Page 74 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

WHATAMIKNOWNFOR? (IDENTITY)

Great leaders understand that the search for meaning
that builds abundance is grounded in clarity about our tru-
est individual and organizational values and how they align.
Such leaders claim their values through their life choices
and help others do the same. This is the beginning of an
authentic and meaningful organizational experience.

Signature Strengths and Capabilities

When we meet people, we often categorize them by where
they work, what they wear, how they smile, or how they
speak. These are at best superficial indicators of real val-
ues and competencies. Underneath our role, profession,
appearance, or observable talents are what psychologists
call signature strengths: the character traits and values most
central to who we are. Psychologists hypothesize that some
core virtues are valued by virtually every culture and phi-
losophy. (Examples would be gratitude, humility, courage,
compassion, fairness, integrity, humor, forgiveness, and
love of learning.) While we may agree that all such traits
are important, typically we especially espouse and want to
be known for a few. These signature strengths are likely to
persist regardless of our role, profession, appearance, or tal-
ents. We also have skills, talents, and knowledge that are so
embedded as to be instinctive, but our signature strengths
are not just about talents and skills. Signature strengths are
grounded in the moral values we espouse, the virtues we
cherish. Like Bourne, we feel at odds with ourselves when
our skills, however proficient, are not used in the service of
our signature strengths—our deepest personal values.

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