# Individualization 个别 (gè bié) Domain: 🟦 Relationship Building Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” Because you are such a keen observer of other people’s strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team “structure” or “process,” you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well. ### Shared Theme Description People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. ### Additional notes: On a team or in a group of people, they can be excellent casting directors. (source: 2) Q: How can people with Individualization practice this strength? Improve your ability to recognize others. Great recognition, whether you have this theme or not, is individualized. One of your best ways to do that is to understand how each person likes to be personally seen and recognized and valued. (source: 2) it's taking some of the things that are standard and then individualizing them for people to get the best productivity out of them that we possibly can. (source: 3) You tend to be adept at recognizing the characteristics of a person or even a project, and people find you to be quite relatable, because of that personal (or customized) touch that you can put on people or projects. (source: 3) ### Thriving: - (how it relates to self) have the opportunity to customize their personal or professional live - (how it relates to others) have the ability to find the right person for the job ### Struggling - Faced with standardized one-size-fits-all approach - when the workplace requests that everyone be treated the same or there's no wiggle room to modify based on that person, team or department that you're interacting with, it might feel like your world is just getting smaller. (source: 3) ###### Manager When Individualization is mature it lends itself beautifully to great management. Those leaders with high Individualization understand that the secret to great teams is not replicating the same person over and over again, it is not replicating yourself, it is hiring by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot more of what they do well. It can also be the gift of being a great gift giver. It is the ability to personalize and customize. (source: 4) ### Help & Hinders _**Helps**_ - You instinctively notice and appreciate the unique characteristics of each person. You find what they do well and help them contribute those strengths every day. - You are intuitive about people and notice slight shifts in body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. This allows you to tailor your message and individualize your delivery for maximum receptivity. - Because you treat each person you meet differently, depending on their unique perspectives and needs, others feel you understand and care about them. - You are a good partner at work; you know what your partners do best. This allows you to bring what you do best and mesh it with what your partners do best for a productive outcome. _**Hinders**_ - Your need to customize your approach for every person and situation can slow things down. Sometimes a standardized approach can be more efficient, more productive and fairer in the long run. - Your intuition about the uniqueness of each individual you meet can cause you to make assumptions about who they really are. Don't assume; ask. Start a conversation and really listen. - The "dark side" of Individualization is often manipulation. Because you are attuned to the uniqueness of each person, you may also instinctively know which "buttons to push" to get what you want. Manipulation is one of the fastest ways to break trust. When people feel manipulated, they will rarely -- if ever -- trust you again. - With your strong need not only to treat people uniquely but also to be treated uniquely yourself, you may take the approach that the rules don't apply to you. This can make you difficult to work with and get you into trouble. Realize that most rules and regulations, no matter how personally inconvenient they may be, serve a purpose and prevent chaos and anarchy. ### Raw & Mature Raw Individualization can be independent and costly because it wants to customize everything. It embodies a "me" approach that says "Yeah, but …" after a plan is made and agreed upon. Mature Individualization is valuable. It may cost something, but it understands how and when customization can occur in a scalable way. Raw Individualization is impatient and mature Individualization is anticipatory. Raw Individualization observes others while mature Individualization customizes for others. Raw Individualization is unpredictable and says, "It depends …" and mature Individualization is thoughtful and says, "It depends upon …" (source: 6) ### With other Themes: Two themes that are likely paired with Individualization are Relator and Empathy. The two least likely to match up with Individualization are Connectedness and Consistency. Curt Liesveld, Gallup Senior Learning and Development Consultant, says that people with Individualization often see the trees, while those with Connectedness tend to look at the forest. (source: 7)  #CS/Individualization🟦 and #CS/Includer🟦 Includer what do we share? Individualization says, what makes you unique?  I think Includer opens the door, makes the guests feel welcome; Individualization has the guest room already set up with their favorite magazine. (source: 2) #CS/Individualization🟦 and #CS/Empathy🟦 Individualization are fascinated by human uniqueness, and those high in Empathy are fascinated by human emotion. (source: 4) #CS/Individualization🟦 and #CS/Connectedness🟦 Both **Individualization** and **Connectedness** are Relationship Building themes, but go about building relationships in different ways. **Individualization** hones in on what is unique about each individual, while **Connectedness** focuses on the relationship each individual has with the broader reality. **Connectedness** tends to make relationships by connecting the experiences of others with their own experience -- "Oh I used to live in New Jersey, too!" or "My brother is also a psychiatrist!" **Individualization** tends to make relationships by focusing on what is unique about the experiences of others -- "I've never been to that part of New Jersey -- what's it like?" or "what drew you to the field of psychiatry?" **Individualization** customizes; **Connectedness** integrates. (source: 4) ^94da2e #CS/Individualization🟦 and #CS/Woo🟧 For those on the receiving end of either **Woo** or **Individualization**, the feeling can be the same: an intense interest in me, which makes me feel special. • For **Woo**, that interest is about the thrill of meeting new a new person, and serves the purpose of building the network. Once the connection is made, those high in Woo may move on to make another connection. For **Individualization**, the thrill is in the discovery of uniqueness, and finding out what makes each person tick. • **Woo** needs social variety and a broad network of people with which to connect; **Individualization** can be very content with a smaller group and is fascinated with the seemingly endless uniqueness of each person on in the group. (source: 5) ^751991 #CS/Individualization🟦 and #CS/Maximizer🟧 • When it comes to people, **Individualization** tends to be more "now" focused, seeing what is currently unique about a person. **Maximizer** tends to be more about what people can become -- good to great, great to excellent. • Both themes tend to sort. • Those with strong **Maximizer** talents sort between good and great, and those with strong **Individualization** talents sort between one person and another. • **Maximizer** is drawn to excellence; **Individualization** is drawn to uniqueness. • **Individualization** loves seeing people getting to do what they do best; **Maximizer** loves getting a maximum return on investment of effort. (source: 5) ^1789e4 ![[🟦 CS_Relator#^c95ab8]] ![[🟦 CS_Includer#^1f90cb]] ![[🟦 CS_Harmony#^22bf69]] ![[🟦 CS_Developer#^74a13b]] ![[🟦 CS_Harmony#^22bf69]] ![[🟪 CS_Arranger#^a4818e]] ![[🟦 CS_Relator#^7a14c0]] ![[🟦 CS_Developer#^630363]] ![[🟪 CS_Focus#^17d9e4]] Two themes that are likely paired with Individualization are Relator and Empathy. The two least likely to match up with Individualization are Connectedness and Consistency. Curt Liesveld, Gallup Senior Learning and Development Consultant, says that people with Individualization often see the trees, while those with Connectedness tend to look at the forest. ##### Themes that Modify Consistency, Harmony, Includer, Deliberative, Achiever, Positivity **Themes that tend to accelerate Individualization:** Arranger, Woo, Relator, Empathy, Maximizer, Input Themes That Can Moderate or Intensify (Temper or Sharpen the Edge): - ------------ Sources: 1 Theme Descriptions: Rath, Tom. _StrengthsFinder 2.0_. Gallup Press, 2007. 2 [Individualization: Highlights From Your CliftonStrengths 34](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/267401/individualization-highlights-cliftonstrengths.aspx) 3 [How to Improve Your Wellbeing With Individualization](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/393206/how-to-improve-your-wellbeing-with-individualization.aspx) 4 [Your Individualization Talent: Seeing Value in Uniqueness](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/250118/individualization-talent-seeing-value-uniqueness.aspx) 5 [Comparing and Contrasting CliftonStrengths Themes](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/250409/comparing-contrasting-cliftonstrengths-themes.aspx) 6 [Pairing and Expanding Your Strengths: Individualization](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/250634/pairing-expanding-strengths-individualization.aspx) 7 [Individualization: Learning to Love All 34 Talent Themes](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/251357/individualization-learning-love-talent-themes.aspx) Tag: #CS/Individualization🟦 #state/published