What are you good at?

If I asked you if you wanted to be a blob, I am certain you would say no. You might even be offended. I’ll admit it’s a bit of a trick question. It’s a metaphor (did you expect anything less from me?), but it’s one that has been quite powerful for me. Here’s the story of how I realized that I was unwittingly trying to be a blob.

The first year of my administrative leadership position, the academic affairs team I am a part of did a Strengths Finder workshop. I had heard about Strengths Finder, mostly because a bunch of people I knew listed their strengths in their email signature line (it seemed like everyone I knew was a “Learner” and a “WOO”, or maybe there is something about being a Learner and WOO that makes you want to put your strengths in your email signature…that would be an interesting research project…but I digress).

Prior to the workshop we were asked to take an assessment that would identify our top 5 strengths. Like a good student, I answered all of the questions “without overthinking it”, and then up popped my report with five things that I am supposedly really good at (in case you are dying to know—Learner, Input, Intellection, Individualization, and Strategic). I read the definitions. They seemed accurate enough. I determined this to be a valid assessment of something having to do with my personality type. Like the MBTI (in case you are also dying to know…I am an INFJ, heavy on the I and the J, a lot more midline on the N and the F) .

I attended the workshop with my strengths assessment report neatly tucked into my folder. The facilitator told us that exercising our strengths helped us become excellent and distinguish ourselves in our organizations. That sounded good to me. Then we each shared our strengths. I went first; I was feeling pretty proud of my strengths. The group expressed the appropriate amount of reverence for my enviable abilities. I was satisfied that the assessment had captured me warmly and accurately. Then the second person shared, and I thought “wait, I can do those things too, those might also be my strengths, and if they aren’t then I could learn to do those things, I could get good at those things too.” Then the next person shared and I thought “oh, those strengths are more valuable than mine, those are the “real strengths”, I should really focus on developing those strengths, I wonder what class I could take to teach me to be an “analyzer”." This downward spiral continued. I was a ball of anxiety by the time the last person had shared.

The facilitator invited us to share our thoughts. I thoughtfully jump-started the conversation by declaring “I want to be good at all of these things!” And without missing a beat (she’d seen my type before, I am apparently not all that unique) the facilitator responded, “Think about the 34 strengths like dots on a circle. If you try to be good at all of the things you end up being a blob, if you choose to focus your attention on just 5 of the dots, you’ll be a star.” She got my attention. Gold stars are my love language. Both literally, and metaphorically, I have always wanted the dressing room with the star on the door.

My thinking about the value of leaning into your strengths has evolved. The “be a star not a blob” metaphor was enough to get me hooked, and continues to be a good short cut to the reminder that a strengths-based approach honors the uniqueness of all human beings. But I’ve also learned that centering around your strengths is an essential part of thriving. Doing work that utilizes and builds upon your innate talents is inherently fulfilling. When we are in our strength zone, we are more likely to experience “flow” (that feeling that time disappears and you don’t even notice the effort you are putting in), curiosity, and joy. Want to make some immediate gains in happiness? Spend one hour a week practicing one of your strengths. You will very quickly remember (or discover!) how good it feels to be good at something.

Identifying my strengths has also helped me manage my energy resources by giving me a reliable rubric for discerning when to say yes to an opportunity and when to say no. You’d like me to co-teach a class with you on a topic I’m really interested in? How will my strengths play a role in our collaboration? Knowing my strengths also helps me approach dreaded tasks in a way that makes them more easeful. You’d like me to lead a task force on a topic that I know nothing about? How will my strengths be useful in helping the group accomplish its charge? Whether the task is optional or assigned, approaching the work through the lens of my strengths makes sure that I get some energy and fulfillment out of the effort I am putting in.

Learning about strengths has also helped me be a better manager and leader, as I have a more nuanced way of understanding human difference and diversity, and tools for helping my team work together with less friction and more joy. That person who drives me nuts by always talking about the history behind this particular decision we are trying to make, probably has Context in their “strengths star,” and I know that having this strength represented on our team helps us avoid repeating past mistakes. I also know that Context-guy will get on board with the direction we all decide upon as long as he feels his contribution has been honored. Similarly, l might notice that a project I am asked to manage has a very important systems analysis piece (not my strength) in addition to the strategic rollout of the new process (definitely my strength). So who on my team has Analyzer in their “strengths star” and what meaningful role can I give them in this project that would allow their analytic strength to shine?

What to learn more about your own strengths? There is a golden opportunity for you, right around the corner. My Wandering and Wayfinding virtual course starts the first week of March, and has an entire module dedicated to strengths. You’ll get access to the Gallup Strengths Finder assessment, PLUS a workshop with a bonafide Gallup Strengths Coach, to help you understand how to put your strengths to work in your own life. This is the module that always gets the best feedback from my participants, and it is content that makes my approach to thriving unique and powerful.

In the meantime, try out the exercise I described above—spend one hour a week, doing something that you know you are good at. It can be something that is part of your work load, or something that is more centered in your personal life. Give yourself dedicated time for the activity, and really lean into using your strength while you are doing it. Take note of how you feel before, during, and after. And if you want to tell some one all about it, I’m all ears.