Over the last decade, self-help, coaching and leadership professionals have been placing greater emphasis on positivity and personal strengths. The goal is to help clients work with what they have and build on their inherent talents.
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
– Civil-rights activist Harriet Tubman
Large corporations like Wells Fargo, Intel, Best Buy, Toyota and Yahoo now require employees to take surveys that measure talents and strengths. Their CEOs recognize that company success depends on leveraging what already works instead of trying to fix what’s broken.
This approach is logical: You cannot learn how to ensure safety at a nuclear power plant by studying Russia’s Chernobyl disaster. You’re better off reviewing what a successful cleanup entails.
Measuring Your Strengths
Regardless of your job or industry, you can’t always do what you love. Your job description will include responsibilities that challenge you or try your patience.
In my work as a coach, I often hear from clients about such job mismatches. Sometimes, your job will require you to do things you’re not that good at, and for which you don’t do your best work. It’s tough and disagreeable, but you struggle anyway.
You can, however, find a way to play to your strengths and approach tasks in ways that bring your best work to light. First, you’ll need to identify your top three strengths, as well as your three greatest weaknesses. Several excellent books can walk you through the self-assessment process:
- Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton (Free Press, 2001)
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath (Gallup Press, 2007)
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Outstanding Performance by Marcus Buckingham (Free Press, 2007)
WorKuno.com also offers a free online strengths test. As the site notes: “It is hard for people to value and to know their strengths because they don´t see any value in doing an activity that is easy for them; they believe that everybody else can do it. When people realize that what they do easily is extremely hard and valuable for others, they normally will focus more deeply on improving their strengths, which ultimately affects their overall performance.” What’s been your experience at work? Are you using your strengths? I’d love to hear about how you manage these challenges.
Did you know that all the retreats offered by Learn With Horses combine the power of Strengths Finders with an amazing Leadership retreat experience? Get in touch with me to find out more.
