Strengths at Work

Take a moment to imagine how it would feel to work in an environment that supports you to be all that you are. Your work is energising and inspiring and you are encouraged to work with your strengths – both in your role and as a person.

There is a sense of joy to working with our strengths. And it has a positive impact for all of us – at work and in our personal lives.

Working with our strengths has a positive impact for all of us – at work and in our personal lives. When our role at work provides an opportunity to use our strengths and we are valued for the person that we are and what we bring naturally, it has a positive impact on our attitude, and our approach to work. This helps us to work well which supports our ability to perform well.

When we feel good about our work and we head home with a spring in our step, it can have a positive flow-on effect to our home life. And if we’re encouraged to play to our strengths in our home environment too, it sets us up well for our next day at work.

This is what happens when we work with and play to our strengths both at work and at home.

How ‘working’ with our strengths works

Working with our strengths is energising. Because our strengths come naturally to us it feels more effortless. We improve faster as we don’t have to think about it. When we perform well, we feel more confident. We might receive positive feedback which makes us feel more motivated and engaged. When each element supports the next, we create a virtuous circle.

It just makes sense.

Working on our weaknesses feels hard. It reinforces the inner voice that says ‘I’m not good enough’ which can be draining and disheartening. If we don’t feel appreciated for what we naturally bring, it’s easy to get stuck in the vicious cycle.

The positive boost we receive when we work with our strengths can help us feel more comfortable in taking a chance to try something new which might support us to lift our weaknesses too.

It’s so much more uplifting and enjoyable to be in the virtuous circle than feeling stuck in the vicious cycle of not feeling good enough.

It sounds like a great concept in theory, but does it work in real life?  

Research at work

In 2002, the Corporate Leadership Council conducted a study to assess strengths use in a work setting.

The study included more than 19,000 employees across 34 organisations, 7 industries, and 29 countries.

The findings showed:

• When managers encouraged people to focus on their performance strengths, it enhanced overall performance by up to 36.4%

• When just working on performance weaknesses, performance dropped by 26.8%.

This is a staggering 63% difference.

Corporate Leadership Council, (2002)
Performance Management Survey: HR Executive Forum Research

Look at the true view

A strengths approach can be a big shift.

Some people think focusing on strengths is unrealistic and provides a distorted view. There is a view that it encourages us to look through rose-coloured glasses and only look at what’s positive.

Balance is important. It’s not healthy or realistic to only focus on what’s positive.

Our approach is to build a realistic and balanced view of what’s working and what needs to change. Looking at the ‘true view’, rather than trying to be ‘picture perfect’.

When we consider our strengths first and feel stronger, we can use them to support us in doing the things that don’t come as naturally to us. Or perhaps find others that can support us by using their strengths. This gives everyone a chance to shine in their own way.

Strengths support us in all facets of life

When we use our strengths more wisely, it has extraordinary benefits for our performance at work; however, it doesn’t end there. It supports our sense of wellbeing and our relationships too. Research shows that using working with our strengths improves our:

• Confidence

• Motivation

• Performance

• Results

• Vitality

• Positivity

• Relationships

• Wellbeing

Life and work is much easier and more enriching when feel like we can be real and do what comes naturally. It’s much healthier than being driven to be ‘the best version of me’ or try to fit the picture of the person that others want us to be.

The impact of strengths for all of us

The illustration shows what can happen when we play to and work with our strengths. Imagine how inspiring it would be to operate in an environment where people live and work with their strengths!

Want some help?

At Traxiom we have a core belief that we are all unique and we all have something special to offer.

Uncovering and using our strengths is one way pathway. Using strengths more wisely makes a big positive impact with a small amount of effort by focusing on what we are, rather than on what we’re not.

If you’d like help to explore how uncovering strengths could work for you and/or your team, we’re here to help.