How to Play to Your Strengths
When people talk about playing to their strengths, what they mean in simple terms is - taking advantage of what they’re good at and using it in the most effective way.
We all have things we’re good at, including skills that we’ve acquired over time; and while these can also be considered strengths, I like to use the following definition:
Strengths are “the unique qualities that energise us and that we are good at or have the potential to be good at” (Brewerton and Brook, 2014)
Research shows that when you operate within your strengths, you are happier, more productive and more engaged in your work.
So it follows that playing to your strengths (i.e. focusing on the things that energise you and that you are good at), and using them in the most effective way, is naturally going to enable you to be more productive, more engaged and happier at work.
All too often, we are taught to identify our weaknesses or ‘opportunities for improvement’ so we can bridge those gaps; but in doing so we direct our efforts towards tasks or activities that we don’t enjoy and which are more likely to drain our energy.
You don’t need to be good at everything.
If you’ve ever heard the term ‘jack of all trades’, you’ll know that it refers to someone who is skilled in many areas. Yet the phrase is often used with the implied ending ‘and master of none’, meaning they’re not an expert in any area.
Whilst playing to your strengths doesn’t necessarily mean becoming an expert at something, it is about understanding what you’re good at and concentrating your efforts there. Take a footballer who is naturally right-footed for example - it makes sense for them to play on the right wing. You wouldn’t expect their coach to play them on the left wing so that they can develop their left foot too. They work with the natural strengths and preferences of their team.
So how do you play to your strengths?
Identify your strengths
The first step is to identify your strengths. I use a strengths assessment tool called Strengthscope in my work with clients, however you can get an idea of your strengths by asking yourself the following questions:
What are you doing when you’re ‘in flow’?
What comes naturally to you that may be difficult for others?
What would other people say you are good at?
What do you have the potential to be good at?
2. Choose your focus
This isn’t about going after all the strengths you’ve identified. Try to focus on a current challenge or project and consider which of your strengths is going to help you to be more effective.
3. Make a plan
Get specific on how you can double down on this particular strength to use it to your advantage. Ask yourself how you can use it most effectively with your current challenge or project.
4. Seek support
Ask for ideas about how you can utilise your strengths at work - what projects or initiatives can you lend yourself to where you can put your strengths to best use? Where might you be able to collaborate with colleagues who have different strengths to you?
Successful people don’t have more strengths than others, they just understand their strengths and utilise them in the right way.
Knowing how to play to your strengths can be incredibly powerful, especially for introverts and people with quieter personality types who really want to embrace their natural preferences to thrive in the workplace without trying to be someone they’re not.
If you’d like help to explore how you can play to your strengths, send me an email via hello@heatherhillcoaching.com and let’s talk about how I can help you.