For many years, the conventional paradigm had us focus on directing development activities to fix what we weren’t very good at. Do you start with where you are already strong or do you focus on your weak spots when you think about becoming a stronger leader, employee, or even organization? After all, why put energy into something that is already seen as one of your strengths at work, shouldn’t we put energy into something that is a weakness?
Peter Drucker once said, “Moving from first-rate performance to excellence requires far less energy than moving from incompetence to mediocrity.” According to research, focusing on weaknesses doesn’t have the same impact as focusing on strengths. Zenger Folkman, a company that develops leaders, conducted research on 24,657 leaders who took part in 360-degree feedback evaluations. The company discovered that “no matter how hard [leaders] worked to improve their weaknesses, they would only be able to reach the midpoint on the overall measure of effectiveness.” ”.
Let’s think about the activities we enjoy. I enjoy speaking in front of groups of people as we exchange ideas and knowledge. Although I’ve always felt at ease there, developing my facilitation skills has required practice, education, careful observation, and time. I loved the energy I got from developing my strength, even though it wasn’t always simple. When we pay attention to and focus on strengthening our strengths, it increases the energy that the strength already gives to our work.
Many organizations use the Gallup StrengthsFinder 2 to support this strengths-based approach. 0® assessment due to Gallup’s position as a pioneer in assisting people and organizations in putting their strengths to work. Focusing on strengths, however, has the cool benefit that we’re not restricted to using StrengthsFinder 2 alone. 0. There are numerous assessment tools available to pinpoint areas of aptitude and enthusiasm that are ideal for developing professionally and boosting engagement.
However, only two out of ten people acknowledge being able to bring their best selves to work, according to Marcus Buckingham, co-author of Now, Discover Your Strengths. We can encourage people to learn, develop, leverage, and promote individual strengths in order to help people initiate momentum and realize their potential and thus change this statistic in a positive way.
First, we want to assist Jessie in discovering more about her advantages. Learning can take place in many forms. Jessie chooses to read the reports on each of her strengths in order to get a good initial overview because Learner is one of her strengths. Additionally, she looks at the Gallup resources provided for each of the 34 strengths.
Developing a strength is an investment in yourself. Just because you are naturally talented doesn’t mean you can’t improve it to the next level. Jessie is able to exercise her muscles and hone her strengths because she is aware of what gives her energy and satisfaction.
Consider her communication skill: She is comfortable sharing and explaining details with others. Jessie’s prior position limited the sharing of information to one-on-one interactions. She’ll need to build her strength in her new position if she wants to feel equally at ease sharing information with larger groups. Fortunately for her, every time she conducts a team meeting, she will be strengthening her communication ability.
So what exactly does it mean to “leverage a strength” mean? It simply means to make the most of something. Jessie can begin considering how to use her strengths at work for maximum energy and impact once she has some context and understanding of how her strengths benefit her. Jessie, for instance, makes use of her strength as an Includer by inviting her new team to participate as she gets to know them and forges relationships with them.
Leveraging your strengths requires a change in thinking. Thoughtfully consider how to shift the perspective from “I’m not very good at that” to “How can I use my strengths to approach this situation differently?” Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t mean you should ignore what you’re not so good at.
- Define your strengths. Before you can leverage your strengths, you need to understand your unique abilities. …
- Set professional goals. Ask a manager to help you set goals that use your strengths. …
- Show evidence of your strengths. …
- Strengthen your strengths. …
- Choose strength-building behaviors.
Examples of strengths to leverage at work
The following are some of the most important strengths you can learn to use at work:
Soft Skills
The following are some illustrations of personal qualities that influence how you work and interact with others:
Hard Skills
You can learn the following skills through training and real-world experience:
Why is it important to leverage your strengths in the workplace?
Utilizing your advantages at work will help you excel in your position. Knowing your best skills will help you perform daily tasks more effectively, set goals to advance in your position at work or at another job, and increase your level of job satisfaction.
Utilizing your strengths at work benefits you in the following ways:
How to leverage your strengths
Your strengths come from your innate and learned skills. Here are some strategies you can use to your advantage at work:
1. Define your strengths
Understanding your special talents will help you leverage your strengths. There are plenty of ways to determine your own strengths. Here are some ideas to help you find your strengths:
2. Set professional goals
A manager can assist you in creating goals that play to your strengths. With your manager, go over these strengths and concentrate on developing work strategies that will help you advance and be more productive. Instead of only addressing them during annual reviews, make time to do so throughout the entire year. As you continue to play to your strengths to accomplish your professional goals, ask for feedback. No matter what position you hold within the organization, it’s critical to focus on your strong points.
3. Show evidence of your strengths
Identify the strengths you use most in your current job. Determine the attitudes and actions that enable you to use these abilities to your advantage. then decide what proof you can offer that demonstrates your advantages at work. Once you realize how your advantages affect your work, make a plan to produce more fruitful results.
4. Strengthen your strengths
Look for opportunities to advance what you are already good at and put in effort to do so. Participate in advanced training for your best skills. You might even offer to mentor or educate others in the areas in which you are strongest. Your own knowledge automatically grows when you can pass along what you know to others while using your strengths.
5. Choose strength-building behaviors
Your habits and behaviors may alter how you use your advantages. For instance, by choosing to read books and articles written by professionals in your field, you can hone the skills you want to develop. Concentrate on positive work habits that facilitate using your strengths.
Tips for leveraging your strengths
Here are some suggestions to support you as you make the most of your skills at work:
5 Ways To Leverage The Strengths Of Your Team
FAQ
How do you leverage team strengths?
- Discover your team strengths. …
- Connect with team members. …
- Apply individual superpowers to achieve overall goals. …
- Create unique tasks or projects for those who show the will to acquire superpowers.
- Encourage your team to become superpower advocates.
What are the strengths to be leveraged for an effective collaboration?
Determine your staff’s strengths so you can use them to maximize productivity and performance. You can start by looking for broader skills before looking for more specialized strengths as necessary. It’s crucial to discuss the value that staff members see in their contributions to the company.
