Tips to unlock your personal strengths

Everyone has their own unique set of strengths which they can call on to help them resolve challenges and achieve their goals.

So how can you leverage yours? Well the first step is to spot them and this can sometimes be a challenge, because often our strengths feel completely natural to us and so we end up taking them for granted.

Start by making a note each day of the activities and tasks you love doing the most.

What comes easily to you? What do you feel motivated and energised to do? What attracts your attention and curiosity?

In positive psychology, this is called ‘being in flow’ and it’s how you can identify when your individual strengths and talents are being fully engaged.

Once you’ve identified your strengths, you can apply them in a variety of ways in your work.

Apply your strengths to help you achieve goals e.g if you have a strength in perseverance this will help you stay motivated when you’re working to a deadline.

If you are collaborating with a team and allocating tasks, identify the strengths of each member and choose the person with the best ﬁt to the task.

Think about how your strengths support not only you, but also your clients or customers. How can you use your strongest areas to support your clients’ weakest areas?

Use your strengths to give you clarity and stop you wasting time. Only choose work or projects that put you in a flow state and where your goals are clear.

If you are at a crossroads in your career e.g. returning from maternity leave, starting a new venture, facing redundancy look to your strengths to provide clues as to how to move forward in the most positive direction for you.

By learning how to recognise your own strengths and use them most effectively, you will start to dramatically improve your own wellbeing, motivation and productivity at work and really stand out from the crowd.

Juliette Dyke,The Coastal Coach is leading a Brighton Chamber Bite-sized Learning session, with the theme ‘Unlock your strengths and make gains in your business’ on Wednesday, September 12. For more information about Brighton Chamber events and to book, visit: www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/events