People with strong Focus talents are at their best when they are keeping the team on track by focusing on the most important priority.

Focus®

A theme in the Executing domain of CliftonStrengths

People exceptionally talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritise, then act.

 

Full Theme Description

"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.

 

This Theme’s Power and Edge

While others start to wander down divergent avenues, people with strong Focus talents stay on the main road. They help others avoid time-consuming distractions and keep everyone on point.

 

How People with Strong Focus Talents Describe Themselves

  • "I am deeply driven and single-minded."

  • "I need a goal to establish priorities."

  • "I love to begin with the end in mind."

  • "I hate going off on misdirected tangents."

  • "I bring clarity through concentration and direction."

 

Theme Contrast

Focus “I have a goal.”
Futuristic “I have a dream.”
Focus “I have a goal I plan to reach.”
Discipline "I have a plan to reach my goal.”
 

Focus Helps and Hinders

Helps

  • You create goals, prioritise and set a direction. This not only helps you make and keep track of your progress but also is an advantage for the teams you are a part of.

  • You plan your work — and work your plan — creating timelines and setting milestones. This keeps you and your team moving forward.

  • You have an innate ability to tune out distractions. This allows you to "keep your eyes on the prize" and get results — for yourself and your team.

  • As a team leader, you help the team raise the bar and set stretch goals. Efficiency and productivity increase as you help your team reach the next level.

Hinders

  • You can get so engrossed in what you are doing that you may often neglect the needs of others — especially if you are a team leader. Be intentional about scheduling time to connect with the members of your team.

  • Your intense single-mindedness in pursuit of a goal may blind you to alternatives that would more efficiently and effectively gain you the results you seek. You may "ram the wall" over and over again until you break through — not considering that it might be better to go around, under or over it.

  • Because of your intense Focus, you may be perceived as inflexible and unwilling to consider new information — once your mind is made up, you tend to "go for it." Be intentional about seeking input from others and exploring new options.

  • You may be perceived as "aloof and unapproachable" — even if you have an "open door" policy. An open-door policy is effective only if you notice when someone is at the door. Situate your workstation so it faces the door -—- so you can see who's there.

 

If Focus is a Dominant Theme for You, Take Action to Maximise Your Potential

  • Make sure you include timelines and measurements with your goals to show that you’re making progress on them.

  • Write down your goals and refer to them often to feel more in control of your life.

  • Find roles that have you function independently. With your strong Focus talents, you easily stay on track with little supervision.

  • Tell your manager your mid-term and short-term goals to help your manager feel confident in giving you the room you need to work with less daily supervision.

  • At the end of each meeting, summarise the decisions made, decide who will take action on the decisions, and set a date for the group to meet again.

  • Identify your role models. Write down in detail why you want to focus your career on similar kinds of achievement.

  • Allow others to think, act and talk less efficiently than you do. Sometimes their “detours” will lead to discoveries.

  • Set goals in your personal life to help you balance your work and personal life objectives.

 

Potential Blind Spots to Watch Out for

  • You may focus so intently on your own work that you don’t notice when goals and priorities change. Remember to occasionally stop what you’re doing so you can re-evaluate your objectives.

  • When you are absorbed in something, you may be slow to respond to others’ immediate needs and appear emotionally distant. Acknowledge that sometimes, you will have to stop and respond to interruptions from the important people in your life.

 

If Focus Is a Lesser Theme for You

Think about how you get things done. Even if you lack the intensity of the Focus theme, you no doubt can concentrate on and hit a target.

  • Among your top themes, find those that provide you with direction and clarity about goals. Belief or Significance talents can help you set appropriate aspirations and objectives. Arranger, Consistency, Futuristic or Restorative talents may help you stay on track in the same way that Focus talents do for others.

  • Build support systems that provide you with energy to get your work done. You may need to build “energy breaks” into your day to achieve peak performance. For example, if you spend a lot of time at the computer working, get up every half hour to stretch, listen to music, or talk to a friend or colleague before coming back to your task. These breaks will keep you fresh, energised and more focused.

  • Remove distractions from your work environment as best you can.

 
 

Source: Gallup®

 
 

“In the long run, [we] hit only what [we] aim at.”

— Henry David Thoreau, writer, philosopher and naturalist