Why Knowing Your Strengths is the Key to Success
If you’re feeling stuck, lost or like you haven’t quite reached your potential in your career, your strengths could hold the key to success. Here’s why:
Strengthscope, the only strengths assessment tool registered with the British Psychological Society, defines strengths as "the unique qualities that energise us and that we are good at or have the potential to be good at."
The key is recognising what energises you. While skills can be learned over time they don’t necessarily energise us. In fact, some learned skills can drain our energy when used for long periods. However, our natural talents are those things that we are good at AND that give us energy.
When we work within our strengths, we tend to be happier, more engaged, and more productive, with research from Gallup showing that simply learning their strengths makes employees 7.8% more productive, and teams that focus on strengths every day have 12.5% greater productivity.
So how can you use your strengths to unlock your potential?
Identify opportunities - Knowing your strengths helps you identify opportunities, promotions, or projects that allow you to spend more time working with your strengths, leading to greater energy and fulfillment.
Build inner confidence - Awareness of your strengths builds inner confidence, assuring you of your capabilities and unique value. This self-awareness is crucial during job interviews, performance reviews, and career planning.
Sell yourself - Knowing your strengths helps you articulate them to others, positioning yourself effectively during job interviews or performance reviews and showing your true worth.
Mitigate your weaknesses - Working with your strengths not only boosts your performance but also helps in areas where you are less skilled or energised. For instance, someone with strong organisational skills might use these to compensate for weaker time management abilities.
Minimise performance risks - Understanding your strengths includes knowing when they might work against you, such as being overused or used in the wrong context. For instance, a highly detail-oriented person might struggle with perfectionism in fast-paced environments.
If you're interested in discovering and leveraging your strengths, coaching can be immensely beneficial. As an accredited Strengthscope practitioner, I provide personal strengths assessments and a solution-focused approach to achieving your goals. Want to know more? Drop me a note at hello@heatherhillcoaching.com.