I’m Erin Brothers, the newest Purple Ink HR Consultant!  As a consultant, I love that I get to work with companies and people directly to solve HR problems and help with HR needs through consulting, recruiting, outsourcing and training.

One of the things that drew me to Purple Ink is the way JoDee Curtis, our owner, truly uses the strengths of each team member.  In a recent conversation we talked about a client opportunity, and realized that their strength was not in follow through.  JoDee said that’s okay, because we have plenty of people around them with the strength of focus.  And encouragement like that really makes you see the strengths, not only in yourself, but in others around you.

At Purple Ink, we talk about strengths every day—in our casual conversations, our decisions on projects, even our email signatures!  And Clifton StrengthsFinder drives our team forward.  In our recent team retreat, I thought it was a little silly to have name tags for a small group of people who all knew each other.  I decided they were wearing them for my benefit as the “new guy.”  Then I realized our name tags had our top 5 strengths on them, and it was extremely helpful in getting to know the team.

My top 5 strengths are Achiever, Communication, Strategic, Positivity, and Activator.

When I learned my strengths, I explained to my husband that my obsessive desire to get everything done before going to bed was actually my number one strength!  After learning Communication was number two, he asked if that was why I liked to talk things to death as well?

But seriously, how do I use my strengths to benefit my clients?  Well, as an Achiever I love to be productive.  So, if I have 50 candidates to pre-screen for your company, I actually gain energy as I work through them.  I love talking with people, whether that be client, candidate, or co-worker.  And Communication also serves me well as a Trainer for companies where I am presenting on topics like inclusion and diversity, management training, anti-harassment or team building.

My Strategic strength helps me problem solve issues a client may be facing.  During an HR assessment, I can think of alternative ways to tackle a problem.  I always thought I gained this power from my mother, but apparently, it’s not my genes.  Many times, I couple this with Positivity, strength number four.  This gives me the ability to not only see the bright side of any challenge and stay focused on the end goal, but get your team excited about what we’re doing as well.  What good is being a cheerleader if there’s no one to root for?!

Lastly, I make things happen with my Activator strength.  Do you need a new HR Manager?  I’m on it!  You need me to come fill in while I’m recruiting that person?  Done.  You need me in your office, yesterday?  Why didn’t you say so?  Activators like myself are admittedly impatient, and while I suspect this strength is hereditary, this toe-tapping Italian works hard to make it a strength!

If you get to know StrengthsFinder, you’ll learn that most of my top strengths are in the spheres of influence and execution. Or just talk to my friends. The girls will tell you I’m the one who takes charge, speaks up so our collective voice is heard and then makes things happen. They may say it a little differently, but that’s the gist.

If you would like to learn more about StrengthsFinder, Purple Ink, or ways we can work together, please reach out. I promise I won’t talk your ear off and I will use my strengths to help you achieve your HR goals.