An assessment of my dog’s strengths
I love learning. I love people, and I absolutely love helping people become better versions of themselves. One of the first things I do with my clients is assess their strengths using CliftonStrengths®️. It’s a great first step in building self-awareness.
Recently while my college freshman was home on break, we were laughing at the the insanely humanistic characteristics of our Golden Retriever, Blu. He’s really a character. Blu is always entertaining us, and is the first to snuggle up next to you if you’re feeling down. He’s got mounds of energy and lives for playing fetch. Literally obsessed. His expressive eyes communicate more than what some humans can communicate in words.
Over lunch, my son and I were laughing at Blu as he sat next to the table and “purred,” which is his way of making sure we don’t forget that he’d love a table scrap or two, or heaven forbid, he was left out of the conversation for two minutes.
“He’s literally a human” my son said.
I stared at Blu and laughed at his facial expressions. It was like he was trying to say something. My son and I had just been discussing his strengths which he took as part of one of his business classes.
“If Blu took a strengths assessment, what do you think they would be?” I asked, half joking but also sincerely curious.
“Ha! One of them should definitely be WOO®️” he laughed. He should know, he’s a WOO as well.
We started discussing his characteristics and behaviors and plugging them into the CliftonStrengths®️ themes. We laughed a lot as we discussed all the “Blu-isms.” Here’s what we came up with. 😄
Blu’s Top 5 Strengths
WOO®️ - “Winning Others Over.” People with WOO love the challenge of meeting new people and connecting. Blu’s WOO strength really shines when friends come over. In a matter of seconds, he’ll figure out the best method to get you to fall in love with him - whether that’s chasing his tail or rolling over for belly rubs. If he’s really excited, he’ll even pee on the floor…whatever it takes to make you feel as if you’re the most important person in the world. He’ll even go fetch those dirty socks you were (not really) looking for.
FOCUS®️ - Those with the Focus strength understand what specific tasks must be completed in order to get them closer to their goal. If there is a ball in Blu’s presence, the only goal is to capture it. Nothing else exists but Ball. If others start to wander away, he brings them back to the main focus, Ball. Even at the dog park, when friends approach him to play, all Blu can focus on is Ball. Run after one Ball, bring 3 Balls back. Laser focus on Ball. Must. Get. Ball. Blu never gets tired of chasing Ball. IYKYK 😄
EMPATHY®️ - Given that Blu’s dad is a therapy dog, Blu has a natural inclination to sense the emotions around him. He anticipates the unvoiced needs of others and will offer a soft head on your lap or he’ll fetch you a blanket and then slide in to snuggle. He will crawl into your space and just be in the same space with you, ensuring you are never suffering alone.
COMPETITION®️ - People with the Competition theme strive to win first place and revel in contests. Blu is invigorated by competition, especially when he is going after Ball. Thanks to his endless energy, no one stands a chance to beat him. He must have Ball. But unlike other competitors in the house (you know who you are,) Blu never mourns a loss thanks to his 3 second memory.
HARMONY®️ - People exceptionally talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They dislike conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement. I see Blu’s Harmony strength in action when the family goes on a hike together (which is actually rare.) Our four-legged Harmonizer loves the camaraderie but if the family splits up for any reason, he gets displeased and will run back and forth between parties to keep everyone on common ground and ensure that we’re all safe.
So there are Blu’s strengths - WOO, Focus, Empathy, Competition and Harmony. I am sure there are many more, but these are the ones he uses the most. I see a Balcony/Basement exercise in his future. 😝
I am not professionally associated or sponsored by Gallup/CliftonStrengths. Use of the trademarked terms in this blog is for informational purposes only.