When assessing your career recognising (and articulating) your strengths is crucial. It boosts your confidence, helps you explore new career avenues, and seek progression opportunities.
A study by the consulting firm Gallup, found that employees who use their strengths daily are six times more likely to be engaged at work. Additionally, these employees are also three times more likely to report having an ‘excellent quality of life’. They also report that teams that focus on strengths see a 12.5% increase in productivity.
Yet instead, how often do we focus on our weaknesses and work relentlessly to improve areas we’re not good at? And whilst there is a time for this, focusing on our strengths, finding more opportunities to use them, and talking frequently about them, is proven to be so much more fruitful.
‘A strength is an activity that strengthens you’ Marcus Buckingham
In my work as a career coach, it’s evident that many people struggle to acknowledge their strengths. It’s challenging to recognise the things that we do well, especially if it is something that comes naturally to you. Some of the common traps I hear:
● We think it's arrogant to acknowledge our strengths.
● We undervalue our skills compared to others.
● We dismiss essential 'soft' skills.
● We prioritise academic achievements over a broad range of vital experience.
● We narrow our focus and forget the breadth of our experiences.
● We avoid applying for jobs if we lack one skill listed in the job description.
● We dismiss strengths that come easily to us.
● We doubt ourselves, believing others are more qualified or capable.
When assessing your career and thinking about your progression, it is likely you will need to articulate your skills and expertise - in periodic reviews, job interviews, negotiations or when considering a career change. So what can you do to build a clear picture of your strengths?
Here are some effective ways to begin to understand your strengths:
1. Conduct a personal SWOT analysis: List out your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This will help you gain a comprehensive view of your capabilities.
2. Create a ‘career timeline’: A powerful career development tool, use this to document your career ‘highlights’ or moments you’re proud of from your first job to your current position. Note the skills involved in each of those moments.
3. Keep a daily log of successes: Record your daily achievements and the skills you used to accomplish them. Recognise even the small successes. After a week or two, what themes do you notice? What are the strengths that regularly feature in your ‘successes’?
4. Seek feedback: Sometimes, others can see things in us that we can’t see in ourselves. Speaking to trusted colleagues, friends, or family is a valuable way to illuminate your blind spots. Ask them what they believe your greatest strengths to be or words that they would use to describe you. They may notice strengths you haven't or remind you of past accomplishments.
5. Think in third person: Put yourself in someone else’s shoes - Consider how your manager, colleagues, or friends would describe your strengths. Write down everything you think they would say. Writing in the third person can be really useful when re-writing or updating your CV as it provides a bit of distance from talking about yourself in a positive manner - something many people find difficult.
“Using your strengths - really keeping them in mind every day - can quite literally change your life for the better.” Gallop
These exercises can help you identify and embrace your core strengths. Notice any emerging themes and write them down so you get crystal clear on these. And then, start noticing when you’re using them, and identify more ways to use them in your work, or future work.
Talking this through with a trusted friend, colleague, or coach can further refine your understanding and comfort in discussing your strengths. If you're interested in exploring how we can work together, book a call with me, and let's chat about taking your strengths forward into your next move.
www.gemmabrowncoaching.co.uk