Why it is important to know your strengths for your career
You can still improve on that." this is a common sentence in our culture. In our coaching sessions, however, we see that it is much more worthwhile to focus on one's own strengths.
challenges recognizing and utilizing strengths
In recent years, female leaders have increased in various industries. Although women have come a long way in breaking the glass ceiling, many still face challenges in the workplace. One of these challenges is recognizing and utilizing their strengths to achieve success.
However, we have become accustomed to the belief that the most significant potential we have for improvement and personal development is through ‘fixing’ our weaknesses, rather than promoting our strengths. Indeed, knowing your strengths helps you to be more authentic, grow, increase your sense of well-being, and optimize your performance.
As a career and leadership coach, I have worked with many women who struggle with identifying their strengths. Some feel that they are not good enough, while others believe that they need to be perfect in every aspect of their work. However, recognizing your strengths is crucial in becoming a successful leader, and it is important for female leaders to recognize and work with their strengths to achieve their goals.
Take an inventory of your skills and experiences
The first step in recognizing your strengths is to take an inventory of your skills and experiences. This can be done through a self-assessment or by seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors, or coaches. It is important to focus on what you do well, rather than what you do not. By identifying your strengths, you can leverage them to achieve your goals and seek opportunities to improve your weaknesses. You can also take a strengths assessment, such as the Clifton Strengths assessment, to better understand your strengths.
One of the benefits of recognizing your strengths is that it can increase your confidence and self-esteem. When you know what you are good at, you can take pride in your work and feel more motivated to achieve your goals. This confidence can inspire others to follow your lead and trust your abilities.
Another benefit of recognizing your strengths is that it can help you to be more productive and efficient in your work. By focusing on what you do well, you can delegate tasks that are not in your wheelhouse to others who may be better suited for them. This allows you to focus on your strengths and achieve better results in less time.
It is also important to recognize that everyone has different strengths and that no one is perfect. Women often face the pressure to be perfect in all aspects of their work and personal lives, which can lead to burnout and a lack of fulfillment. However, by recognizing your strengths, you can focus on what you do well and seek support in areas you may need.
Lead by example and encourage others
As a female leader, it is important to lead by example and encourage others to recognize and work with their strengths. Doing so can create a culture of empowerment and support within your organization. This can lead to increased productivity, creativity, and innovation, as well as greater job satisfaction and retention.
To get more clarity on your strengths, there are several strategies you can employ. One is to reflect on your past successes and the skills that you utilized to achieve them. Another is to seek feedback from colleagues or mentors who can provide insight into your strengths and areas for improvement. An easy way to get started identifying strengths is through questionnaires.
Several online questionnaires are available that provide a safe and practical way to identify and rank strengths, most notably: StrengthsFinder.
The Gallup Model describes strength through the lens of performance and success. Interviews with thousands of top performers led to the identification of 34 talent themes grouped into four categories:
Executing; Influencing, Relationship building and Strategic Thinking. On completion of the CliftonStrengths assessment, a report identifies your most essential talents and growth opportunities.
Recognize the strengths of others
In addition to recognizing your own strengths, it is important to recognize the strengths of others. As a leader, it is important to create a diverse team with a range of skills and experiences. By recognizing the strengths of others, you can delegate tasks effectively and create a collaborative environment where everyone can contribute their unique perspectives and skills.
Recognizing your strengths is crucial in becoming a successful female leader
In conclusion, recognizing your strengths is crucial in becoming a successful female leader. By identifying your strengths, you can leverage them to achieve your goals, increase your confidence and self-esteem, and be more productive and efficient in your work. As a leader, creating a culture of empowerment and support is important, where everyone can recognize and work with their strengths. By doing so, you can inspire others to reach their full potential and achieve greater success.
If a fish is measured by whether it can run fast, it will perform relatively poorly. But if we measure it by how well it can swim, we already know: it will be able to perform at its best. And it's the same with us humans. The difference that we are a bit more complex and could be measured in swimming as well as in running. The question is: What suits me more?
Finding that out is a worthwhile thing. Because after that you can gear your career to your talents and turn those talents into real strengths through constant training and application. Because talent alone is not enough.
There are at least three questions you can ask yourself to get on the track of your talents:
What feedback do you receive over and over again?
What do others say about what you do really well?
On what topics are you regularly asked for advice?
These can all be clues to talents or strengths.
Conclusion
In my opinion, leadership is not about being particularly hard or particularly soft - but about leading authentically and putting people first. Regardless of whether we work in a traditional, very hierarchical environment or in a small, flexible start-up, in the end people come together everywhere who want to make a difference together. Leaders are NOT characterized by assertiveness, toughness and ambition. Your individual mix of strengths makes you a leader.
In my march mastermind “Discover your (leadership) strengths" we will look into this topic. In the online seminar, you will learn 3 impulses for more clarity about your potential, how to recognize your strengths and work with them and what your strengths can mean for your plans and goals. Here is the link to join.
With a career coach, ambitious women can develop the necessary skills and strategies to thrive in their careers despite micromanagement and other challenging circumstances. In my 1:1 coaching I can support you , here is a link to book a discovery session with me to find out if I am the right coach for you.
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