Top Tips for Identifying Your Work-Related Strengths

If someone asked you to define your top work-related strengths, how would you respond? Can you give robust examples of these strengths in action? What parts of your job do you really enjoy, feel energised by and connected to? When I ask my coaching clients these questions many have no idea what their strengths actually are. On the flip side they are great at naming their weaknesses and faults and spend way too much time and energy lamenting those and trying to ‘fix’ them. 

Performing at our best in work (and in life) has many benefits not just for us but for those around us. Research demonstrates that people who intentionally use their key strengths at work report increased productivity, wellbeing, energy and ‘flow’ whilst experiencing less negativity. Studies also show as we build on those positive parts of ourselves, we can have a significant positive impact on other’s wellbeing by improving relationships and connectedness. So, it makes sense that if you want to thrive at work (and in life) then you firstly identify your strengths and secondly use these strengths as often as possible in all aspects of your life. 

What do we mean by strengths? 

Our strengths are our collection of personal qualities (natural and learned abilities, talents, characteristics and personality traits) that not only are we really good at, but we feel energised and confident when we use them. They are those qualities that help us achieve our personal and professional goals defining who we are and form a key part of what makes each of us unique. 

Top Tips for Identifying our Strengths 

Most people (some studies say 95%) find it much easier to spot strengths in others than in ourselves (Niemiec & McGrath, 2019) but with some simple questions and guidance we can identify our key strengths.

 1. What are you great at naturally? 

Ask three people that know you well (family / friend / work colleague) to list 3 words to describe you and to explain why they are saying that. Compare the lists noticing what words / themes are common across them. Are you a natural problem-solver? great listener? always supporting others? a strategic thinker? a creative force? etc. 

2. What part of work do you really enjoy and why? 

Over a week reflect on what you love doing Vs what you don’t enjoy at work. Record your answers noticing not only what you enjoy but how you do it i.e., what behaviours / characteristics do you activate to get the job done! For example, I love working as a coach because I am very curious about people, and I’m a huge believer in people’s potential to flourish given the right tools! 

3. What do you perceive as your weaknesses? 

Just flip them and your strengths show themselves! I perceive myself as definitely not ‘tech-savvy’ but I engage with technology daily and when it goes wrong (often) I activate my strengths of perseverance and patience and have become quite successful at fixing my technology issues myself. 

4. Take one of the many online strengths assessments. 

So, how do we build on our strengths to attain our best performance at work? 

Once you have identified your top strengths it is important to:

• Master them by intentionally and deliberately using them more often.
• Learn to ‘talk’ your strengths and identify robust examples of where you have successfully used your strengths at work. 
• Start to spot strengths in others and share particularly important if you manage people. 
• Make sure your strengths show up everywhere you do for example on your LinkedIn profile and your CV. 

Research shows that people unknowingly pursue goals and careers that align with their key strengths and become frustrated and unhappy when they don’t. As our career paths have become less linear and more meandering over the past decade, it is more important than ever to recognise our key strengths and where we add the most value at work, role-to-role and job-to-job. 

So, ask yourself what I can start doing today and what do I need to stop doing today to ensure I am playing to my top work-related strengths. Isn’t it time we became more aware of and deliberately used those parts of ourselves that make us great at what we do?