Command

People strong in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.

 

You can tell a person strong in Command by these attributes (source: Dr. Hulme, APU):

  • See what needs to be done and say so
  • Willing to confront
  • Take charge in a crisis
  • Very willing to share opinions with others
  • Push others to take risks
  • Presence and poise

More about Command:

    • Needs on a team:  To make decisions
    • As a Leader: To take control
    • In Conflict: Move conflict forward
    • Partner with: Woo, Empathy (Circumvent problems)
    • In academics: 

      – loves to make their own decisions – wants to plan their own curriculum, but for different reasons than the arranger (arranger wants to do it for the enjoyment of playing around with all the schedules and options; command wants to do it so they are in control of their own choices) – has a somewhat combative learning style, so would enjoy profs with strong opinions that encourage debate in the classroom – help them weigh the pros and cons of various courses or majors, then get out of their way so they can make their own decision – focus on decision-making skills with them and never give advice!

Where does Command Theme rank in the population?

  • Overall, Command ranks 33rd, occurring in less than 5% of the population’s Top Five (3.5% of Females and 6% of Males)

33

 33

32

32

Out of your Top 5 CliftonStrengths, it’s statistically:

  • most likely to appear with Strategic and Achiever
  • least likely to be found with Developer or Positivity

The genius of your Command talent begins with the fact that you can and will impact others, and you will do so with great power. Your genius strength of Command gives you great courage to boldly enter into a crisis and dangerous situations. It is as if you have even more clarity of thought about what needs to be done when there is an emergency. You have the courage to step in and take charge when people are threatened and when there are threatening circumstance. In emergencies, you have clarity, a willingness to voice your ideas and people appreciate your willingness to step up and confront dangers. In these situations you will impact all around you. Similarly, you are willing to see the way through conflicts and misunderstandings by bringing to light what is often hidden. While some get nervous because you can be so powerful, everyone is grateful when your strength of command addresses emergencies, crises, conflicts, and danger.

At your best (Balcony):

  • charisma, direct, driven, inspirational, easy to follow, clear, concise

At your worst (Basement):

  • bossy, know-it-all, domineering, rude, abrupt, short, strong-willed, inflexible, stubborn

Command  may be one of your signature themes if…

  • You love to take charge.
    • You don’t think twice about espousing your views.
    • You feel compelled to share your opinions with others and enjoy building consensus.
    • You view confrontation as one step toward resolution.
    • You don’t mind sharing the facts, truths, or unpleasant aspects of life.
    • You challenge others to be honest and take risks.
    • being a Strengthsfinder Command person you are sometimes labeled “opinionated.”
    • You have a presence that people are instinctively drawn to.
    • Your biggest strengths are that you possess charisma, you’re direct, you’re clear and driven.
    • Your biggest weaknesses are that you can be bossy, domineering, a know-it-all, stubborn and abrupt.

A more detailed explanation from Gallup:

Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others. Once your goal is set, you feel restless until you have aligned others with you. You are not frightened by confrontation; rather, you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution. Whereas others may avoid facing up to life’s unpleasantness, you feel compelled to present the facts or the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. You need things to be clear between people and challenge them to be clear-eyed and honest. You push them to take risks. You may even intimidate them. And while some may resent this, labeling you opinionated, they often willingly hand you the reins. People are drawn toward those who take a stance and ask them to move in a certain direction. Therefore, people will be drawn to you. You have presence. You have Command.
Action Items for This Theme
  • Seek roles in which you will be asked to persuade others. Consider whether selling would be a good career for you.
  • You will always be ready to confront. Practice the words, the tone, and the techniques that will turn your ability to confront into real persuasiveness.
  • In your relationships, seize opportunities to speak plainly and directly about sensitive subjects. Your unwillingness to hide from the truth can become a source of strength and constancy for your colleagues and friends. Strive to become known as a candid person.
  • Help your colleagues and friends make commitments. You can provide the spark that will inspire them to act.
  • Find a cause you believe in and support it. You might discover yourself at your best when defending a cause in the face of resistance.

Be ready to:

  • Ask people for their opinions. Sometimes your candor will prove intimidating, causing others to tread very lightly for fear of your reaction. Watch for this. If necessary, explain that you are candid simply because it feels so uncomfortable to keep things bottled up, not because you want to frighten other people into silence.
  • Partner with someone with a strong Woo or Empathy theme. Some obstacles do not need to be confronted; they can be circumvented. This person can help you to circumvent obstacles through relationships.

The Clifton StrengthsFinder and the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are protected by copyright of Gallup Inc., 2000. All rights reserved.

For the more visually inclined:

A fantastic website with insightful discussion of Command, including

  • Building your brand through this strengths
  • Strengthening your performance at work
  • Tips for managing someone with this strengths
  • Partnering with someone with this strength

Command Power and Edge takes an interesting approach highlight not just what the strength is and how it shows up if you have it in your top five, but also how to navigate the world when this strength is one of your lesser ones.

More ideas on going deeper:

THEME INSIGHTS:

  • I am (Being) ———-> Direct and decisive
  • I will (Doing) ———-> Push back when pushed
  • I Bring (Contribution) ———-> Emotional clarity
  • I need (Requirement) ———-> Challenges and conflicts
  • I love (Value) —————> Exerting control in situations that seem out of control
  • I Hate (Value) —————> Passivity and avoidance
  • Metaphor/Image ———-> Comfortable in driver’s seat
  • Barrier Label ———-> Bossy, dictator

THEME CONTRAST:

  • COMMAND: Creates clarity through polarization
  • HARMONY: Creates consensus through harmonization————————————————————————————————–
  • COMMAND: People are drawn to you because they know what you think.
  • EMPATHY: People are drawn to you because you know what they feel.
More from Gallup:
Gallup’s Called to Coach is an excellent podcast series exploring the Command strengthsfinder theme in detail over several seasons:

 

 

 

 

 

Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior

Go deeper

  • Using your strengths in school and college with great ideas on building relationships, study techniques, class selection, and extra curricular activities.

Podcast episodes to help you understand and leverage your Command Strength

  • Episode 1: The Art of Influence and Leadership – “The Leadership Podcast”
  • Episode 2: Strategies for Assertiveness and Confidence – “The Tony Robbins Podcast”
  • Episode 3: The Power of Command Presence – “The Art of Charm”
  • Episode 4: Leading with Authority and Conviction – “The Brendon Show”
  • Episode 5: Commanding Respect in Personal and Professional Life – “The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes”
  • Episode 6: Women in Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Command – “Women’s Leadership Success” (Host: Sabrina Braham)
  • Episode 7: The Strength of Command in Women Leaders – “She Leads” (Host: Nicole Walker)

Listen to great Strengths Podcasts

  • Theme addicts is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment through interviews and discussions.
  • Lead through your strengths features many interesting guests and Career Q and A about leverage your strengths at work.
  • Maximize Your Strengths features interviews and discussion on developing your strengths. She really drills into each of the themes by interviewing real people on how a specific theme shows up in their lives.
  • Called to Coach is a webcast resource for those who want to help others discover and use their strengths. We have Gallup experts and independent strengths coaches share tactics, insights and strategies to help coaches maximize the talent of individuals, teams and organizations around the world.
  • ISOGO TV promises a lot: So dramatically increase your energy and decrease your frustration at work, that you cannot help but take the Strengths paradigm home to your family. Fueling life-changing stories.
  • The True Strength Podcast by Ian Pettigrew (Kingfisher Coaching) features inspiring true stories of how people succeed through applying their strengths and being resilient. It often includes a Gallup StrengthsFinder profile.
  • If you are looking to identify and develop your strengths and talents, take calculated risks and make decisions, The Strengths Revolution with Steve Morgan will help your personal development, as well as helping you support your clients, employees, teams and wider organisations. Knowing your strengths will also support positive risk-taking and decision making as part of good risk management.

 

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