Find your Strength/s
A Strength is so much more than (just) what you are good at. They energise you and can point you in the direction of your true potential.
Think of a time when you have been complimented on something you have done and felt a surge of pride. That’s probably because they were complimenting you on something connected to one of your (Realised) Strengths
Conversely, have you ever had someone tell you how fantastic you are at something and not felt much at all? That could be because whatever “strength” they were complimenting you on is actually a Learned Behaviour - something you are good at, but don’t particularly enjoy doing or being..
What is a Strength?
A Strength is what you are good at AND, crucially, they make you come alive, feel power-full.
Your Strengths are linked to the qualities, skills and values that connect to the core of who you are. They help sustain you through time and challenges, energise you and highlight your potential.
Learned Behaviours, on the other hand, can be something you are good at but when you scratch beneath the surface, they leave you a bit flat. Life/Work sometimes requires us to operate in our Learned Behaviours, but it’s a good exercise to check-in with yourself and question those moments, reduce them and find more ways to utilize your Strengths.
I often come across people whose career path has followed their Learned Behaviours more than their Strengths. There are usually contributing factors such as “helpful” mentors pushing them in a specific direction; riding on the coat tails of a leader who finds them “indispensable”; promotional opportunities; following the path of their formal qualification; etc.
These people haven’t necessarily stopped to think about what also makes them come alive. What gives them that little spark of energy or just feels like a really comfy (yet powerful) fit? In fact, sometimes it hasn’t even occurred to them to think about such things…
The advantages of embracing your Strengths
Once you understand your Strengths and how they work for you, you can consciously and deliberately draw on them.
For example, imagine one of your Strengths is Critical Thinking and your work environment is full of people with the Strength of Creativity. If you haven’t understood and embraced your Strength, you may think you can’t contribute to the creative sessions, or you may believe others when they accuse you of being boring, too serious, lacking in optimism, etc.
But a Critical Thinker can anchor creative ideas into achievable goals and help bring them to life – when no one else has thought about any of that. It’s about appreciating your Strengths and knowing when and how to let them shine.
Get familiar with your Strengths. Appreciate them.
Look for patterns that can provide insight. Study yourself, notice when you are drawn in, disengaged, fired up, on a roll, bored, etc. Be curious, without judgment. Wait for patterns to emerge and notice when they do. Seek feedback from others. Gradually you will become more familiar with your Strengths and how you are using them (and how you are not).
Some skills or qualities you may have been taking for granted can get a whole new lease of life. New applications and possibilities for you and your Strengths can emerge.
Are you making the most of your Strengths?
As a leader, are you curious? Do you differentiate between Strengths and Learned Behaviours in others?
As always – enjoy exploring!
A good introduction to one angle of your Strengths is to complete the free VIA Survey. www.viacharacter.org.au. The website has a plethora of information.