People strong in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

 

 

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

• Enthusiastic, optimistic and energetic
• Stimulate others to be more productive and hopeful
• Generate energy and enthusiasm in others
• Generous with praise, quick to smile

 More about Positivity:

• Needs on a team: To engender enthusiasm
• As a Leader: Get buy-in from others
• In Conflict: Keep things upbeat
• Partner with: NONE LISTED
• In academics: 

  – loves enthusiasm – likes courses that are fun – appreciates profs with a sense of humor – needs to make work fun – likes class participation and group projects – likes profs who praise them and are optimistic

• Overall, Positivity ranks 11th, occurring in around 16% of the population’s Top Five (19% of Females and 14% of Males)

Positivity may be one of your signature themes if…

• You are generous at praising others, quick to smile and good at finding humor in every situation.
• You wish others saw the glass half-full too, but you like that others enjoy being around you.
• Your energy, enthusiasm, optimism and world view can be contagious.
• You lighten the spirits of those around you, injecting drama into every project.
• You believe that work can be fun and meaningful, and that every setback is a veiled opportunity.
• You celebrate small achievements and find ways to brighten people’s day.
• You are rarely brought down by a cynic’s negative energy because you truly love life.
  • Source: Let’s Talk Personality

A more detailed explanation from Gallup:

You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted. Others just wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find their world drab with repetition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged down. Your Positivity won’t allow it. Somehow you can’t quite escape your conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one’s sense of humor.

Action Items for This Theme

• You will excel in any role in which you are paid to highlight the positive. A teaching role, a sales role, an entrepreneurial role, or a leadership role will utilize your ability to make things dramatic.
• You tend to be more enthusiastic and energetic than most people. When others become discouraged or are reluctant to take risks, your attitude will provide the impetus to keep them moving. Over time, others will start to look to you for this “lift.”
• Deliberately help others see the things that are going well for them. You can keep their eyes on the positive.
• Because people will rely on you to help them rise above their daily frustrations, arm yourself with good stories, jokes and sayings. Never underestimate the effect that you can have on people.
• Plan highlight activities for your colleagues. For example, find ways to turn small achievements into “events,” or plan regular “celebrations” that others can look forward to, or capitalize on the year’s holidays and festivals.
• Increase the recognition you give to others. Try to tailor it to each person’s need.

Be ready to:

• Avoid negative people. They will bring you down. Instead, seek people who find in the world the same kind of drama and humor that you do. You will energize each other.
• Explain that your enthusiasm is not simple naivety. You know that bad things can happen; you simply prefer to focus on the good things. Pessimists might superficially seem wiser; they might even sometimes be right — but they are rarely achievers (and, incidentally, optimists have more fun).
  • The Clifton StrengthsFinder and the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are protected by copyright of Gallup Inc., 2000. All rights reserved.

• Highly recommended: Utilize the Called to Coach worksheet for Positivity as you listen.

Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life

Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

 

Podcast episodes to help you understand and leverage your Positivity Strength

• Episode 1: The Power of Positive Thinking – “The Tony Robbins Podcast”
• Episode 2: Cultivating Happiness and Well-Being – “Happier with Gretchen Rubin”
• Episode 3: Finding Joy in Everyday Life – “The Joy Factor”
• Episode 4: Overcoming Adversity with Optimism – “The Art of Charm”
• Episode 5: Spreading Positivity Through Acts of Kindness – “The Kindness Podcast”
• Episode 6: Women Leaders Spreading Positivity in Their Communities – “The Confident Woman Podcast” (Host: Sherry Parks)
• Episode 7: The Positive Woman: Inspiring Optimism in Leadership – “Women Who Lead” (Host: Andrena Sawyer)
• Episode 8: Harnessing Positivity: Perspectives from Women in Leadership – “The Female CEO” (Host: Stacey Sargison)

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.

 

Sources:

• Balconies and Basements
• Leadership, team and conflict
• The Genius and Beauty of Strengths
• Strengths-based academic Advising
• Strengths partnerships