Significance: Fueled by Appreciation


Significance influences my actions when it comes to charity events, like our Halloween inspired "canstruction" Food Drive.

This blog series has been a great way for me to better understand and respect the nuances of each of the Clifton Strengthsfinder 34 talent Themes.  I have gotten pretty good at "talent spotting" - guessing some of the Top 5 Signature Themes of individuals prior to them sharing their results with me.

If you attempt to become a "Soothsayer of Strengths", you might start by guessing Achiever, Responsibility, Learner, Relator & Strategic.  These are the most common Top 5 Signature Talent Themes globally.  Of course, there are 34 Talent Themes, and the chance that two people have the same strengths in the same order is only 1 in 33 million.

Your Top 5 Talent Themes are not horoscopes or fortune tales.  They describe the way you think, feel and behave in order to get things done.  To become a "soothsayer", you would need to be around people long enough to identify the consistent behaviors they demonstrate to achieve excellence in their work.

My mom passed away in 2015, just as I was starting to realize the benefits and clarity of embracing my natural talents through Strengthsfinder.  Of my Top 5, I am confident we would share Positivity, we she gifted to me and to my two grown children (see Archived blog on Positivity from June 2, 2018).

Another Signature Talent Theme that I imagine would be in my mom's Top 5 would be Significance.  At the Memorial Service for her in 2015, countless relatives and friends of the family shared stories of my mom's genuine kindness and thoughtfulness.  She was one of twelve children (Irish Catholics!) which resulted in me and my brothers having over 80 first cousins.

For decades, my mom made a point of remembering each cousin (plus other friends and relatives) on birthdays and special occasions (including Halloween) by sending them a card and personalized greeting.  She had an entire system to track the dates and deployments of each card.

While she sent these cards out of love, the appreciation and response she enjoyed from the recipients added fuel to her fire.  People with Significance are motivated by both their desire to make a difference and their desire to be recognized.  They seek to have an impact on people, groups and society as a whole.  They are drawn towards opportunities where they can have a positive impact on others.  The recognition they desire is simply a way for them to measure whether what they are doing is making an impact.

Significance is #22 on my StrengthsFinder hit-list, and I consider it a Responsive Theme which I call in from time to time.  For example, it mixes well with all of my Top 5 Signature Talent Themes when I initiate creative charity projects for our Marketing & Sales Division.  Currently, we are hosting a Food Drive for victims of Hurricane Michael.  Instead of just collecting food in bins, I challenged work areas to build Halloween inspired "structures".  This twist on the traditional Food Drive provides greater attention to the project, results in a higher volume of donations, makes an impact for those in need demonstrates our values of fun, teamwork and respect and garners me some positive recognition to boot. 

The genius of people with strong Significance begins and ends with the difference that they are determined to make.  They want the world to be a better place because they are in it - or in the case of my mom, because they were in it.


People with the Signature Talent Theme Significance are determined to make a difference.  Help them identify ways they can shine as follows...

* Have them make a list of goals, achievements and qualifications they aspire towards and post them in a place where they can see them every day.  Have them share their dreams with coworkers.  This list will inspire them.

* They value appreciation and affirmation.  Look for opportunities to provide meaningful praise for their efforts.  Have them tell the significant people in their work life how important feedback and support are to them.

* Encourage them to praise other top achievers on their team and in their organization.  They will enjoy making other people feel successful.



I have enjoyed 24+ years at Universal Orlando Resort in Sales.  I improve the well-being and engagement of Team Members by connecting their talents to the customers and clients they serve.  




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