Woo is about winning over winning others over. Probably never met a stranger, right? It's my sister who's at the airport. She's like, "Oh, I just started talking to this person." And like seven connections later and I'm like, "You talked to a stranger in the airport." Right. Relator, right, is more about that depth, right? Um and and Woo is about um breath. >> Anybody else? >> Uh achiever sometimes overdoing it, you can tire yourself and you need to realize that at times it's it's it's a marathon and not a 100 meter dash. Yeah, that's a a real good point, right? It's sometimes it's it's not checking all the boxes off at the at the end of the day. Some of the boxes take a little bit longer and that's okay. Doesn't mean that

085you haven't not achieved something. Um just taking a little bit longer to get there. >> Responsibility. Mhm. >> Sometimes you can go gung-ho on we got to do this and come on and then you end up doing it yourself. >> Yeah. Yeah. I have I also have responsibility in my top five. And I have to remind myself that no is a full sentence. >> Both hands I saw at the same time. So, whoever would like to go first. Mine mine's empathy and then um so I I'm like a I'm struggling right now with compassion fatigue because I like literally my job is to solve problems for other people but right now I'm like well who's there to solve my problems? Um and so it's like just paying attention to your energy levels. Um because you

086it it's draining and that's I feel like that's especially right now is like what I've been going through lately is just feeling drained >> because I focus on other people's issues and I feel like I haven't had time for my own. So, >> right. >> When do you when do you when do you pause on that and and focus on your needs, >> right? And that's important, right? Because in order for you to be your best to others, you've got to be at your your best. And so when do you kind of pause and have that time out for you um so that you can be your best for others? >> Lisa, >> for me a ranger um sometimes you get push back but being a change agent is difficult for a lot of people.

087>> So >> yeah, I think it's kind of being able to keep that in mind, right? Like you might be able to see this But they can't. So where do you find that that balance of that timing, right? Because change can be hard. It might be needed, right? But also too much change all at once can be extremely overwhelming. So where do you find those moments to say like, okay, I know I can see this, but I'm going to take a step back because right now isn't the best time to make that move. And I know if it's with my employees, I I feel like once I give them the rhyme and the reason and then just say, you know, let's let's try it, you know, and then put it back in them, right? So

088that they own it, it it comes a little easier, but it's not always taken right up front, >> right? And I think that point of right that that rhyme and reason, right, because I think when you're in the midst of it, right, and your achievers go in, you're like, "Oh, I see this D." But not everybody lives in Lisa's head, right? So being able to explain that, but I think being mindful of that, right? Like, oh, I can't just like go in and and not explain, right? Because then that's not effective. >> Um, anybody else? Brenda. >> Um, mine's positivity. Positivity. >> Positivity. But I find but when you're really sometimes when you're really positive about things there's a lot of jealousy leads to a lot of jealousy and misunderstanding of that person that's very

089personal right now and so yeah >> yeah and some of that right is thinking kind of time and place and and when do you maybe scale it back just a little bit. It's not to say that to not be your authentic self, right? But to understand that that your your energy, right, while it comes naturally to you can be a lot for for somebody else. And how do you find that that balance where you still feel authentic, but you're also honoring, right, the space that you're in and like where when it needs to be here, but maybe when it needs to be here. Thank you. Anybody else like to share? Mine was for empathy. Um, I try not to assume that everyone is looking for acceptance um or inclusion. A lot of people are happy

090with sitting on the sidelines and sometimes I forget that. Yeah, this is where they want to be at the moment. Thank you. Anybody else? [Music] Okay. Like I don't want to like I don't want to force anybody to share. So I'm like I don't want to try to make icon. Okay. Now what I hope I always find this fun. Hopefully you will find it fun. Um is the team grid. So um I have all 13 of you on my magic Excel sheet. Me and Excel are best friends. Um and it has your top 10. Um so you will notice that the ones that are slightly darker colored those are going to be top five and then the slightly lighter color um is top 10. The number is kind of where they ranked although that loosely

091in Gallup's terms it doesn't necessar they had they're fully numbered but sometimes your two and your one are right there hand in hand. Sometimes your seven is just as prominent as your four. So I would say don't get like too hung up in the the number component. Um then you'll see the first kind of row at the the bottom the smaller numbers in the squares that's the count of how many. So for example achiever there are six people who have achiever in their top 10 in this group. And then you'll see at the bottom that's the total count for the domain. Okay? So I'm going to pass these out and what I want you to do is look over it, look at it and kind of some of the things we've talked about. What stands

092out? What do you notice? What do you find interesting? Um or maybe what questions that you you have. And I'm going to give you a few minutes to kind of look over, process it. Um and then we'll have a conversation. Thank you. And the lighter is the top five. >> Oh, there way. The darker color is the top five. >> Okay. >> Mhm. And the very top row where it says team theme rank, that's you as a collective group. Um kind of how all together where your top 10 would have aligned. So, just briefly with the person next to you, you all can be a group of three if you'd like. Kind of share some of the things that you noticed stood out to you. just gonna turn to your partner so to speak. >>

093So how the relationship building is you have like the one that the only also noticed that all of us a majority of our skill sets are in relationship >> building relationship and >> our like lowest one is influence >> influence wasn't very high at all. >> No. That that's surprising. >> And the learner one, >> it seemed that for the most part that that had the highest one where we all >> overlap. But do y'all have more in strategic cuz I feel like that's where y'all would be a lot of is more strategic and executing. And I was looking at the individual ones that like in this case Miss was over here because military is more structured >> ideiation. >> I was over here for focus. >> Yeah. >> And who else? >> I also

094thought it was like interesting like Mr. Castile is the only one with command. >> Brenda's the only one with consistency. That's why she's been on the same nail girl for like 20 years. Is that the the two that we didn't have any? Yes. >> Yeah. I feel like those are >> That's crazy. >> Maximizer >> the relationship building. >> That's all Katie. Katie, are you almost relationship building? >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> That's interesting. Mhm. >> I thought that was >> so when you had done this in I guess did you do it in your current >> surprising I wasn't surprised I was also like >> and so it's miss >> all right >> it's come together as as large group >> um >> what' you notice what >> heavy relationship building yeah you well

095as a group lead with that. >> Yeah. >> So that was very very telling and then getting things done right. >> Yeah. Not not too far off in the the executing >> some of the some of the areas where they're very strong um uh traits or I don't know what you would call these uh uh strengths. >> I can see where there's only one person. Those are our leaders. I I'm not calling Well, you I would call somebody out, but like even with like Mr. Ramirez, you know, he was the only one in his group on um where was it? >> Focus. Yes. That that that's to me leadership. And even with him, I was joking around with him about the intellectual are you smarter than us? But I see that I see that as

096a leader. >> Yeah. And and I find it there's like only one person in these areas. It isn't like one or two, you know, people that are listed on this. Do do you understand what I mean? Where the leaders are. >> Yeah. I I would counter you though to not necessarily think of certain ones of these traits as only leadership. Like I think all of these have the potential to be be great leaders. Um and but it's understanding that value that that brings right so the person >> who had the focus right so in a large group setting right where you're going going going he might have the ability to be like okay we're squirreling too much let's bring it back together and get back on track right which is which is extremely valuable um

097but you all have focus right it just doesn't That's not necessarily what comes say naturally. >> What I'm trying to say those to me maybe it's just to me I'm not speaking for everybody but for me that just looks like a strong strength for leadership and >> it just it it comes out on the paper to me. I see it. >> Yeah. >> So it is definitely valuable. What other things you saw or noticed or maybe have a question about? >> Are we is your team better by having like high numbers? >> Yeah, that's a great question. Um, it actually doesn't make a difference. It's more about awareness. That's what Gallup is um is trying to get across. It's about understanding. It's understanding the people you work with. It's not that you need to be

098high executing to be a great team. It doesn't mean that you should have these five or 10 that make you a leader. Right? >> So, we don't need a fire chief and bring in an activator and a maximizer. >> Positive. Now, what I will say is some of these are are very similar with slight differences, right? So, again, you all have activator. You all have that potential. It's just not your first instinct, right? So, if you meet an activator and you work with them, you're like, "Oh, I see what you mean." Right? Like I have my like my administrative or former administrative assistant high activator. Right? So, when I work, I'm like, "Oh, you were like again like we might be talking about a list and she's like halfway out the door to Walmart and

099I'm going, "Wait, wait, wait. We haven't finalized the list." Right? That doesn't mean that you all can't then activate and be like, "Oh, we've got to do." But also, sometimes you leverage your top 10 to be able to do it. Just doesn't look exactly like someone who is high in activator. >> Does that make sense? Like like I have so I sit across somebody who's high in context and like uh strategic or intellection. They're they're in the green, but I'm in the the like orange and the blue. So, a lot of times if we get somebody angry, I get to deal with them because that's because I have the woo. But if it's a spreadsheet and I don't want to do it, then I ask them to do it for me because that's that's what

100they enjoy doing. And I think right in those moments when you can leverage that, right, that can make your team, right, more efficient and effective. But it's like I told right my colleague who's high in activator you don't get to go I'm high in activator I'm not going to sit in that brainstorming meeting that's not how this works right but I have shared if you are trying to lead with activator in a brainstorming meeting you are going to be beyond frustrated >> because a the purpose of a brainstorming meeting is not to activate. So what other strengths can you can you leverage right and how does that work together? So you've got a three people, right, who are high in context and two people who are high in futuristic, right? And what you I would

101say what you want to be mindful of, right, is your context people, right? Want some background, right? Or they know background. They're going to share the history, right? So someone who is high in futuristic, sometimes your natural tendency is like, I don't care what happened in the past. I'm focused on the future 10 years from now, right? I can already see the building and the curtains and the color and the tile of the floor, right? And the context person is going, well, five years ago this happened, right? And how do you bring that together to not be frustrated, right? For the people high in context who feel this is important to bring to the table, right? Not have the people who are futuristic be frustrated and vice versa. And how do you bring and marry

102that together, right? because then that's what's going to make you as an effective team, right? It's not um it's allowing those that is important for them to be able to give that historical data that space, but then it's also important for those people to allow the futuristic people saying I understand that but we want to focus this way and how do you bridge that together to be most effective, right? But to me, when you don't understand that, it just becomes frustration, right? because you're going, I don't care about the f uh the the past, right? I just want to go here. And the other person is going, why are you so worried about the future, right? We've got to understand this to be able to get there. And that's what causes, right, either disagreements or

103going in separate ways. But when you understand that right about the other person, you have that ability to say like, "Oh, they're coming from this place, so let me hear them out." And then vice versa. Let me hear this person out other things you saw or or noticed >> looking at other people's. It seems pretty accurate. >> It really does. I can see I mean seeing this and looking at each individual >> and then looking at them like yeah that is them. And that's what I've enjoyed about it. At some point, we'll have our our kids take it, but my husband and I are definitely like, "Oh, I think she's high in consistency, right?" Like, >> you know, and and so we we work on that, right? And she's like, "She you said we were

104going to go to the zoo." And I'm like, "It's raining and thundering and lightning, right?" But her consistency is, "You said we were going to do this and we should do it, right?" So, we've learned to be like, "We will go to the zoo, weather permitting, right?" And and understanding, right? It's not that uh some of those things are naturally to her and she hasn't taken it yet, but we've done enough with strengths. We're kind of like, I think you might be might be this other things a lot of our um a lot of the folks in the room have individualization. Mhm. Yeah, that's second. Uh followed by >> followed by learner. >> Oh, achiever. >> Well, numberwise, I uh I think achiever gets the one because it's more in the top five. There are

105more people in the the top five. And then individualization has a few more in the top 10. >> Has 10. That's crazy. >> But yes. >> Have you done other other school boards in the past? You are my first >> do a lot of work with students >> in a >> several several departments but you're my my first >> we're leading in something >> and you're reviewing this. I'm sure you reviewed it. Do you see it in us? I mean, I know you don't know us, but as someone who's over there on the other side, do you see this matching up? >> Uh, I think it because I don't know you, it's hard to say, but definitely in some of the things that you have shared have been spot on um with like what you're

106sharing or even like your pictures. I'm sitting here going, "Oh, yeah, that that makes sense." And that that aligns. I would love to see how we could use like some of our strengths to flesh out a lonear goal so that way we can achieve it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> There you go, Jesse. You have your challenge. You're futuristic. [Laughter] I think a lot about it is as you take this information back, right, is really that self-reflection of you, right, and what you bring to the table, right, and how your strengths, how you leverage your strengths um to the the power of them to be the most effective, right, in different situations and roles, but also to be mindful of when that strength can trip you up, right? And that edge of the strength and when

107maybe you shouldn't lead with a particular strength in a particular setting and you leverage one of your other strengths, right? Um and then understanding, right, your colleagues and who you're working with and how best to work with them, right? It's understanding that, okay, Jesse's high and futuristic, right? So if you go to him, right, and you start the meeting with everything that's happened for the past 10 years, might not be as effective, right? So maybe you just talk a little bit about those highlights and then move forward, right? So it's it's thinking about those those dynamics, right? It doesn't mean that you cannot be your authentic self because context is important, right? But it's also understanding that if you go on and on and on and on and Jesse's high and futuristic, you probably lost

108him at some point in there. >> You'll hear you'll hear me say like people have long memories and they just get forget the past and just move on, right? And and it's me trying to just move on, right? And and let's get somewhere new and different or maybe not different, but at least something that's going to move us forward, >> right? So like an understanding. Yeah. knowing that we're not all necessarily going to agree and that's okay, right? But let's just keep moving forward versus trying to keep wanting to go back, right? >> And and I I do even I mean I I lead a large team outside of here, right? And even same message, right? And >> especially in my in my organization, people have long long memories about stuff that happened 20 30

109years ago, right? and and they just don't forget, you know, and trying to break through those walls. It's difficult. >> Yeah. And I think too, right, part of the um challenge to someone high and futuristic is when you do interact with someone where context is important, how do you give them that space so that they can be their authentic self, right? But we still make progress, right? Because if that person is high in context and it's important for them to be able to share that and you cut them off, then there's a chance they're going to shut down because they're not feeling like they're they're heard, right? But also important for the person high in context to understand when it's potentially the edge in getting in the way and not allowing progress forward, right? So

110kind of similar with uh deliberative, right? How do you not get stuck in just I don't have enough information. I need more. I need more. And you never make a decision, right? And then you potentially have people frustrated with you because you haven't made that decision. So how do you bring that together? Right? And that might take an maybe someone who has a strength of achiever to say, you know what, by this date, right? So the deliberative person wants some information, some time to think, but we've set a deadline, right? So that it's not constant, right? And we get to a point where a decision is made, right? We make the best with what we have, but we allow that person to have space. But also important for someone who's high and deliberative to know

111that there might be situations that you don't have 48 hours or 72 hours to make that decision. We have to make it now, say, at a board meeting with the best information that you have. And h how do you work through that? Questions that you have as we approach the end of the the two hours. Do you have any questions? >> What would you suggest would be a good exercise for us as a next step? Um, I think probably the the goal sheet that you have in there where you focus on a goal and then think about the best of me in relation to that goal, right? So, the best of me we did um just kind of broad, right? Some of you focus personal, some of you did a mix, some of you looked

112at it from the the work lens. Your strengths permeate everywhere, right? professional in this setting in your personal life, right? Because it's who you are at your core. So, um that would probably be my advice to you is what is a the next goal you want to achieve or what is one of your goals and think about it in that context, right? Or in that context specific to the goal. How are we going to get the best of you to achieve this goal? How might we get the worst of you to achieve this goal? um what do you need from your colleagues to be able to achieve this goal? And then what can we count on you right from your different strengths to help achieve the goal and I think my other thing is don't

113let it be one and done. Continue to to work on this, talk about it, have those conversations, right? um be willing, I think, to have some of those vulnerable moments in an appropriate space in in context to be able to share what you need or um why you were frustrated in a moment because you needed that time to ask a question and you felt like you were cut off and to be able to hear each other out. So, kind of like that example that I talked about with my my supervisor, right? because if I never would have shared that, we'd still be very frustrated and and not effective in what we need. So, I think that's one of the big takeaways that I've had with strengths is that ability to share what I need, right?

114But it's also understanding. I don't always get that, right? But when he can, my supervisor will come in and be like, "Look, this is going to come. I know you need some time to process. So, I'm going to share with you in advance, right, of of the meeting. Sometimes it's a day before, sometimes it's a couple hours. Sometimes I don't get that right in the director's meeting and something's shared and I'm like, "Oh, okay." Right? And my wheels are going, right? But because I've shared that with my supervisor when he can, he'll come in and be like, "Okay, this is going to be shared. I just want you to process." Right? Also don't have a poker face. So, he's like, "Fix your face. Right. So, I I I appreciate those those moments when they um

115when they come and and they make sense, but I also understand life doesn't always work that way. But it it's constantly working, talking with your colleagues, um and and checking in on each other, right? You all are doing this outside of other demands and and what does that look like? So you're taking care of yourself because in order to bring your best self to the table, you you need a full cup, right? So you can't just constantly be pouring and and pouring. >> I have to remind myself about that, too. >> I think from um kind of to Maggie's point from next steps like one thing I'll take this right and and digest it, but also want to needs to be visible, right? And so I'll come up with something, right, that's going to be

116visible for everybody, for all of us, right? >> Uh I think that will help us, especially when we're having those difficult conversations, which we we've had a few recently, right? Um it helps you to kind of just look at it and say, "Hey, helps you think before you say things." And it's going to say, "Okay, when I say this, this person's going to react this way." Right? >> And I think that's so I'll come up with something. I think that's going to be helpful to help us with the conversation, >> right? Um and then also allow us to self-reflect too, right? >> Yeah. >> Um >> absolutely lots of lots of self-reflection, right? Because at the end of the day, it's not about changing somebody, right? That that's who they are at their core and

117what they bring. And it's being able to look at it through the lens of a strength, right? Because oftentimes we're like I write the harmony like, "Oh, it's just kumbaya. I just want everybody to get along. you want to avoid conflict. And as I've gotten to learn more about harmony, right, and how it interacts, I'm like, "Oh, that's that's not it." Right? And that was my flaw in thinking. And now that I have a better understanding, right, then we can move forward. And several of these, right, just because of information we've gotten, sometimes our our human instinct goes to that. So, you have your uh full report in that packet. You also have a quick reference guide that has all 34 and you can see what they bring and and what they need. Um, and

118as you so as you think about those those interactions and how to be most um effective and efficient with them. >> Do you have a report that has all of us listed that you could send me potentially >> like the full 34? >> Yes, I can get everybody this but then I can I have this as Excel. I can send it to Lan tomorrow. >> Or do you think it'd be helpful to get like the um everybody's top strengths that way you know like >> Yeah. >> what we need and what our boundaries are. >> Yeah. Um I'll put something together for that. I think that's important. >> I think you gave that to us, right? >> This is the whole 34. >> Thank you. >> All the numbers. >> Wow. Don't go picking on

119people and be like, "Oh, here's a 34." >> Thank you. >> Don't Don't laugh at my wool. >> But yes, I can get all of these Excel sheets um to you, Lan. I might have to text in and remind me because life gets a little crazy. But I definitely have it and I'm happy to to share it. Other than that, um I I hope you enjoyed it. I I hope you found it um beneficial and and have some great takeaways and you know, I hope that that you continue to to use it and um would love to hear some success stories. >> This is the first time I've seen the full list and like I know discipline's one of my strong my like weak points like something I need to work on and one of

120my quotes to my supervisor was I'm a freerange chicken. You can't control me. So like I see the disciplines like my 34. So I'm like, "Huh, makes sense." >> And again, it's it's not necessarily about how do you become better at discipline, right? It's understanding that that's not something that comes naturally to you, right? But in those moments where you maybe need discipline, look at your top 10 and how can they help you because that's what comes naturally to natural to you and is going to be more effective um with that. Right? So just because you're low in discipline doesn't mean you don't have discipline, right? It just looks different from someone who has it high, right? You can still be disciplined, >> right? And I would also encourage you to look at the um

121the definitions because how Gallup defines them is slightly different than like your Webster dictionary um definition. And then also keeping in mind that right, you might not relate to every single sentence descriptor of it, right? You might read a sentence and be like, "Nah, that's not really me." Um, but hopefully more of the sentences you do relate to, right? Because one of those that comes to mind is communication, right? Sometimes they're like, "Ah, they're high in communication. We're going to throw them on the stage to talk to 400 people." Doesn't always necessarily mean someone high in communication um wants to be on a stage to talk to 600 people, right? It just could be that they're good with formulating their thoughts into words, not necessarily that they want to be on the stage talking to

122400 people. >> Other than that, you don't have any questions. I was just going to say looking at all these numbers like okay so I go straight to the number one and it's interesting how it's spread even you know like um in every area there's someone with the number one so there's a lot of talent here >> a lot of strength >> that we just need to pull together and learn how to work together with it but it's interesting I mean I Katie and I have the same ones, which is weird, but other than that, everywhere else, everybody's got a strength, a different strength with the number one. So, just observation. >> And like I said, there's there's not a particular order or things that you need. It's about that understanding and awareness and leveraging

123that together to to be yourself. So, usually my I think we oftentimes hear right being a well-rounded leader, right? You want to be a well-rounded leader. What I think of especially when I think of the the top five is five points of a star and how do you be a star >> and you be a star when you're leveraging your top strengths. >> Thank you for the time for >> appreciate it. It was very very wonderful and very informative. So >> thank you. Thank you for working with us. >> Absolutely. >> We enjoyed it. >> You all have a great evening. >> All right. Be safe getting home. Thank you. That is great for other boards to use. >> I agree. >> This could be like how you talk about doing a session. >> Dude,

124I'm there with you. >> I'll talk about >> I like I like >> Heather, I put my picture in my backpack. Do you want it back? You would like to keep your picture. Did you want yours back, Lisa? >> Here. >> So long as you put it in your office. >> Do you have yours back or from Texas&M San Antonio came and visited you? >> I have it in mental picture of it in my mouth. >> Oh, I'm okay. Okay. >> That's definitely >> Thank you all. >> All right. Any other comments or questions before we adjourn? >> Thank you. Thank you. This is great. >> Very, very >> All right. >> Great. >> So, with that, uh, I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> All right.

125Second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> All right. Time is now 8:05 p.m. And we are adjourned. >> Thanks everyone. Appreciate it. >> Great idea. Great idea. Yeah, that was great. >> It was worth the 30 minutes.