As a busy professional navigating a relentless sea of responsibilities, it’s easy to feel swamped and uninspired. Despite your hard work, you might find yourself trudging through daily tasks, feeling drained and disengaged.
But, if your career seems constantly repetitive and uninspiring, you might be questioning whether you're truly using your talents to their fullest potential.
Now, imagine a different scenario: you’re completely absorbed in your work, energised, and tackling challenges with excitement. You’re not just completing tasks; you’re thriving, feeling fully engaged, and hitting your stride.
This is the transformative power of leveraging your strengths.
What are strengths?
Strengths go beyond mere skills or tasks you’re good at. They are also the activities and attributes that come naturally to you and make you feel fulfilled. When you’re operating within your strengths, you’re tapping into what feels effortless and invigorating. These are the aspects of your personality and talents that make work not just bearable, but joyous!
What are the benefits of using strengths?
The concept of strengths and their impact on work life is deeply rooted in positive psychology—the science of happiness and wellbeing—and include:
Enhanced engagement: You’re likely to be more focused, immersed, and enthusiastic (i.e. "in flow" / "in the zone"). Tasks become less of a chore and more of a rewarding challenge.
Increased productivity: You’re likely to complete tasks faster, more efficiently and with higher quality.
Greater job satisfaction: You're like to feel happier about your work, reducing feelings of burnout and dissatisfaction.
Improved creativity: You're likely to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems and challenges.
How to use your strengths for ultimate career success:
Here are three actionable steps for using strengths for career success:
Discover your unique Strengths Profile: Start by identifying your core strengths. Various assessments and tools can help with this, such as our Strengths Cards, which are designed using a well-established model of strengths. Additionally, seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, or friends about what they perceive as your strengths. This external perspective can provide valuable insights and help you see aspects of your strengths that you might not recognise on your own.
Tip: Keep a “Strengths Journal” where you record instances when you felt particularly engaged and energised. Over time, patterns will emerge that can help you pinpoint your true strengths.
Find ways to use your strengths: Look for ways to incorporate your strengths into your daily work tasks. This might involve redesigning your role or advocating for projects that align with your natural abilities. For instance, if you’re a strategic thinker, seek out opportunities to plan and solve complex problems. If you’re an effective communicator, take on roles that involve presenting ideas or leading discussions.
Tip: Share your strengths profile with your manager and team—encourage them to discover their Strengths Profile too. Find ways of working together that better align to the unique strengths within the team. This can lead to a more fulfilling work environment and better team dynamics.
Boost your wellbeing by applying your strengths outside of work: Engage in activities outside of work that allow you to use your strengths. Join clubs or groups that align with your interests, or start personal projects that enable you to exercise your talents. This not only enriches your life outside of work but also reinforces your strengths in different contexts, and helps you buffer against work-related stress and burnout.
Tip: Allocate time for self care practices that align with your strengths. For example, if creativity is a strength, dedicate time to artistic pursuits or hobbies that stimulate your creative side.
How to overcome obstacles related to using your strengths:
While focusing on your strengths can be incredibly rewarding, it also requires navigating potential challenges:
Fear of change: Shifting your focus to strengths may require altering your current work patterns or roles, which can be daunting. Embrace the change as a positive step towards greater fulfilment.
Limited resources: If resources or opportunities are constrained, look for creative solutions or incremental changes that align with your strengths. For instance, you may not be able to totally redesign your job to align to your strengths, but you may be able to make small tweaks.
Balancing strengths and responsibilities: Ensure that leveraging your strengths does not come at the expense of essential responsibilities. Find a balance that allows you to use your strengths while meeting all of your obligations.
By dedicating time to identify, develop, and apply your strengths, you can transform your professional life in meaningful ways. Embracing your superpowers leads to a more engaging, productive, and satisfying career. As you harness your strengths, you’ll find yourself not only loving your work (more) but also experiencing greater professional success.