ABOUT THE RELATOR TALENT THEME
I remember taking the Gallup Strengthsfinder Test just a little over two years ago, where it reported my top five strengths being Deliberate, Analytical, Harmony, Restorative and Consistency. Gallup states that the chances of you finding someone else with the same top five strengths in that same order is around 1 in ~33million. Statistically, it is mind boggling that there are only about 219 people in the world who have the exact top five strengths in the same order as me!
I was not surprised to read about my top five strengths. However, the one thing that surprised me was that the ‘Relator’ theme occupied the sixth spot on the list. This is because I have never known myself to be considered good at building relationships.
Gallup’s Relator theme describes a person’s attitude towards relationships. People with this theme are capable of forming deep relationships with others. But they are also drawn towards people whom they already know very well, naturally preferring the intimacy of having a closer group of friends whom they can rely on.
POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS
People with the Relator theme are notable for their ability to form friendships with others. They are comfortable with intimacy and like to deepen the relationships they have with others. In their minds, only authentic relationships where each party knows the other person’s dreams, goals, and desires is worth seeking.
POSSIBLE WEAKNESSES
Getting to truly know someone is a painstaking and time-consuming process. You have to open up to share your life and hope that they do so in return. The busy lives we lead today simply do not allow us to form deep relationships with every single person we come across. People with the Relator theme will most likely have at least three layers of friends. The largest group are the acquaintances, followed by a smaller group of friends, and a third, even smaller, tighter-knit group of close friends. People with the Relator theme may spend most of their time on the last group of people, leading others to think that they are very clique-ish and exclusive.
In fact, my personal observation is that whenever I meet new people, I may come across as being dispassionate or cold. This is a result of me not wanting to waste extra energy in small talk getting to know new people. But it is not because I dislike them, I would rather invest the effort in those whom I already know.
RELATOR AT WORK
As a Leader / Employer
- You excel at building relationships on a one-to-one basis. Have regular sit-downs with your employees to show them that you do care for them as a human being, not just a subordinate.
- Build teams by surrounding yourself with people who can appreciate the work style that you bring in.
- Show employees that trust is something that you view seriously. Since people with the Relator theme show their weaker sides in order to build trust and strengthen bonds, let them know that they can count on you if there is ever a need for it.
As a Follower / Employee
- Avoid dog-eat-dog work environments. They run counter to your culture of building relationships and will unnecessarily wear you out.
- Be ready to form friendships and help others in the workplace. Trust has to be given first in order to be built, but be prudent in the aspects of your life you reveal to others.
THEME PAIRINGS FOR RELATOR
Some of the themes that pair well with Relator are:
- Woo – People who have this theme love being around and rallying others. Their ability to relate well with anyone offers you a chance to build relationships with those whom you may not have contact with otherwise.
- Includer – They are masters of taking action when it comes to bringing outsiders into the group. Since they relish the opportunity to do so, as compared to your more selective approach, having someone with this theme in your team can help to get things off the ground faster, especially for new initiatives that require buy-in from others.
