Talent Tuesday: Focus

What do we mean by Focus? 

The Clifton StrengthsFinder results describe this talent theme as follows; “‘Where am I headed?’ you ask yourself. You ask this question every day. Guided by this theme of Focus, you need a clear destination. Lacking one, your life and your work can quickly become frustrating. And so each year, each month, and even each week you set goals. These goals then serve as your compass, helping you determine priorities and make the necessary corrections to get back on course. Your Focus is powerful because it forces you to filter; you instinctively evaluate whether or not a particular action will help you move toward your goal. Those that don’t are ignored. In the end, then, your Focus forces you to be efficient. Naturally, the flip side of this is that it causes you to become impatient with delays, obstacles, and even tangents, no matter how intriguing they appear to be. This makes you an extremely valuable team member. When others start to wander down other avenues, you bring them back to the main road. Your Focus reminds everyone that if something is not helping you move toward your destination, then it is not important. And if it is not important, then it is not worth your time. You keep everyone on point.”

If the above description describes you, be sure to read below for career tips and tricks tailored to your strengths!

People who are especially talented in the Focus theme thrive when helping others avoid time-consuming distractions and keep everyone on point.

Career Search Tips for Focus Talents:

  • Search for a career that relies on timelines and measurements. These will provide regular proof of your progress.
  • Interacting with coworkers who think, act, and talk less efficiently than you do will benefit you in the long-run. Sometimes their “detours” will lead to discoveries and delights.
  • Your greatest worth as a team member might be to help others set goals. When you work on group projects, take responsibility for summarizing what was decided, define when these decisions will be acted upon, and set a date when the group will reconvene.
  • Write down your goals and refer to them often. You will feel more in control of your life this way.
  • Stretch your goal-setting abilities beyond work. If you find yourself becoming too focused on work goals, set goals regarding your personal life as well. These goals will give weight to your personal priorities and help restore balance in your life.

Below is a video created by the Gallup Strengths Center that goes into more detail about the Focus Talent Theme and how it can help you on your path to success!

By Rachel Linehan
Rachel Linehan CareerEdge Manager