The Shining STARs

   To begin, this post is dedicated to our STAR coach: Chase Crowson. I’ve personally let Chase down by biting off more than I can chew this holiday season. Chase emphasized the importance of good time management and I’ve totally blown it in December.

   For the better part of 2010, Mr. Crowson dedicated himself to “kicking our collective butts” as fellow STAR Jon Acuff wrote. I wish I could have seen Chase yesterday so he could have given me a swift kick. It seems as if I’m poorly clinging on to all the great lessons Chase bestowed upon us in STAR.

   I've thought about writing this blog post for awhile. It’s been on the to-do list since I launched this site a few weeks ago. There’s been a lot of things that I claim have prevented me from actually publishing it; the truth is, I was scared to write it because I didn’t think it would do STAR the brilliant justice it deserved.

   In STAR we were taught by Chase to focus on our strengths instead of our weaknesses. Our main tool was this powerful book “Strengths Finder 2.0”. Available here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/StrengthsFinder-2-0-Tom-Rath/dp/159562015X

If you need a good, last minute holiday gift I highly recommend this book. It’s by a clever chap named Tom Rath. In his book, Mr. Rath describes the unique power of 34 “Themes” he and his research team identified as common areas for strength.

   More often than not society chooses to focus on the negative aspects instead of the positive ones. This mentality trickles down through the mass media into every aspect of our lives: work, home, etc. It’s often challenging nay downright tough to remember all of our positive strengths on a daily basis.

   For Chase, that’s what this blog post is about. It’s a public appreciation for Chase Crowson and the strengths he taught us in STAR. We discovered these strengths at the beginning of 2010. As the end of this year draws near I’d like to review the strengths of my fellow STARs. Another amazing thing: anytime someone will go to keyword a STAR’s name in Google, all of their amazing strengths will appear in the search results.

   The following list of strengths appears exactly how Chase handed them to us in February 2010.

Jon Acuff: Activator, Communication, Empathy, Ideation, and Strategic. Jon mastered the power of his strengths early on in the STAR program. So much that he actually got his dream job and left the company. Jon’s strengths pair perfectly together on his blog www.stuffchristianslike.net. Jon has figured out a way to achieve personal satisfaction plus support his adorable wife and two daughters simply writing about his passion. Granted Jon’s faith had the majority of the part to launch this STAR into his dream job but I’d also like to think that Chase’s commitment to showing Jon the power of his strengths also played a part. Jon published his first book last year, Stuff Christians Like (available here  http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Christians-Like-Jonathan-Acuff/dp/0310319943)

Jon now works for Dave Ramsey and has more than 1 million readers of his blog.  He’s even got a second book on the way. For the record, Jon Acuff is one of my heroes.

Lissette Arenas: Achiever, Command, Competition, Intellection, and Strategic. Like Chase, Lissie also has this amazing dedication to making us all better people. It’s easy because Lissie is fabulous in every way. She’s fiercely competitive but for all the right reasons. Lissie loves people more passionately and intensely than any other person I’ve ever met in a leadership program. Lissie was a huge contributor to making our STAR team grow a tighter bond than any other year of the program. If something wasn’t right then Lissie would be the first one to let us know so we could fix it and make it better. She’s also a fabulous dresser with a kind heart who can speak fluent Spanish, English and a good portion of Italian.

Clifton Hall: Achiever, Arranger, Positivity, Relator and Responsibility. Hey, Tom Rath, founder of Strengths Finder! Have you met the next you? His name is Clifton. He lives here in Atlanta and Clifton believes more powerfully in his amazing strengths than maybe even you, sir. Clifton and I met on the very first day of STAR when we were seated next to each other at the Georgian Terrace. His smile was one of the biggest, most genuine smiles I’ve been privileged to see. Clifton and I bonded over his Positivity strengths; however, Chase and Clifton’s strengths must have really connected because of Chase’s Belief and Clifton’s Relator. Clifton has such an incredible future in front of him because of his great attitude.

Side note: by the way, Tom Rath. Did you know that Relator isn’t even in the dictionary? I just had to add it in Microsoft Word. How dare Bill Gates not have all of Strengths Finder included in his word bank! I digress…back to Strengths.

LaVonne Owens: Connectedness, Developer, Empathy, Harmony, and Restorative. LaVonne is an angel. She’s is possibly one of the sweetest, most genuine people I’ve ever met in my entire life. LaVonne is right up there with Chase. To summarize LaVonne’s amazing strengths, she can take everything that’s good in a person, sprinkle pixie dust on that soul, and turn someone into a more amazing version 2.0. LaVonne and I formed an amazing bond at Cheers in Boston: painfully crooning to “Ebony and Ivory.” The one thing she couldn’t fix was my singing but Miss Owens made me a better person over the past year.  LaVonne has an extremely bright future ahead of her because of her unique power to improve. She and Chase are similar in that regard, which is probably why they work for the same team.

 Shamanda Smith: Achiever, Arranger, Input, Learner, Strategic. Shamanda made one of the most terrific transformations in 2010. This woman is wonderful. Shamanda is so keenly smart, incredibly proficient, plus she has impeccable taste. Shamanda’s classy style resonates from the work she does each day for our company all the way through every part of her being. I recently read a great quote about style that reminded me of Shamanda: “Style is a function of a theme. Style is not imposed on the subject matter but arises from it. Style is truth to thought.” Style = Shamanda. This daring woman is dedicated, determined and gorgeous. Shamanda’s strengths all come together to make her a very clever and cunning chick. Plus she designs her own jewelry as a hobby. Her other hobbies include kicking ass, critical thinking, public speaking, being fantastic and breathing excellence each and every day. 

Valerie Dawson: Context, Empathy, Positivity, Relator and Responsibility. Valerie inspires me for her unique capability to see life exactly how it is. Valerie doesn’t romanticize or placate, neither demeans nor degrades: she’s able to sit with another person and understand them for exactly who they are. Early on when getting to know this inspiring woman, one comes to understand Valerie’s real power lies in her ability to communicate without saying a single word. Her energy and facial expressions are where Valerie’s real power exists. Valerie just gets a person for who they’ve grown into instead of what they aren’t. Her strengths then allow a person to understand his or her potential. Valerie and Chase have that in common.

Chase reminded us the importance of learning all our STAR team’s Strengths. It made us work better if we can not only leverage our Strengths but also those of our teammates. We forget that we play on many teams each day: teams at work, our family as a team then friends as another. We must always remember to see the best in all our teammates. Going back to the STARs…

Leesa Grant: Communication, Connectedness, Empathy, Positivity and Woo. For those unfamiliar with Strengths Finder, “Woo” is really an acronym for Winning Others Over. More importantly it characterizes exceptional people who feel a need to connect with an individual on a personal level in order to really make this world a better place. If more folks can master the power of Woo like Leesa did then we’d get closer to world peace. Leesa is such an exceptional person. This woman has also become the source for a “spiritual vitamin” email I receive each day. One email said we often put things in the depreciation room of our minds instead of the appreciation room. Chase was an incredible teacher because his instruction turned Leesa into a true leader within our STAR team and then onto our company.

Tega McKinney: Achiever, Arranger, Futuristic, Relator and Responsibility. Tega is the Future CEO of Whatever-Company-Tega-Chooses-to-Master. His unique strengths make him a force to be reckoned with. In his cool, collected demeanor Tega is really arranging for his future success. He’s on the way to climbing mountains of great heights by taking on new initiatives in his life and within our organization. One of the main reasons I want to stay so close with my STARs, especially Chase, is so in 30 years we can all sit back with our copy of The Wall Street Journal (because yes, I do believe we’ll still have printed newspapers in 30 years) and the STARs will see Tega’s beaming face on the front page of the newspaper with a headline proclaiming his business achievements.

Yesica Tamariz-Clemente: Achiever, Arranger, Focus, Learner and Responsibility. Yesica really can have it all. This was a year full of achievements for this amazingly accomplished woman. Yesica graduated STAR, transitioned to an exciting new marketing role, and she graduated from Georgia Tech with her MBA. Yesica’s strengths truly blend to create an amazing energy that can move and shape our industry. All the STARs should continue to work as a team, because if Tega is the CEO, then Yesica will be working with him on an executive level. She also has mastered both Spanish and English plus seen more of the world than one can hope to in a lifetime. It’s uncommon to find someone, like Yesica, who focuses so intently on achieving their dreams. Chase’s coaching helped Yesica along the way this year.

Tammy Thomas: Achiever, Empathy, Futuristic, Relator, Responsibility. Tammy really is developer. Deep down she understands who a person is then really see into the future for developing ideas for how that person can achieve their dreams. It’s easy to see just from being with Tammy for a minute what an amazing mother she must be. Then she brings that powerful energy to her team. She’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. If we were creating team World Peace, Tammy should be the Project Manager because she would achieve World Peace.

Claire Dotson: Achiever, Consistency, Discipline, Harmony and Responsibility. There’s a saying our STAR team created this year – W.W.C.D. – What Would Claire Do? This young woman is thoroughly committed to achieving greatness by doing so in a balanced, harmonious, responsible yet delightfully playful manner. Upon meeting Claire one would think she’s a hard-core captain of industry. In reality she is one of the most modest, compassionate and intelligent people I’ve ever met. Most importantly (and this should be a Strength, Tom Rath) Claire is deliberate. Ever action is well-thought, decisive and with the best intentions. Claire inspires everyone, and Chase’s faith in her was crucial to this inspiration.

Nakia Lumpkin: Developer, Empathy, Individualization, Relator and Strategic. You know the cartoons with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other? Nakia is both, but ultimately she’s the brain in the middle which really knows the best course of action. Nakia is so bright. She can work with anyone to understand the needs of a team member then satisfy them so as a team they can strategically achieve their goals. Plus she does so in a well-dressed, well-spoken, well-shoed manner. Her style is incomparable in the best fashion. Nakia learned how to command a room this year directly from Chase and his coaching.

Rick Manning: Command, Communication, Input, Learner and Self-Assurance. Back to the Tega-Yessica-Ruling-Corporate-America-Company, Rick would be the guy in charge of sales and marketing. Rick is incredibly creative. Most importantly he can communicate his vision in such a unique style it makes him a very accomplished leader. Rick shared everyone a powerful gift with everyone in STAR this year: self-confidence. One day a movie will be written about Rick Manning’s existence. It will be called something along the lines of “The Cunning Life of Mr. Manning” or “Mr. Manning’s Marvelous Machinations”. It would have been a privilege to watch a video of a Rick and Chase coaching session.

Wilmer Wade: Achiever, Arranger, Connectedness, Positivity and Relator. Wade has a very rare characteristic in a career-driven society: chivalry. Wade brings grace and manners to work every day. Most people are worried about their lunch, laptops, and other items. Wade concerns himself with diplomacy, pleasantry and the finer things one likes to be graced with by a team mate. Wade always has a smile on his face, even in the hard times, and he can relate with each individual in such a manner that they can work together to overcome all obstacles. Chase and Wade share an important theme in their strengths: connectedness – the belief that all things happen for a reason which implies individual responsibility. Chase and Wade both believe in the grand scheme of all things being connected.   

Before moving onto to discussing Chase’s strengths we have to review myself in February 2010.

Lauren Morgan: Input, Positivity, Achiever, Learner and Maximizer. Acronym: I-PALM. Let’s talk about the great things Chase did for Lauren Morgan and how he turned her into me, Lauren Patrick. Chase helped me understand everything good within myself. Instead of focusing on what I’m not, Chase taught me to focus on who I am and how to become my best me. Chase is the Buddha of self-development.

And to close with as much deserving respect…

Chase Crowson: Belief, Connectedness, Individualization, Responsibility and Strategic. Chase reminds us every day that nothing other people say and do is because of you. It’s a projection of one’s own reality and own dreams. When you are immune to the actions and opinions of others you can achieve your dreams. This idea is a principle tenant of achieving a life of peace. 2010 was a hard year for everyone because of all sorts of outside factors of which we predominantly have no control. We can do our best to stimulate the economy, attain financial stability while maintaining a “normal” existence. But at the end of the day, all we can really control is how we react to the forces of which we have no control. Focus, believe in one’s own power, and then using it responsibly to help the Soul of the World. Chase is such a rare breed of human. He shows us how people can really are inherently good.

   For Chase: in hopes of making the last of this tough year a little bit brighter. You took 15 ordinary people in 2010 and transformed their lives. You took us on an amazing journey of self discovery which included the Four Seasons, an amazing time in Boston, and back to Atlanta where we realized our true potential.

   Chase, you made us extraordinary people in 2010. Now that we don’t see you once a week, we’re back to being ordinary. Hopefully we can carry our own in 2011.

   Sorry if we ever let you down, Chase. Thank you for an amazing year.