Living a Strengths-based Life (reflection exercise)
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
Being a nerd, I’m friends with other nerds and one Saturday afternoon we and I got into a conversation about leadership and building successful teams, and everyone’s favorite topic: bad bosses.
One friend whipped out his Strength Finders book and let me borrow it. Since self-awareness is an ongoing practice and I’m a sucker for personality tests, I took the test and pored over the descriptions of my top 5 strength themes, most of which I knew but hadn’t reflected on in such a structured way.
My top five:
Adaptability - Prefer to go with the flow. They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time. (Of course! I do improv and love working on fast-paced projects).
Relator - Enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal. (Makes sense. I have a handful of good friends, and am fine with not being everyone’s bestie).
Learner - Have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. The process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. (This is why I’m an educator, I’m always learning from others).
Input - Have a need to collect and archive. They may accumulate information, ideas, artifacts or even relationships. (I do love a asking insightful questions and doing deep dives on new topics).
Command -Have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions (Yes and yes!) .
Whether you buy this book or not it’s a useful exercise to take stock of your strengths because, according to The Gallup Organization’s research, “the most effective people are those who understand their strengths and behaviors. These people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demands of their daily lives, their careers, and their families.”
Try this quick reflection exercise to get started:
Grab a pen, paper, and set aside 30-35 minutes.
List your top 3-5 strengths (check the link for the 34 CliftonStrengths that the test is based on). If you’re not sure ask your partner, boss, best friend, family members. Ask them to be honest.
How do these strengths show up in your life in terms of actions and behaviors?
Is there a strength you use less than the others? What environments or situations would help you use more of your strengths more often?
Do you have the ability now to create these optimal environments? If yes, what’s the first step? If no, what is standing in your way?
These days it’s all too easy to get bogged down in the daily slog of life (or fall down a Facebook/Twitter/Instagram rabbit hole) and forget about what unique talents we bring into the world. Understanding more about your strengths will help you make better decisions and lead others in any space.