In the book StrengthsFinder 2.0, Tom Rath found that out of a poll of more than 1,000 people, not one was emotionally engaged in their work when they were not focused on their strengths. In contrast, people who have the opportunity to hone in on their assets are 6 times more likely to be engaged in their job and 3 times more likely to have a better quality of life.
When you’re not in the strengths zone, you dread going to work, have more negative than positive interactions, treat your customers poorly, tell your friends what a miserable company you work for, achieve less on a daily basis, and have fewer positive and creative moments.
How come people are not living in accordance with their best gifts? Well, in some cases, they simply may not be aware of them. Esteemed Management Consultant Peter Drucker asserts, “Most people think they know what they’re good at. They are usually wrong. And yet a person can perform only from strength.”
Are you on a journey to discovering your strengths? Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Ask yourself, “what do I enjoy?” Write down a list of at least 10 things. Even if you only managed to think of two, keep writing, you will be surprised by what you unearth. Usually, your interests are connected to your strengths.
2. Seek out valuable resources:
· I’ve personally found books like Rath’s Strengthsfinder 2.0 particularly useful for learning about different types of strengths and abilities that weren’t even on my radar. Like, who would have thought that being an arranger is actually a strength?
· Take a self-assessment, such as the Energy Leadership Index (ELI) or SWOT Analysis, which will help you to better understand your energy level and capabilities.
3. Ask your friends or coworkers to list your strengths. Having that outside perspective can lead to a breakthrough insight.
4. List your weaknesses. What are you not good at? What do you dislike? This is helpful for comparison purposes.
Knowing our strengths provides a deep well of energy and passion on which to draw. When we focus on our superpowers, we operate from a place of confidence, complete tasks quicker and with precision, and are more likely to be engaged at work and happier.
Quote of the day: "What makes you different or weird, that's your strength." -Meryl Streep
Q: What are you good at doing outside of work? Comment below and share with us.
We all have superpowers, some that we may not even be aware of.