Strengths-Based Success
Janelle loves to play piano. She frequently sits down intending to play just a couple of songs, only to find that an hour or two has passed without her even realizing it. She
listens to piano music while working as a nurse and feels antsy on days when she can’t brush the keys for at least a little while. She doesn’t get paid for her musical abilities but considers piano an important part of her life.
listens to piano music while working as a nurse and feels antsy on days when she can’t brush the keys for at least a little while. She doesn’t get paid for her musical abilities but considers piano an important part of her life.Tim is an excellent accountant. Having always had a knack with numbers, he can whip up a tax return or P&L statement in a third of the time it typically takes his colleagues. He has won awards for his proficiency and holds a senior rank in his organization. He’s successful by all outward accounts – but he hates what he does. He hits “snooze” repeatedly every morning and dreads the thought of spending another day in his “successful” career.
Between Janelle and Tim, who operates in their strengths?
The Truth About Strengths
Contrary to what many believe, a strength is not merely something at which you excel. Your true strengths are those things which you are consistently good at, enjoy, and – the true hallmark – when (and after) you engage in them, you feel stronger. As Tim’s example shows, you can have a talent that isn’t a strength.
Also contrary to popular belief, your time is much better spent focusing on and leveraging your strengths rather than improving upon your weaknesses.Yet how often are we told to concentrate on improving our weak spots? Think back to childhood: were the A’s and B’s on your report card ever glossed over while the C or D prompted stern questions, visits to the teacher, or additional tutoring? Have you experienced this in your performance reviews as an adult?
The fact is, your call to greatness lies more in elevating your strengths than trying to shore up your weaknesses. Your first step, then, involves clarifying your strengths.
How To Identify Your Strengths
In his book Go Put Your Strengths To Work, Marcus Buckingham shares a strategy that you can implement to clarify your strengths. Here’s an adaptation:
In a notebook or your phone, create two categories: Strong and Weak.
For the next week, in the Strong category, jot down any activity you engage in that makes you feel confident, happy, in the zone, authentic, amazing, or like time is flying by.
In the Weak category, record activities that make you feel drained, depleted, frustrated, bored, annoyed, or like time is passing at a snail’s pace.
At the end of the week, review your lists and look for patterns. While Buckingham shares further steps in the book (and many other assessments and resources exist to help you identify your strengths), this action alone will start to clue you into your strength areas tremendously.
What To Do With Your StrengthsYour next course of action, then, is weighing your week in favor of your strengths as much as possible. You can do this even if you’re currently in a job that doesn’t fulfill you.
Did you discover that you feel strong when you’re connecting with a group? Schedule team meetings and collaborative projects as much as possible.
Were you “in the zone” most when doing something physical? Make sure your week includes plenty of movement.
Do you, like me, get a natural high from engaging in meaningful conversation? Connect regularly with people with similar values, high aspirations, or who share your passion or hobby.
Why Bother?
Perhaps the most compelling reason: you’ll feel happier, more engaged, and a higher sense of fulfillment and purpose.
But you’ll also notice significant career, relationship, and even financial benefits. Studies of the world’s wealthiest people consistently show that while they differ in nearly every category – education, skills, upbringing, etc. – they routinely share one trait: passion for what they do.
Engaging your strengths as much as possible will lead to another important benefit: You’ll start to encourage others to do the same. And when you have an entire team working in favor of their strengths, you’ve created a strengths-based culture that can outshine any level of knowledge, skills, or talents. A team of talent doing what they love is hard to beat!
What is one of your top strengths that you’d like to engage more often? Share your comments below, on Facebook, or via Twitter!
Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who feel stuck – whether at an income level, in their leadership abilities, or “spinning their wheels” in the day-to-day – to flourish towards their vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.
Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.
