As we wrap up a busy year, our team – like many of you – will soon be taking some time to reflect on the successes we earned and the challenges we faced over the past year. A big part of that self-reflection is recognizing our own unique strengths and the strengths of those around us.
While the work we put into financial planning is clear, what you may not see is the work we put in behind the scenes towards personal development and team culture. Sometimes, this means we all take the same silly quiz to see what animal we are, or we brave a rainy Sunday on the Kenai for a group rafting trip. But most often, our discussions surrounding team and personal development are driven by the results of an assessment we each took early this year – CliftonStrengths.
CliftonStrengths is a 177-question evaluation that intends to help participants discover and embrace their natural talents. The assessment identifies 34 “strengths” within 4 categories – strategic thinking, relationship building, influencing, and executing – and provides each participant with a report of the top 5 strengths that define them.
Our collective team’s three most common strengths are not exactly surprising: Learner, Relator, and Responsibility appear most frequently in our strength profiles. We are an inherently curious group, and our Learner strength drives us to dive deep into the details and find the best solutions for our clients. As Relators, we thrive on cultivating meaningful relationships and working with others to achieve common goals. Our Responsibility strength speaks to our commitment as fiduciaries to act in the best interest of our clients, and our dedication to our role as trusted advisors.
We also have many Arrangers, Achievers, and Analytical thinkers on our team, along with several teammates who are especially adept at Positivity, Harmony and even “Woo” to keep us all having fun. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a part of the AWMI team is that our firm sees its employees as individuals with unique strengths; a dynamic group of people who each bring something different and equally valuable to the table. We see our clients in the same way.
Our job as advisors is to use our expertise to keep your financial plan on track so you can focus on the work, hobbies, and passion projects that sustain and inspire you. We play to our strengths so you can spend more time playing to yours.
More information on the CliftonStrengths assessment can be found here.
Â
Leah Levingston
Associate Financial Advisor
Â
12/13/21
Â
