“I currently feel like that guy on the image.” he said when he saw the image on the left in our coaching slides.

Responsibility is one of the 34 talent categorizations of Gallup’s Clifton Strengths Assessment. It is an Executing talent implying its general need and energy for getting things done. Its differentiating factor is that it has an emotional drive, carrying the load personally for its execution agenda.

When it’s dominant in one’s profile, they are highly energized by the sense of ownership they have when the buck stops with them. They will want to outperform pre-set expectations. Their work is their honor, and their word their bond, making them very reliable and dependable. This could, however, make them micro managers in cases where they are working within teams. On the other hand, it could make them despise micro managers because it could imply a mistrust in their commitment and reliability.

Besides, they only feel released from tasks when they receive satisfactory feedback. People with this talent could tend to struggle with approval-seeking tendencies especially if they are conflict avoidant (aka Harmony in strengths-talk).

The Responsibility talent also has a negative side effect of burnout if and when healthy boundaries are not clearly set. We all deserve some level of responsibility towards ourselves too. And managers and teammates must also learn to support and respect these boundaries to get the most out of this talent in the long-run.

References
Lombard, D. 2020. Launch your Brilliance. Strengths Synergy (Pty) Ltd.