strengths to the max booklet

3Concept & Booklet: Russell DealIllustration & Design: Mat Jones

EXPLORING A UNIVERSE OF HIDDEN STRENGTHS

Concept & Booklet: Russell DealIllustration & Design: Mat Jones


2First published in 2011 by:

St Lukes Innovative Resources62 Collins Street KANGAROO FLAT Victoria 3555 AustraliaPhone: (03) 5446 0500 Fax: (03) 5447 2099Email: [email protected]: www.innovativeresources.orgABN 97 397 067 466

St Lukes Innovative Resources & Mat Jones 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978 1 920945 51 0

Edited by: Karen Masman and Merrilee Edwards

3MaxThis is

MaxineThis is

MaximillianThis is (the Third)

5There are only three of us so we are a Mini MAXI Family!

6Your Guides to the Universe of Strengths: Max, Maxine & Maximillian (the Third) 7

Thinking about Intergalactic Strengths 9

Finding the Key to Your Strengths 11

Blasting Off with Strengths to the Max 12

The 60 Rocket-propelled Cards 15

Safety in Space (Being Mindful) 20

Planet St Lukes 22

Jedi Artist: Mat Jones 23

Time Lord (retired): Russell Deal 23

Astronauts: Karen Masman and Merrilee Edwards 23

Contents

Clever

Everyone has strengthsespecially space robots. We all use them constantly to get through the tasks and challenges that everyday life throws at us. But sometimes, especially when we are confronted by lifes bigger issues, it can be easy to forget the strengths that we have, or how we might use these strengths to tackle the problem we are facing.

Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third) know that they have lots of strengths. But they have also made two important discoveries: Firstly, they learned that no matter how many strengths we have ourselves we can always gain other strengths from those around usour family, our friends, our workmates, our pets and our neighbours. Sometimes we can be confronted by situations so difficult or so unusual that we may need to draw upon other peoples strengths. Often these strengths might be readily available to us if only we can look in the right places and ask in the right way.

Secondly, MandMandM (as they are often known) also learned that many strengths can be hidden or disguised. There are strengths

that everyone can recognise and name as strengths, but there are also lots of possible strengths that may not be regarded as strengths at first glance. For example, how might anger be a strength, or stubbornness?

What Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third) would like to demonstrate in their cosmic 60 Strengths to the Max cards is that our strengths can be enhanced when we work cooperatively with others and that we need to look for strengths in some unexpected places. The Strengths to the Max cards both invite and challenge the reader to think about their

Your Guides to the Universe of Strengths:Max, Maxine & Maximillian (the Third)

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strengths and the strengths of those around them in some different ways. In so doing you might discover new and rich sources of strengths that you, and they, can use every dayand when lifes big problems arise.

If you think Max looks vaguely familiar it could be that you discovered his charm via the Cars R Us cards published by Innovative Resources in 2005. Max appeared one day as Mat Jones, Jedi Artist Extraordinaire, was developing the Cars R Us cards. Max quickly assumed the role of The Observer, a figure who was in the action but also a little removed from it. Having an observer can be of great benefit in conversation-building. It can be very handy to have someone who can understand a situation but who can also reflect and comment on what is going on.

Max performed this role so well in the Cars R Us cards that he became something of a cult hero and developed his own constellation of fans. Being so cute and loveable, as well as so perceptive, we promised him his own card set. Then he introduced us to his familyand Strengths to the Max fell into place.

We hope you enjoy Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third) as much as the Innovative Resources team does. But we also hope that they gently challenge you in your time-travelling activities to think about strengths in some different ways.

What Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third) would like to demonstrate in their cosmic 60 Strengths to the Max cards is that our strengths can be enhanced when we work cooperatively with others and that we need to look for strengths in some unexpected places.

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It can be very easy to confuse strengths with virtues. The two are very similar. While it can certainly be argued that all virtues can be strengths, the converse is not necessarily the case. Virtues are really defined according to moral or theological criteria that are centred on concepts of goodness.

On the other hand, strengths, while perhaps being good for the person who possesses them, need to be regarded more as useful to ones survival, growth and wellbeing, rather than as qualities which, in themselves, are morally admirable.

It is thus possible for someone to exercise a rich array of strengths without being able to claim any high moral ground over the person standing alongside them. Strengths are essentially pragmatic. They are what help us get through our daily lives.

It may be hard to imagine that strengths can be used to oppress others or to engage in unethical behaviour, however, the lens we look through when we consider strengths is fundamentally different to the one that we use when we judge goodness.

Many strengths appear to be self-evidently good; being honest, caring, loving and so on. But others, at first glance anyway, can seem more like deficits or character faults. Stubborn, feisty, dreamy, noisy or angry may seem to name traits or states to be avoided rather than embraced. Yet there are times when each of these may be of vital importance to the individual to get them through a tricky situation. (Of course, it is equally true that any virtue that can be identified holds within it the ability to tip over and be experienced as a deficit by that person or by others they interact with.)

Thinking About Intergalactic Strengths

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So thinking about what constitutes a strength deserves more than a little scrutiny and reflection. This is where Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third) come in.

In Strengths to the Max, MandMandM suggest a much broader understanding of potential strengths than can be comfortably labelled as virtues.

MandMandM can be cheeky and confused, quiet and challenging, colourful and dramaticin fact, they can exhibit a whole range of attributes that might be particularly handy strengths to have in some situations.

Why is this important? Well, firstly it is very easy to pathologise behaviours or describe them negatively using deficit-saturated language. Strengths to the Max explores the way our interpretation of our own or others behaviour depends on our own experience, our expectations and the language we adopt.

The prevalence of problem-saturated language makes it easy to get trapped in a negative orbit. The gravitational pull of The Problem can be strong and can create a toxic atmosphere. But sometimes simply changing our languagesubstituting wordscan make a world of difference to what we see. What happens if we replace words like rude, moody, and defiant with assertive, sensitive and independent? If the latter words can still fit the same behavior they have a much more normalised tone.

Normalisation is a term often used when behaviours are placed in a common, shared context. That is, a context where the behaviours are seen as less abnormal and closer to most peoples own experience.

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Normalising suggests that the same problems are often experienced by many people and as such they are understandable and do not have to be conceived of as black holes of regret, blame and guilt.

Normalising is one potential outcome of a wider therapeutic process called reframing. Reframing or restorying is playing with alternative language in the search for alternative meanings.

Sometimes there is a very fine line between a deficit and a strength. Sometimes the choice of another word makes all the difference. Lazy is a word with a particular value attached. Laid back, relaxed, calm, and serene are words that might fit the same behaviour, but which have very different values labels attached to them. When we substitute words that describe behaviours, we are building meaning and placing the spotlight on our values. In this way we can create worm-holes to greater understanding.

Another important opportunity sitting within reframing is the invitation to notice what is being valued. For example, if someone finds something risky, they may be valuing safety; if they find something messy, they may be valuing order. These are further reframes that may offer some very fruitful avenues for conversation.

Reframing asks the question, What is important for me to see? This is a supernova of a question for all parents, teachers, child care workers, counsellorsin fact, all human service workers anywhere in the universe.

On each Strengths to the Max card you will find a hidden key. The challenge is to find the key in all 60 cards. At times we all need a key to unlock our hidden strengths.

What is the key that will give you access to each of these stars in your galaxy of possible strengths?

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Finding the Key to Your Strengths

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OK, fellow space travellers, strap yourselves into your capsule and lets get ready for lift-off. Actually, we could call this journey anarchistic or at least self-directed space travel because there are no rules, no procedural guidelines, no lengthy checklists of instructionsand no emergency manuals if something goes wrong!

However, as Strengths to the Max was designed and built over several years, our team of scientists and engineers has consulted widely and tested the cards in a wide range of atmospheric conditions. There is no guarantee of success or certainty that MandMandM will get you to where you want to go. But we do think you are likely to have some great adventures with them and hopefully you will be able to explore parts of your universe that you have not yet discovered.

The Three Ss of Space Travel

The simplest and most common way of going into orbit with the cards is what we call the Three Ss: Spread, Scan and Select. Simply spread the cards out face up on a table or on the floor. (Note that once out of the earths atmosphere they will have a tendency to float and will need weighing down!).

You can then ask others (or indeed yourself) to scan, or sit with and get to know, the cards and then to select cards according to the questions you ask. Of course, there are an unlimited number of questions that could be asked depending upon what you think is important or the trajectory of the person or people using the cards.

Blasting Off With Strengths to the Max

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Some questions might include:

Which cards do you think best name and describe your strengths?

What would someone who knows you well say were your greatest strengths? (This is often called an audience or special person question.)

Which of these strengths are you conscious of using recently?

Are there any cards in this series of strengths that you find surprising? Why?

Can you think of someone, perhaps a child, who you have found to be a challenge or something of a mystery? Could you describe

them using these cards? Do you think there might have some hidden strengths behind their challenging behaviour?

The Fourth S

Another way of introducing the cards is The Fourth S which stands for Serendipity. Sometimes, it can be interesting to just see what the universe hands us when we make a random choice of cards by spreading them out or dealing them face down.

A participant can be invited to choose a single card and respond to such questions as:

What role does this strength play in your life?

Is it important to you? Why?

Are you conscious of using it well?

Are you conscious of using it often?

Would others say it was a key strength of yours?

Can you tell a story about a time you used this strength?

Who do you know who has this strength in abundance?

Who would you say was a champion at using this strength?

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Alternatively, a participant might be asked to choose, say, three cards at random. They can then be asked the same questions as above and perhaps other questions such as:

How do these three strengths relate to each other (or connect with each other) in your life?

Could you say one was more important than the others?

Which strength do you think you learned first?

Do other strengths underpin these strengths? (What other strengths do you need to keep these three strengths alive in your life?)

Introducing random choice or a touch of serendipity, if done respectfully (and being careful because sometimes the universe can deal some challenging hands!) can celebrate the usefulness of surpriseand Surprise Therapy can be a novel way of tackling stuckness.

Essentially, Strengths to the Max can only be used in variations of these two methods (conscious choice or random choice) although the array of applications is potentially huge. Family members, colleagues, neighbours, celebrities, heroes, fictional characters can all be described in terms of their apparent and

hidden strengths. If the person being described is present they can be gifted with a description of their strengths.

Innovative Resources card sets have been used to celebrate a persons strengths at birthdays, weddings and funerals. They have also been used to describe the culture of a family, work group, team, community or organisation.

Finally, we are also great advocates of Bump-into Therapy. Simply having a card set on an office table or desk, or in a transportable toolbox of resources, enables clients to discover the cards for themselves. The array of images on many of the card sets published by Innovative Resources enable clients to choose a visual metaphor or design that attracts them, potentially giving the chosen cards extra meaning, appeal and potency.

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The 60 Rocket-propelled Cards

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Sorry this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

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Easygoing Feisty


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Funny


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(Being Mindful)

The universe can be full of hazards and any voyage across it can be dangerous and must be treated with care. Similarly, the words we use can be very potent. The aim in our conversations might be to be respectful and to generate opportunities for positive change. But we know that sometimes our words can be hurtful and sometimes they can be inadvertently upsetting.

It is exactly the same with hands-on conversation-building tools or artifacts such as Strengths to the Max. In fact, the coupling of words and images can create asteroids that come out of the blue for some folkwith cataclysmic effect.

So in using Strengths to the Max or other conversation-building tools it is vital to be mindful of their potential explosive power. This means that anyone intending to use Strengths to the Max needs to consider how they can create Safe Space.

Safe Space is all about knowing ourselves as facilitators (particularly our skills), being focused and attentive to those we are working with, being familiar with our resources, being conscious of our surroundings and getting our timing right. Knowing our own skills means being aware of our training and experience, and crucially, knowing when we are ill-prepared for some situations.

We need to know at least a little about those we are working with as well, and have our antennas up to pick up cues quickly about their culture and their expectations.

Safety In Space

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Just as no cosmic traveller would voyage into outer space without a good understanding of their equipment, every conversation-builder should know and enjoy using the tools at their disposal so that they can make an informed choice about which are likely to be most applicable.

In particular, we can ask ourselves:

Do I need to use the complete card set or would a partial selection be sufficient or preferable?

Do we have privacy? Are we likely to be interrupted?

Are the chairs comfortable?

Is it warm/cool enough?

These may be pretty basic questions but they are important to consider if we are inviting folk to share their journey with us.

There are also questions of whether the weather is right for a launch of a conversation-building tool.

What is the emotional climate that is around?

Are folk angry or upset?

Has there been a recent trauma or is there anxiety about impending danger?

Are the planets appropriately aligned? (In other words, does the timing feel right?)

Is there any reason why another time might be more appropriate?

Have we ticked off our mental checklist of safety procedures?

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St Lukes is quite a congenial planet to land on. Part of the Anglicare Australia Galaxy, St Lukes is inhabited by a tribe of hard-working and dedicated social workers, child and family workers and community workers who amicably coexist, in part through their adoption of a common culture known as strengths-based practice.

Planet St Lukes is known for its commitment to social justice as reflected in its motto: Respect, Hope, Fairness. It is a green planet, hopefully progressively growing greener through its interest in environmental sustainability. It has also adopted the imprint Green Justice to mesh its environmental concerns with its social justice philosophy.

Anyone who lands on Planet St Lukes should feel welcomed and should expect to be treated with respect and compassion through any of its numerous family and community services.

Innovative Resources is but a small moon revolving around St Lukes and is believed to have spun off the planet many eons ago. It shares many common elements with its mother

planet and is held in close orbit by a strong gravitational force.

Surprisingly, Innovative Resources is also inhabitedindeed some of the population could be mistaken for normal humans. It is home to a thriving publishing enterprise for human service workers, a bookshop and resource centre in its capital, Bendigo, in the region of Central Victoria, Australia and several hardy souls who venture forth running workshops around its solar system for anyone wanting to consider building therapeutic conversations in creative ways. Heavens!

To discover more about Planet St Lukes you can go to www.stlukes.org.au

For those intergalactic warriors brave enough to track down Innovative Resources we can be found in the Milky Way at www.innovativeresources.org

Planet St Lukes

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Jedi Artist: Mat JonesGuided by the Force, Mat is Innovative Resources in-house graphic designer. He has been involved in the creation of many Innovative Resources projects including Strength Cards for Kids, Mates Traits, Koala Company and Cars R Us.

Time Lord (Retired): Russell DealRussell is a retired, ageing space warrior who is content to allow others to voyage to distant galaxies. He lives with his eternally-patient wife Annie in a secluded valley somewhere on earth, not far from Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. These days he is happy to watch his grandchildren voyage around the Milky Way.

Whilst only one step away from The Home for the Bewildered, he continues to be employed by St Lukes Innovative Resources only because retired Time Lords with all their idiosyncrasies are treated with resigned tolerance. Fortunately, he is surrounded by an able and enthusiastic crew who understand how the Innovative Resources space ship actually works.

Astronauts: Karen Masman and Merrilee EdwardsKaren and Merrilee don their space suits on a regular basis and venture out to make repairs to sentences with errant commas or paragraphs with rattling dot points. They are also part of the crew in attendance at the forming of new stars such as Strengths to the Max.

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St Lukes Innovative Resources137 McCrae Street BENDIGO Victoria 3550 Australia Ph: (03) 5442 0500 Fax: (03) 5442 0555 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.innovativeresources.org

St Lukes Innovative Resources & Mat Jones 2011

Meet Max, Maxine and Maximillian (the Third). They are your intergalactic guides to worlds of hidden strengths.

Its true that we are surrounded by strengths. But most of us use only a small proportion of the strengths that are out there in the universe. Sometimes we simply cannot see the vast array of our own strengths. Sometimes we may not know how to access them. And then there are times when we run into an obstacle so big or unexpected that we may need to draw on the strengths of others.

Strengths to the Max offers the comfort of many possible strengths. There is also a challenge: to look beyond the strengths that are readily visible and to find strengths that may be hidden, disguised, or unnoticed.

In particular, Strengths to the Max suggests that we might be blind to some strengths simply because they dont conform to traditional or common understandings of what constitutes a strength.

Strengths to the Max: Exploring a Universe of Hidden Strengthsa cosmic map of strengths that you may never have imagined existed!


strengths to the max booklet

Documents

universe of strengths

intergalactic strengths

peoples strengths

possible strengths

rich sources of strengths

max cards

maxine maximillian

mat jonesexploring