Get Unstuck and Get Going on What Matters
“I want to put a ding in the universe.” ~Steve Jobs
Justine called me because she was feeling stuck in her career and her life. It wasn’t that anything was terribly wrong, but she knew she wanted to make some changes. She wondered if she should pursue another job at her organization or leave altogether. She wasn’t sure. She didn’t think she wanted to make any radical changes in her personal life, but she didn’t feel that it was going as well as it could either.
If you are at a crossroads in your life and would like to explore possibilities that support your making changes aligned with your strengths, consider the Reflected Best Self Coaching process that helped Justine figure out how to move forward with her life.
The Reflected Best Self (RBS) is a feedback process that was pioneered at the University of Michigan, Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship. The process begins with completing a Strengths Assessment and collecting 360° Feedback about when a person is at his or her best. Unlike other feedback tools, the RBS is designed to build on strengths rather than shore up weaknesses.
Consider this: If Steve Jobs had been given a conventional performance review, he might have been recognized by his supervisors for his brilliance in design and technology, but criticized for his controversial style and his tense organizational relationships. Management most likely would have encouraged him to improve his weak spots, but would not have taken steps to nurture his natural abilities. The RBS does the exact opposite. It emphasizes building upon each person’s unique talents and capabilities rather than trying to “fix” shortfalls.
I have coached over 100 clients using the Reflected Best Self to become active architects of their professional and personal activities to utilize and develop their talents and enrich their relationships with others so that they can put a ding in their universe.
Watch this video of Barbara Frederickson, research Psychologist and author of Positivity discuss the value of the Reflected Best Self and how it supports you to find your sweet spot: the intersection of what you appreciate about what you do, what others appreciate about you and what you are good at.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjtNGoU6cvM[/youtube]
I hope you will schedule a time to speak with me to explore how coaching might support you to be more effective in your job, happier in your life and more confident managing the changes you face using the Reflected Best Self Coaching Process. Scheduling a time is easy, just click here…
Appreciatively,
Dr. Lynn K. Jones, Certified Personal and Executive Coach, BCC
Your Mojo Maven
http://LynnKJones.com
Dr. Lynn K. Jones is a Board Certified Coach and an Advanced Certified Personal and Executive Coach based in Santa Barbara, California and a sought after coach and consultant for organizations and individuals across the US. Her doctoral work completed at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University concerned organizational culture; she coaches, consults and trains organizations on what they need to do to create organizational cultures that are aligned with their vision and values using a process of Appreciative Inquiry. She coaches individuals on achieving their reflected best selves. A MSW@USC faculty member, Dr. Lynn K. Jones, MSW, DSW, CSWM, teaches Human Behavior and Social Environment and Leadership to social work students at the University of Southern California.
BCC Board Certified Coach #1487
Blog is terrific, and I loved seeing Barbara here. Many thanks for reminding us how important strengths spotting is, not to mention fun. Love RBS and psitivity. Kudos to you, Julie.
Thanks so much for appreciative feedback! Keep up the good work with your own strength spotting!
Appreciatively,
Lynn
Great post and it was very interesting to see the video with Barbara Frederickson explaining the usefulness of the Reflected Best Self technique!
Glad you liked the video, Krishna. She does explain it clearly and simply!
Lynn
Our strengths are definitely under played a lot of the time, which is a shame. We’re told we’re good at A, but B and C need work, and A ends up suffering. And it seems like a lot of the time, B and C aren’t even that essential, while A is what we’re naturally good at. It makes so much more sense to nurture A. Thanks for the great post!
Calla Gold
So true, Calla. We are so schooled to be on the lookout for any vulnerabilities that it is hard not to resist shoring them up. It is like the impulse to work at a loose tooth. Thanks for commenting!
Appreciatively,
Lynn
Great blog. I feel concentrating on our strengths is more productive and positive. While getting satisfaction from our strengths-with that positive energy we can focus a bit on some of our short-comings and eventually overcome them.
So true, Alison. Peter Drucker, the great leadership expert said that focusing one one’s strengths make weaknesses irrelevant. Thanks for commenting!