THE
Cahen
AMBLER
BLOG
Welcome to The Cahen Ambler Blog
As I explain more in depth in my introductory post, this is a space where I like to use storytelling and references from history and popular culture to help each of the 34 talent themes come alive in a way that’s different than the standard definitions found elsewhere.
As a general note, I’m not aware of the actual talent themes of any of the fictional characters I discuss. Nor have I coached any of famous people I might reference. This is mostly for educational purposes and also to help illuminate strengths in a way that’s memorable.
Ideation & Introduction
Welcome to my first Strengths blog post. I used to do a good amount of blogging back when blogging started, so I’m excited to get back into it should this be your medium of choice. Speaking of back in the day, I first took the “StrengthsFinder” assessment back in 2011. I was attending a leadership…
Responsibility & Ryan Reynolds
I first encountered Ryan Reynolds when I was in college, long before he was Deadpool or the gin guy or half of one of the world’s most charming celebrity couples. Back then, he was just Berg—a sarcastic slacker on a deeply forgettable sitcom called Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. It was a…
Significance & Stern
Hey, now! Today I’m going to talk about one of my personal heroes—someone I started listening to on FM radio as a teenager, and now, 30+ years later, he’s still a staple in my media diet. The self-proclaimed “King of All Media”: Howard Stern. Throughout my life, even just mentioning the name Howard Stern makes…
Belief & Belinda
If you’ve watched HBO’s White Lotus, you know that paradise isn’t always as peaceful as it seems. I’ll do my best to keep spoilers to a minimum, but if you haven’t seen Season 3—and plan to—bookmark this and come back later. I can’t avoid revealing the fate of one particularly pivotal character. Amid all the…
Strategic & Slim Shady
I’ve been a fan of hip-hop for as long as I can remember. It was the first music I was exposed to when my older brother offered me hand-me-down mix tapes to listen to in my room. I love a lot of things about rap music. The poetry and conveyance of a life experience that’s…
Consistency & Cheating
Nobody likes a cheater. Sadly, it seems like society often rewards those who take advantage of the rules—or even those who believe the rules shouldn’t apply to them. Think of every cartoon villain ever… and you know the type. In a team or organization, Consistency is a talent that helps maintain order and processes, ensuring…
Harmony & Harmony Cobel
As you — a faithful blog reader — knows by now, CliftonStrengths talents should be productively applied. They are our super powers, that when properly harnessed can be used for good. Today we’re going to talk about applying the talent of Harmony to benefit a team. We’re also going to talk about the character, Harmony…
Competition & Court of Gold
If you’ve read any of my blogs, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I’m a basketball fan. I’ve already compared Self-Assurance to Shaq and Achiever to Kobe, so today, I’m going back into my bag to talk about Competition. People with Competition as a talent don’t just want to play the game—they want…
Belief & Butterflies & Bees
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” When Muhammad Ali used that famous quote to describe his boxing style, it described his strategy in the ring—light on his feet and ready to strike at any moment. To me it also captured some important aspects of his life outside of the ring. I was fortunate…
Arranger & Alfred
Not every superhero’s power is innate. Sometimes you’re born with x-ray vision and sometimes you acquire your talent by, say, falling into a vat of toxic waste. It’s not a secret that I like to analogize the 34 CliftonStrengths with comic book superpowers. I’ve written about it in my blog before (Intellection & Iron Man…
Woo & Walter White
If you’ve followed my blog, you know I’m a fan of alliteration in my titles. Today we’re talking about Woo. The talent theme that gets the most eyebrow raises of any from those unfamiliar with CliftonStrengths. And while we’re talking about Woo, this entry really isn’t about the alliterative Walter White – the award winning…
Relator & Ross
The official Gallup description of the Relator talent theme includes the following passage: People exceptionally talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal I emphasized the word friends because the connection with that word to Relator is a great way…
Maximizer & Miyagi
When you’re a kid you usually don’t think in the moment about the great thinkers whose teachings will stick with you later in life. Maybe it’s an elder in your family, a faith leader, or an inspiring figure you read about in a history book. For me, it was Pat Morita’s character, Mr. Miyagi, in…
Activator & Alex Honnold
I’m fascinated by the mindset of thrill-seekers—mostly because I’m not one of them. I’ll ride a nice, easy roller coaster with my kid, but I’m the last person you could convince to jump out of an airplane. I’m sure it’s an incredible feeling… but I’m a big chicken. That’s why watching the documentary Free Solo…
Self-Assurance & Shaq
My last blog entry was about Kobe Bryant and Achiever. So it’s only natural that today I talk about Shaquille O’Neal and Self-Assurance (If you need to get up to speed on the infamous partnership and feud between these two legends, click here). Self-Assurance is an influencing theme. I like to think about it as…
Achiever & Attack Fast, Attack Strong
If you remember obscure Nike commercials the way I do, you might recall the Nike “Kobe System” campaign back in 2012. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’re probably in the majority. Allow me to explain. Kobe Bryant (may he rest in peace) was an all-time great basketball player. The ad campaign…
Focus & Following the Yellow Brick Road
I have a confession to share about my “blogging process”. Deciding on a topic for these posts can be a challenge. It’s not because I don’t have any ideas (thanks, #1 Ideation). It’s usually because I have a hard time narrowing down to one idea (thanks, #24 Focus). Often, the best idea to me is…
Context & Flux Capacitors
It’s cool to be rare. According to Gallup, Context is one of the 5 rarest CliftonStrengths talents. I love coming across someone with a rare talent. I currently work on a team with 40 people and only two have Context in their Top 5. And because it’s not as straightforward as some other talents, those…