THEME-ADDICTS

Everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone is willing to put in the work to get there. Whatever success looks like to you, you have to make sure you inject a healthy dose of Strengths awareness before you embark on your journey.

There is something positive to be witnessed when a leader chooses to embrace the individual talents of a team. In episode 50 of the THEME-ADDICTS podcast, we discuss what it means to be a strengths-aware leader. Dr. Donald Clifton said “A leader needs to know his strengths as a carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows the instruments at her disposal. What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths - and can call on the right strengths at the right time. This explains where there is no definitive list of characteristics that describe ALL leaders.”

I know…I know! It has been too long since I posted an episode of THEME-ADDICTS. For that, I am sorry. I won’t make excuses, but I will in this episode. Anyway, there have been a few signs along the way in my strengths journey. One of those indicators of awesomeness was a parable I read […]

As we sat back reflecting on our most notable lessons learned, insights, and the action steps we've taken to make THEME-ADDICTS a success, it was quickly apparent that we needed to share those thoughts with YOU...our awesome audience! We took a few hours during the 2nd of January to hit the record button, and usher in the New Year with our own celebratory countdown!

I took the SF 2.0 assessment, believed in it and started to think about 'what goes on under the hood' while I am making a choice in my life. We are blessed as humans by the ability to fly over our beliefs/paradigms using our self-awareness power.

Lisa Cummings is the CEO of Lead Through Strengths, where she helps teams improve productivity by noticing what's already working. She has delivered training and speeches to over 9,000 participants in 14 countries. You can see her featured in places like Harvard Business Publishing, Training Magazine, and Forbes.

Robin Zander is an educator, author, and strategist. With a diverse background ranging from management consulting to circus performance, he has spent his career working with individuals and companies to improve performance. He is a member of BJ Fogg’s Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford-founded Design for Dance conference.

Stephanie Rogers is a career and wellness coach who focuses on helping people identify their strengths to create more meaningful careers and lives. She strives to be a beacon of light for her clients, helping them navigate the steps and overcome the challenges to create more joy in their lives. She first learned about strengths nine years ago while working in a global knowledge management role for a Fortune 500 company and immediately saw the power of looking at people's strengths to create diverse and effective teams.

Zai miztiq, also known as ‘The Heart Specialist,’ is an author, motivational speaker, strengths coach and a multi-passionate entrepreneur. She runs Miztiq International Pte Ltd. with a mission to empower, educate, and enrich women and youth locally and globally.

Rachel Kagay is a passionate advocate of strengths-based development and became one of the first Gallup-Certified Strengths Coaches in Iowa in February 2015. First exposed to Gallup’s strengths work in 2006, Rachel was drawn to the positive psychology approach to life and work. Rachel engages with individuals, managers, and teams to discover and maximize their […]

“I just took the assessment. Now, what’s my next step? Where do I go from here?” Grace and I have taken a week off from the show to tighten up a few loose ends on individual projects we’ve been working on. Grace is knocking out her 30 Day Minimalist Challenge, and I have been coaching […]

Becky’s Bio: As acclaimed by Fortune 500 and internationally based health, wellness, and tech organizations, and as frequently highlighted by the GALLUP Organization, Becky Hammond is your Maven in creating training and coaching experiences to help individuals and teams Grow & Succeed. She enjoys writing, team building, creating awesome resources, those big ah-ha moments, and […]

Andrew’s Bio: Aspiring holistic life coach helping individuals and families achieve their goals and build the life of their dreams. Husband, father, follower of Christ, graduate of Evangel University (B.S. Communication Studies), support staff in higher education, life coach, and entrepreneur. Andrew first experienced StrengthsFinder as part of his freshman studies in college. He had taken […]

Unlike any show we’ve ever done before! Episode 038 of THEME-ADDICTS will prove to be a milestone. We brought back two past guests to join Grace and myself for an unscripted medley of Strengths discussion. Khalil Patwa (TA024) and Chinarut Ruangchotvit (TA028) return to the mic as we highlight the balconies and basements of talent themes […]

Laura writes: I originally trained as a management accountant and have worked in large Fortune 500 companies for over 10 years in various senior positions. Over time it became clear to me that I was much more interested in people and supporting them to grow personally and develop their business, than I was in the […]

Ryan’s Bio: Ryan Houmand is the Co-founder of Qwerke (http://qwerke.com). Qwerke builds the world’s most engaged, high-impact organizations. He has over 20 years of experience in management, the majority of those years with a Fortune 100 organization. He has experience managing virtual teams in diverse geographic locations. Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham […]

Deborah says: I became a certified Strengths Coach in December 2014 after using the assessment tool with many of my existing clients, to great effect. Following lots of research and reading (Learner), I decided to enroll in the accelerated training.  Focusing on strengths and helping others to discover their natural talents has taken me into […]

Brianna Hall is a mom, creative, coach, artist, and is in-tune with her natural talents. A massive THANK YOU goes out to Brianna as she jumped on the show last-minute to fill in for a cancellation. She’s a very insightful person, and definitely brought her A-Game to the interview. I’m Brianna, and I’m an intuitive […]

Vicki Haverson comes to us via Dubai by way of the UK. She’s a true THEME-ADDICT, and is working on her Strengths coaching certification through Strengths Strategy. She is also a certified Master NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) Practitioner. Vicki has always been curious about what makes people tick and understanding what they are best at. In an effort […]

Ian Pettigrew provides us with a unique outlook on Strengths-based development. As a coach, Ian has created a 7 step process he leverages to help others become the best version of themselves and bounce back from setbacks. As part of his True Strengths discovery process, Ian developed the acronym S.W.I.M.A.R.T. Strength Weakness Intent Mindset Action […]

Nancy Zugschwert (Nancy Z. for short) has just launched her new blog at www.theupside.com. Blogging has engaged her strengths, and provides her with a new platform to share her stories. Nancy is fun, exciting, insightful, and always willing to help others see the best in themselves! “When we are willing to grow and change we […]

WOW! Jim Collison shared a ton of resources with us. This post is going to be jam-packed full of links, tips, and opportunities for you to build on your talents using the tools made available through GALLUP. “The power of Strengths is in the continued renewal process; talking about it, working with it, and building […]

This show is the complete package! It was fun, insightful, entertaining, and humorous. Grace and I had an amazing time interviewing Maureen Monte (http://maureenmonte.com/). Of course the conversation is focused around Strengths, but we also reference topics such as rap battles, The Artist Formally Known as Prince, and Shaq as a race jockey. “My platform […]

Chinarut Ruangchotvit is a Evernote Consultant, dancer, and all around awesome person! The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment provided him with a sense of direction and clarity. In this episode of THEME-ADDICTS we’ll discuss: – How to use the CSF results to write your bio; take a problem and overlay it with each theme in 1 or 2 sentences – “The […]

Alex Wong has been a friend of mine since my Strengths journey began in 2013! I follow his blog over at StrengthsAlchemy.com and suggest you do the same. In this episode, we’ll discuss StrengthsFinder vs. Myers-Briggs, and highlight some steps a Strengths “newbie” would take in an effort to unlock their true potential. Below are […]

Hot dog! This was an awesome interview. We love it when we host a guest who’s just as pumped and motivated as we are! Beckie Jorgensen was involved in Human Resources for 15 years before she made the jump to professional coaching. She was introduced to StrengthsFinder by a fellow Strengths Coach, Kyle Morgan. Kyle […]

Sean Trent is an automotive technician who’s new to Strengths! We love interviewing guests like Sean. His insight is fresh, and his excitement is totally unfiltered. Sean was first introduced to StrengthsFinder after attending a Strengths Meetup that he saw posted on Facebook. Here’s an awesome video by Brandon Miller and Adrian Ruiz on how […]

This show is dedicated to everyone whose strength, or strengths, are within the Strategic Thinking domain. Khalil Patwa walks us through his introduction to Strengths, and reveals how his new-found insight has effected both his personal development, as well as his overall health. He talks about a little-known condition known as adrenal fatigue. Many of […]

Nathan Sondgeroth is the President & CEO of the Clinton Iowa Chamber of Commerce. Not only that…Nate is the gentleman who introduced ME to a little book titled StrengthsFinder 2.0. In this episode, Nathan explains how he was introduced to strengths-based development, how he integrates strengths into the chamber culture, and how his current profession allows […]

Joe Sztapka is a Regional Director at Modern Woodmen of America. Joe’s key roles include training and mentoring Managing Partners in his region, expanding and implementing fraternal activity, and recruiting up and coming talent. Another aspect of his job as the CEO of the Midwest Region also includes continuing to help the Midwest Region grow. Grace met Joe […]

In this episode, Grace LaConte and I interview Derrick Jack. Derrick is a using the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment to help young men and women discover their true talents! His journey also placed him right smack on the doorstep of Gallup’s EP10, Entrepreneurial Strengthsfinder, launch in 2014. Since then, Derrick has been learning everything he can […]

In this episode we introduce our new co-host, Grace LaConte! Grace brings a massive amount of passion, insight, and a new voice to the THEME-ADDICTS mix. I’m very excited to have her on board! Our guest is none other than Paul D. Kelly of Sherman Oaks, California. Paul was one of the first enthusiasts to […]

Ted Baird has been using the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment for the last decade. A recent request from one of his coaching clients sparked a desire to pursue a certification through Gallup. In this episode, Ted talks about how Strengths entered his life, how he uses it as a tool to help others, and how the action […]

Abdullah Saqib is leading the Strengths movement in Pakistan. Pakistan’s first Strengths-based Career Coaching Initiative, Rangle, focuses on strengths strategies which improve individual, team and organizational performance. (https://Facebook.com/rangle.it) I always enjoy interviewing Strengths enthusiasts from other countries. They provide such amazing insights, and often introduce me to concepts I had never heard of here in the […]

Joni Lynn Nelson has definitely embraced her talents! In this episode, Joni and Andy talk about how the Clifton StrengthsFinder helped each of them embrace their individual talents, and become comfortable with what Joni defines as a “wonderful mess!” In March of 2015, Joni will be attending Gallup’s Accelerated Strengths Coaching course in Omaha, NE. […]

I had the awesome opportunity to interview Janet du Preez from Johannesburg South Africa. Janet blew me away with her understanding of strengths! She provided me with some new tools to add to my own strengths tool box. I especially enjoyed the “Dishwasher” analogy! I learn something new in every interview, and this was no […]

Wynand Jacobs joins Andy in an awesome discussion on strengths, talents, and living a life full of satisfaction and success! Wynand is from South Africa, and acts as a certified Strengths Coach through The Strengths Institute. His insights surrounding positive psychology and Strengths-based development are not only noteworthy, but great tools to add to your […]

Many of our viewers will recognize Jim from his efforts as lead web-caster on Gallup’s series Called to Coach, The Great Manager, and Theme Thursday. Like you, I thought Jim’s Strengths journey began when he started working for Gallup in Omaha, NE….we were wrong! This interview is full of great action-steps you can take today […]

Elviera Schreuder was looking for a sense of direction. Her story is full of resources, insights, and actions taken to find one’s path. Elviera continues to develop her talent, and wants nothing more than to help others do the same. Her new venture, Virtuous Coaching (http://virtuouscoaching.co.za/) is a product of her love for Strengths! This […]

Futuristic | Strategic | Learner Ideation | Responsibility Nathanael Small is one of the most Strengths-aware professionals that I’ve ever met. His insight and understanding of Strengths is at a level that I myself strive to attain. In this interview, Nathanael will help you better understand what it truly means to embrace your talents. He […]

Lindsay Han is a life coach providing self-awareness, confidence and enthusiasm to 20-somethings who are searching to find themselves. Through her coaching, speaking and workshops, Lindsay helps young men and women discover their passions, values, strengths and limiting beliefs in order to aim and motivate them to reach their goals. Join Lindsay and Andy as […]

Stephanie Ruminer joins Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Andy Sokolovich, for episode 010 of THEME-ADDICTS. This is why I love creating this podcast! Stephanie is a genuine lover of Strengths-based development, and uses her talents to foster growth in both her personal and professional life. She was kind enough to reveal how understanding her talents, and the […]

Florence Hardy is an amazing woman who has embraced her natural talents. During this interview, Florence walks us through her Strengths journey, and provides us with some insight into how she was introduced to the power of Strengths-based development. Oh yea…and Florence is from France! I always enjoy speaking with Strengths enthusiasts from other countries. […]

Keith Baldwin is a GALLUP-Certified Strengths Coach operating out of Alaska. He has a wealth of experience, and has used his talents to help others realize the true potential in themselves. Keith also shares with us some questions he poses to his clients to help better identify their talents. “That can’t be a Strength! It’s […]

Muhammad Umer Mirza is a student at Purdue University in Indiana, and is passionate about developing his natural talents. He has a ton of great StrengthsFinder insights! On the day of the interview, Google Hangouts was being difficult. The screen never swapped when Andy starts speaking, so today it’s all about Umer! THEME-ADDICTS is a […]

Emily Petroff is a well accomplished facilitator of positivity and Strengths! She was kind enough to share the steps she took to grow as both a well-respected coach, and an empowering woman. Subscribe to THEME-ADDICTS on iTunes THEME-ADDICTS is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment and the book […]

Carol Anne McGuire has one impressive list of accomplishments! Not to mention she’s an AMAZING artist. Carol Anne’s list of talents also includes educating the children of a famous celebrity. I guess you’ll have to listen to find out who! Subscribe to this show on iTunes! THEME-ADDICTS is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight […]

Grace LaConte is a motivated professional who’s just realizing the impact Strengths-based development has had on her life. She’s a strong-willed business woman, with a ton of amazing insights. Subscribe to this show on iTunes! THEME-ADDICTS is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment and the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 […]

Melissa Garner shares with us her amazing strengths story which kicks-off while helping children in Iraq. Awesome stuff! THEME-ADDICTS is a series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment and the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 has had on now over 10M users! It’s our belief that the best way to promote its […]

Ryan Wells, professional photographer and all-around awesome guy, shares with us the massive change that happened in his life when he chose to embrace his strengths! THEME-ADDICTS is a video series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment and the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 has had on now over 10M users! It’s […]

Strengths coach Rhonda Boyle talks with Andy about her experience with StrengthsFinder 2.0, and how she’s using to help other see the best in themselves! THEME-ADDICTS is a video series created by UnleashStrengths to highlight the massive impact the StrengthsFinder assessment and the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 has had on now over 10M users! It’s our […]