Belief: Playing with a Full Deck



In his book Delivering Happiness (2010), Zappos founder and CEO Tony Hsieh described ten core values that drove his company's culture.  Among my favorites were #3 Create Fun and a Little Weirdness, #7 Build a Passionate Team & Family Spirit and #10 Be Humble.

Corporate values, when designed properly, should link directly back to fuel your company mission and vision.  In our case, when we "live the values" at Universal Orlando we create a culture that is proud, engaged and works together productively.  This then drives excellent service, unforgettable experiences and superior financial returns.  When taken to our aspirational extreme, all of this combined can make us the #1 entertainment destination in the world. Simple.

Well, not that simple, but I have always been all in on the Universal Values.  They provide guidance in decision making and can inspire trust, compassion and stability when practiced consistently.  In my department, we have clear descriptors for how each value might be applied in our work unit.  This provides us a starting point to address expectations, fairness, consistency and conflict.

When I uncovered my full list of 34 StrengthsFinder talent themes last year, I discovered Belief just outside my "Top 5", peeking in at #6.  This is likely why I have embraced our company values so enthusiastically.  Globally, 11% of Top 5 Signature Talent Themes include Belief. 

People with a strong Belief talent theme have core values that guide them and keep them motivated.  Their sense of mission gives their lives and work meaning.  Their vision of what is right or what "could be" provides them with passion and purpose.  They are unselfish and value positions of responsibility.  Their work must be meaningful and must align with their values. 

Happiness is one of my own personal values.  I have been blessed to have found my "strengths zone" and am able to demonstrate my natural talents for professional happiness and satisfaction.  This is why I have become and evangelist for StrengthsFinder.  I am on a mission to help everyone discover and nurture their natural talents and apply them towards work that makes them happy.

Just as understanding and applying your top StrengthsFinder talent themes in your job can bring you clarity, authenticity and success, awareness of your core values is equally important.  With a clear understanding of your values, you can better appreciate and apply them and build your strengths.  Aim your talents towards satisfying your core values and you will indeed be playing with a full deck.





People with dominant Belief talents use their values for direction.  Here are some ways to help them navigate their journey;

* People with Belief are passionate.  Find out what their passions are and try to match them with special projects, work assignments or volunteer projects.

* Align their personal values with your corporate values.  For me, I would tie my core value of Purpose to our corporate values of Respect & Fun - respecting the unique talents of each individual so they can be satisfied and have fun at work.

* Have them identify their core values and share them with the team.  This will help others know who they are an how to relate to them.  The Leadership Challenge Value Cards are a great tool to use so your entire team can identify their core personal values.



Dan is currently serving 20 years to life as the Sr. Director of Destination Experiences at Universal Orlando Resort.  He prefers white-water rapids over data lakes and lists Ideation, Futuristic and Positivity amongst his signature talents.    Find him on Twitter @dpddonovan 

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