Did you know that:
- People who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged on the job.
- Teams that focus on strengths every day have 12.5% greater productivity.
- Teams that receive strengths feedback have 8.9% greater profitability.
(Source: Gallup Strengths Center, https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/)
How aware are you or your team members about their
strengths? Are you able to use these every day?
Here are some possible ways for you to explore and start
using your strengths:
1. Undertake a
strengths assessment. Two strengths assessments I usually recommend and
work with my team clients with are the StrengthsFinder 2.0 as well as VIA
Strengths. Each strengths assessment takes about 30 minutes to complete and are
available online. Reports of varying
length are generated when individuals complete each assessments.
2. Spend time as a
team looking at strengths.
Completing the assessment is not
a”be all and end all”. What is interesting and important is what emerges
in conversation about our strengths. Whether you as a team dedicate part of a
team meeting to discussing strengths or you set up a separate meeting (virtual
or in person) about strengths, key is exploring:
- What strengths exist on the team?
- How are they being used?
- How are strengths not being used?
- What gaps exist? What patterns do you notice?
From my experience teams really benefit when they have the
opportunity to move through a structured conversation, using an external
facilitator to the team. These
conversations can take place in person, or virtually for those teams that are
geographically dispersed. When I work with teams on this process, I recommend
we spend at minimum 2 hours exploring the strengths and developing an action
plan, optimally half a day, or part of a series of conversations.
3. Sustain the focus - As part of your
own team process, check in regularly and
discuss how strengths are being used in
the team, and what gaps may be present, particularly if team members are
changing. What strengths are required for different tasks facing the team? Who
might find it easiest/most rewarding to take that project on?
Resources I would recommend those interested in exploring
strengths are:
StrengthsFinder 2.0 - Tom Rath
Strengths Based Leadership - Tom Rath, Barrie Conchie
Go Put Your Strengths to Work - Marcus Buckingham
Check out my other posts on strengths here at the blog.
What are your next steps to exploring, and using, your strengths?
Best regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)
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