What are you amazing at?
I know, it’s often a hard question to answer. It feels a little too much like blowing your own trumpet, something we are told not to do from a young age.
But it’s something that if we don’t stop and think about, can lead to years of frustration in jobs and careers that are just not right for us. Finding work in which we can play to our strengths can mean that we feel much more aligned with our work, we get better outcomes, and so feel a greater sense of fulfilment in our careers.
That’s got to be a good thing – right?
We all have those things that make us stand out from others at work – things that we do effortlessly, or without thinking, that would cause other people to hide under the desk. And so it’s time to step up and take control of those things - and shout about them!
So how do you go about finding out what your strengths are – and then what do you do with that knowledge?
Below I’ve given you 3 tips for how to identify them, and then 1 sure-fire way of getting more satisfaction from your newly identified strengths.
1. Ask people
It may seem obvious, but have you ever actually done it? I challenge you to ask 3 people (if possible 2 of whom should know you in a work context) what they would say your greatest strengths are – what are you great at doing?. Doing it by email can make this a slightly easier task, but if you can have a conversation around it, it can be a real eye opener. When you’ve got the answers back – look at them, check they are things you actually enjoy doing, and then challenge yourself to find a real life example when you used each of the strengths. Keep this list somewhere safe, and use it as a pick me up whenever you are feeling a bit low – it’s a great mood booster!
2. Look at what you have done before
Think about your past roles, and think about the times you have felt really good, really in your flow, when time just seems to have disappeared – what were you doing at the time? And think about when you have felt like you have done a really great job – what strengths were you using then? The times you have felt really great at work are probably the times you were getting to use your strengths.
3. Look at what you want
Now you have looked back at what you’ve done before, try looking forward to see what you would like to be doing? If you could spend your days doing just a few things at work or for work, what would they be? Chances are, the things you want to be doing are closely related to what you are good at – in other words, your strengths. Explore what you would like your worklife to look like in general terms - don’t worry about thinking of actual jobs - focus on the the tasks or types of things you would like to be doing.
After doing these exercises, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea of the things you are good at and that make you tick, and so the next thing is just to make sure you get more of it in your work life.
Simple eh?
How to use your strengths more
Talk.
Talk to your manager, talk to the team you are part of, talk to anyone who will listen. Explain the things you love to do, the things you are great at doing, and then explain how you could do them in your role, and then benefits it could bring – not just for you, but for the team. If you are more happy, more fulfilled in your role then you are going to do a better job, and therefore get a better outcome for everyone.
That’s got to be a good thing – right?
If you would like more support in figuring out your strengths, why not take my free personality assessment here, or contact me to find out how we could work together to help you create a worklife based on what you are great at. Click here to book a free Discovery call with me.
