Pulls you toward people you already know
For you a relationship has value only if it is genuine. And the only way to know that is to entrust yourself to the other person.
Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people — in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends — but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy.
Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours. You know that this kind of closeness implies a certain amount of risk — you might be taken advantage of — but you are willing to accept that risk.
The more you share with each other, the more you risk together. The more you risk together, the more each of you proves your caring is genuine. These are your steps toward real friendship, and you take them willingly.
Theme Thursday Podcast brings thought leaders to deep dive on each StrengthsFinder theme.
The time invested is worth it - learn about Relator with a leader lens.
BALCONIES
When Relator is soaring...
They are caring
Trusting
A great friend
Forgiving
Generous
You do not have to force yourself to be great at small talk if you are not. Create safety by expressing how you feel about ideas or initiatives, whether that is good or bad. Even if you are communicating with people outside of your circle, you can still offer some of that Relator talent because of the authenticity that it brings. You can do this by expressing how you feel. Spend time with those closest to you. This is a theme that needs that to thrive.
BASEMENTS
When Relator is on over-drive...
Lives in clique
Crony
Has an inner circle
Plays favorites
A leader with Relator...
Build trust by intentionally seeking out those you are closest to and asking for their input. Encourage close relationships amongst other people. Celebrate when people are working really well together.
Build stability by revisiting your inner circle of friends. Think about the stability you feel when you are around your closest friends, and encourage others to do the same.
Show compassion by listening for raw reaction and emotion. You don’t have to shoulder the entire burden and let everyone into your circle, but give others the chance to share in that emotion.
Inspire hope by expressing the personal stories about what a better future looks like for you. Share your own stories of hope. Study these, and really put them into a narrative form whenever you are talking to your team about change and how things can be better in the future.
