“WOO stands for winning others over. At the heart, Woo is a social Intelligence theme. People with the strength of Woo have a great capacity to inspire and motivate others. Woo is not just a cheerleader, rather, Woo is adept and skillful in the social setting.”
Woo is one of the 34 talent themes identified by the Clifton Strengthfinder test. Talent themes are people's naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied. While it is a particular gift of some individuals, it is one of the essential abilities necessary for successful leadership.
Increasingly, it seems to be one of the things we provide that our clients value most.
In the overwhelm and discouragement of the day-to-day, it is often difficult for them to take a step back, elevate, and see the truly extraordinary going on all around them. Sometimes it is reminding them of something forgotten, but often it is identifying purpose, meaning, and value where it has been previously unseen or acknowledged.
There is always a nobility or transformational purpose that can bring needed inspiration, commitment, and momentum to a team. And at the heart of every human being is an often unawakened desire to change the lives of others. Identifying the purpose of your organization can serve to awaken and connect every employee to the unique way they were created to glorify God and change lives.
And as we often quote Patrick Lencioni…
“Every organization must contribute in some way to a better
world for some group of people, because if it doesn’t, it will,
and should, go out of business.”
Knowing what is unique, profound, or inspiring about your organization or idea is the “why” behind how you rally the uninspired and distracted. It is the essential element in getting everyone to know, understand, and buy into the bigger purpose that their work could provide.
My ability to woo has been largely self-serving for most of my life, but it is one of the things God is powerfully redeeming. Turns out that you can use clarity and persuasion to inspire others to live with a greater purpose and positively make a difference in the world.
Woo, like any other gifting or ability, can be used or abused depending on the motive. It is the tension in every great super hero movie that differentiates the good guys from the villains.
ONE USES THEIR POWERS FOR GOOD
AND THE OTHER FOR EVIL.
I can bring her flowers because it blesses her life and reminds her of her own beauty, or I can do the same as a mechanism to get something form her that I desire. As a leader my use of power, strength, and persuasion can woo people toward a life of purpose and impact, or just make my own life a lot more comfortable.
- What is the purpose and anchoring core values of your business?
- Are you wooing those you love and lead toward that purpose?
- What is the necessary step you must take toward wooing your team? Get clear on values, purpose, vision? Restructure process, procedure, or meeting governance to win others over?