From the course: Teamwork Essentials: Stand Out as a Valuable Team Member

Play to your strengths

From the course: Teamwork Essentials: Stand Out as a Valuable Team Member

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Play to your strengths

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- A decade ago, when someone would ask, what are your strengths? I'd reply with all the things I was good at doing. So with a background in law, I'd share, I'm great at multitasking. I have a really analytical approach and I'm exceptionally detail-oriented. But then I came across the work of Marcus Buckingham, one of the world's most prominent researchers on strength in leadership, and my view fundamentally changed. According to Buckingham, a strength is not something that you're simply good at. A real strength is an activity that strengthens you internally, that you look forward to doing. It leaves you feeling energized rather than depleted. A Gallup study found that focusing on strengths can lead to an almost 20% increase in performance and 73% lower attrition. We're simply happier, more confident, and more self-aware, not to mention more productive, when focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses. So here's what I invite you to do right now. You might like to pause the video. First, download the exercise files and find the document titled Strenergy Matrix. In the space provided, list all the things you believe are your strengths. Then work through each of them on your list and ask yourself two questions. How energized do I feel when I think about this strength? This determines whether it strengthens you internally and where it falls on the horizontal axis, and how good am I at it? This relates to your proficiency and where it falls on the vertical axis. Finally, plot your strengths. Based on where your strength fall in the matrix, ask yourself these questions. Bottom left. How can I avoid these tasks? Top left. How can I do less of these things? Bottom right. How can I pursue this as a passion or hobby outside of work? Top right. How can I do more of these things? When you can contribute your strengths, everyone wins. It's also important to encourage others to contribute their strengths to the team too. The best teams know each other's strengths, how to get the best out of one another, and how to energize each other so that everyone performs harmoniously. This is how you can become a team culture creator.

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