Using Your Strengths

Recently I listened to a CEO of a national museum talking about performance reviews. A straw poll of the audience showed an over-whelming majority who disliked the reviews. The speaker went on to give his explanation why this is the case.

This is how the story goes - at the crucial part of the performance review, the manager points out exactly those things which the reviewee is not so good at. These then become development points to be worked on before the next review.

Think about it from the reviewee's point of view. Generally they will enjoy the things they are good at and least like the things they are not so good at. So the outcome of the review is that they are encouraged to do more of the things they dislike and are not very good at. Some motivation!

Obviously performance reviews happen in a formal employment context, but we often apply the same type of thinking to ourselves. Perhaps starting in school, it becomes ingrained that we should work on our weaknesses.

The critical point is that we are rarely encouraged to work on our strengths. What if we did? The CEO was adamant that when we do this, progress is quicker.

To work on your strengths, you need to know what they are. Again it is symptomatic of prevailing thinking that people can generally list their weaknesses easily but find it harder to list their strengths.

So what are you good at? If you really want to know, here's how.

Choose at least 6 people who know you well. Typically they will be friends, family or colleagues but anyone is eligible. Then ask each one what they think you are particularly good at. (It sometimes helps if you explain that you have been asked this information as part of a self-development initiative). Ask them to write it down and encourage them to be as detailed as they can, with examples if possible.

Some people setting out on this survey think it's a rather 'un-British' thing to do but, when complete, they feel really empowered with greater confidence as a result.

Allow a week or two for all the responses to come back. When you look through, notice your own reaction to what is written. You might like to consider:

• What strengths show up in more than one response?
• Which strength is mentioned the most?
• What surprises you?
• Which answers do you resist?
• What is missing?
• Which strength(s) are you not using at the moment?
• Which strength(s) would you most like to develop further?

Finally, what action will you take as a result of knowing this?