In this bold and hilarious episode, Sarah and Bill are joined by guest Rachel Kagay—a coach, speaker, and unapologetic Woo—to ask the question so many have wondered: Can Woo be annoying? Together, they dig into the reputation, realities, and power of the CliftonStrengths theme Woo (Winning Others Over). Rachel brings humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom as she shares what it’s like to lead with Woo in a world that doesn’t always embrace high energy, visibility, or emotional expression. From awkward introductions to deep connections, they explore how Woo can be misunderstood—and how, when used with intention, it becomes a tool for trust-building, momentum, and genuine human connection.

Main Takeaways

1. Woo isn’t just about being outgoing—it’s about connection, momentum, and emotional awareness.
2. People with Woo can unintentionally come off as overwhelming or performative in the wrong setting.
3. Mature Woo learns to read the room and doesn’t need to be the center of it.
4. Woo builds trust quickly, which can be a massive asset in coaching, leadership, and sales.
5. The dark side of Woo is using energy to mask insecurity or avoid depth.
6. Woo and Relator often get compared, but both are powerful in their own way.
7. With self-awareness, Woo becomes less about being liked—and more about making people feel seen

Sound Bites

1. “Can Woo be annoying? Uh… yeah. Especially when it’s immature or unconscious.”
2. “I can’t help it—I want everyone in the room to like me. But I’m working on that.”
3. “Woo walks in with ‘party starter’ energy… and sometimes that’s not what the room needs.”
4. “You don’t outgrow Woo—but you can outgrow needing to be loved by everyone.”
5. “I had to learn that silence doesn’t mean I failed to connect—it just means people connect differently.”
6. “Woo isn’t about talking—it’s about reading people.”
7. “When used well, Woo makes people feel welcome, important, and remembered.”
8. “If you’ve got Woo and no self-awareness, you might just be draining the room.”
9. “Woo wants to win people over… but mature Woo asks, ‘Why? For what purpose?’”
10. “Relator and Woo aren’t opposites—they’re just different timelines of connection.”
11. “I used to chase being liked. Now I focus on making people feel seen.”
12. “The tension isn’t Woo vs. depth—it’s Woo without intention vs. Woo with purpose.”
13. “Woo helps you open the door… but you still have to walk through it with something real.”
14. “The best compliment to Woo is someone who grounds you and helps you aim it.”
15. “Woo isn’t shallow—it just likes to start at the surface before diving deeper.”

Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths 

1) Individualization

2) Developer

3) Activator

4) Woo

5) Restorative

6) Empathy

7) Harmony

8) Connectedness

9) Relator

10) Learner

Sarah's Top 10 CliftonStrengths 

1) Positivity

2) Woo

3) Communication

4) Harmony

5) Activator

6) Developer

7) Input

8) Individualization

9) Responsibility

10) Arranger 

Official Strengths On Fire Website:  https://strengthsonfire.transistor.fm

GET MORE FROM BILL AND SARAH:
Bill's info:
https://billdippel.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdippel/
https://www.instagram.com/billdippelcoach/

Sarah's info:
https://www.wearecollinsco.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcoachcollins/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahcoachcollins/