Leading with the Arranger StrengthsFinder Talent

Arranger StrengthsFinder TL;DR

I recently had a co-worker with the Arranger strength describe it as being able to conduct and orchestra amidst a raging fire. So maybe it's a little intense but it demonstrates their ability to filter and see clarity amidst chaos.

The arranger StrengthsFinder talent means you are always looking for new options to better order the world around you. You’re motivated to find the alignment needed to create the perfect arrangement.  

If you’re already familiar with StrengthsFinder, you can skip over the next section.

How do you lead well with arranger in your StrengthsFinder top 5?

So you’ve taken the StrengthsFinder assessment, received your results and found arranger in the list. Now you’re wondering how to grow or leverage this strength in your leadership. 

Don’t be afraid to play and explore, allowing your curiosity to guide you to something better.

My own curiosity also allows me to feel the exhilaration of trying to find a new and better arrangement wherever I’m leading. By facilitating design sprints, I've helped teams apply their arranger talents to create a better outcome.

Here are five strategies I’ve seen effective arrangers implement as they orchestrate a better future.

1. Seek solutions that do more with less.
2. Lead in change processes. 
3. Arrange new ventures.
4. Arrange in everyday life.
5. Vocalize the consistent priorities.

Seek solutions that do more with less.

Managers and organizations are always looking for ways to be more efficient. Every process, system or structure has room for improvement. 

As an arranger, you often see these possibilities. You immediately recognize there is a better way to do this. 

Arrangers follow their curiosity to explore all the possible options or paths available. 

Others may be resistant to change, but this can be overcome by framing your solution as doing more with less. 

Explain you are organizing and arranging for the most significant impact possible. 

These are four areas most organizations can use help from an arranger to simplify and do more with less. 

1. Repeatable processes. If you can adjust it for even a slight improvement, the multiplied impact over time will be significant.
2. Project scheduling. Projects can be pretty complicated, and scheduling can easily overwhelm many leaders. Offer to work with them to find the best and simplest arrangement.
3. Budgets. This one may not sound as exciting, but budgeting is where everyone wants to do more with less. 

Teams. Teaming no longer needs to be static. In today’s world, teams are often shifting as priorities or opportunities change. You can help build great teams by identifying the best combination of skills or strengths.

Lead in change processes. 

You have a higher tolerance for change than most people. 

During normal times, you likely ask yourself questions like, “Why don’t we make these changes? What are we afraid of?” And when a change process begins, you respond with, “finally!”

You can lead and help others as you leverage your flexibility to adjust when things change. Here are two areas you can focus on as an arranger leading amidst change. 

1. Possibility. Help others see there are opportunities for things to get better. Celebrate both the small and large improvements the team can make. 
2. Freedom. You have a unique opportunity to help others not be bound by the traditions of the past.

Arrange new ventures.

You’re energized by the complexity and possibility of a new venture. When something is getting started, take an active role. 

You can try joining a design sprint to explore possible solutions or helping to establish a new team with just the right arrangement of people.

As an arranger and a leader, you can find a better way and shape a better path for yourself and others.

In fact, learning more about the StrengthsFinder (now CliftonStrengths) framework could be an excellent tool for applying your arranger strength. As you better understand what each individual brings to the team, you can orchestrate just the right collection of people for the task at hand. 

Arrange in everyday life.

Arranging doesn’t have to just be for work. Is there a better way to arrange the living room furniture, organize the closet or even utilize the different rooms in your house?

Don’t be afraid to play and explore, allowing your curiosity to guide you to something better. 

Consider your personal schedule too. What’s your ideal time for meetings or deep work? When is the best time of day for exercise or running errands? 

There is more flexibility than ever to escape the 9-5 constraints of the past century and design your everyday. 

Vocalize the consistent priorities.

As an arranger, you’re already looking for a better way to do things. But others usually don’t have the same tolerance for change you do. 

People may not understand your arranging is helping them. They may even say you’re just changing for change's sake or not committing to the current plan.

Leading with the arranger strength can be challenging when the way things are done is tightly prescribed.

You can combat this misunderstanding by vocalizing the priorities driving you to explore new options. 

These priorities shouldn’t be new to the team. In fact, they should be the foundational values and goals the team has agreed to work from. 

Help the team see the priorities aren’t changing. And the change you’re proposing is to better align with those shared priorities.  

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Next steps for StrengthsFinder arrangers.

As you learn to lead using your arranger strength, you can take what you’ve gathered and alignment in the best way possible.

You don’t have to be bound by outdated processes or procedures. Instead, you can compose a better way forward.

Arrangers can struggle with an antipattern of chaos. Learning the strengths antipatterns will allow you to continue growing as a healthy, intentional leader. 

You are on an extraordinary journey to living and leading from your strengths. You can explore the list below to learn about the rest of your top 5 strengths.