The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment identifies natural talent and ability. Less than 14% of people who take the assessment have Ideation in their Top 5 talent themes. If it’s in your Top 5, here are seven ways to develop your Ideation talent:
1. Offer Your Ideas in Brainstorming
People high in Ideation have so many ideas, they can flow like popcorn! You love a good brainstorming session. Find people and causes that have problems and offer to join them in brainstorming solutions. This will stimulate your brain and help you further develop your Ideation talent.
In brainstorming, ideas flow like popcorn and can develop your Ideation talent.
2. Claim the Bad Ones, too
While you have tons of ideas, not all of them are good. When you’re working with other people, let them know that you know and ask them to withhold judgment. For you, ideas lead to even more ideas and the “bad” ones are just part of the flow.
3. Sort Your Ideas
Doing an occasional “brain dump” of ideas and getting them out in front of you can help you sort them into different categories. You can give some of them away and save others for a rainy day. Getting them out of your head will make room for more ideating!
4. Keep a Notebook
Keeping track of all your ideas can be a good thing. For you, ideas are sometimes so fleeting that they get snatched with the wind. Snagging them and keeping them all in one place can help you remember them. Keeping a notebook or journal with you at all times — and especially by your bedtime table — can help you document your brilliance.
Keeping your ideas in a notebook can help you develop your Ideation talent.
5. Share Your Ideas
Not all of your ideas are you. When you come across an idea that you know is not for you, give it away! There may be a favorite charity or cause who could use your latest and greatest. Or it could be a friend who just needs a new perspective. Give those ideas away and guess what you get? More ideas!
6. Feed Your Ideation
The more new experiences you have, the more ideas your brain will start generating. Read something new, take a new class, go to a new networking event, have a new experience outside your norm. You’ll find your brain immediately stimulated by the new information, new sights and new sounds.
7. Quiet Your Mind
Those high in the StrengthsFinder talent theme of Ideation need to practice Mindfulness, also known as Meditation — perhaps more than most. By shutting your brain off from new ideas — even briefly — you may find your ideas begin coming in ways that are more grounded and practical.
Enjoy these 7 ways to develop your Ideation talent!
Develop Your Ideation Talent
Now you have seven ways to develop your Clifton StrengthsFinder Ideation talent! If you’d like to learn more, you can visit the Gallup Strengths Center. And join us on Facebook in The Very Best YOU group, where we’re developing our talents every day!
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