Leverage Your Strengths!

Too often companies speak to employees about a

reas of opportunity or addressing weaknesses in order to make them a more well rounded employee.  This sometimes comes at the cost of promoting or leveraging one's strengths.

I hear this often and especially around that time of year when there are performance reviews.  Whether is actual anxiety, or just perceived and created anxiety, the end result is a candidate who can feel undervalued, under-appreciated, or feeling that they are leaving their employer wanting more.  We all need to improve, and we should all want to improve, but it is also important to celebrate and be grateful for one's strengths and ensure that they are used to their full extent.

Marcus Buckingham, a strengths champion and author of the book "StandOut 2.0" believes that successful people continue to focus on their strengths and they continue to develop the areas where they excel in order to drive themselves further.

Buckingham believes there are 9 areas of strength and that everyone excels in two of the nine.  He believes that it is those two areas where it is worthwhile for one to focus.

The nine areas that he outlines are the following:

1.  Advisor - practical and concrete thinking.  Believing there is a better way

2.  Connector - someone who enjoys bringing people and ideas together

3.  Creator - Creates new things or takes them apart to further develop them

4.  Equalizer - A passionate protector with strong ethics and who seeks balance

5.  Influencer - Persuader and engager

6.  Pioneer - Optimism is very apparent

7.  Provider -  Loyal and forgiving but not a push-over

8.  Stimulator - Someone intent to raise the energy level of the people around them.

9.  Teacher - Someone who relishes the potential they see in others.

Try too determine the two that best relate to you and consider a core focus in these areas.

Food for thought!

Farewell,

Mike