Turn Your Strengths Into Superpowers

Like many, I spent a long time approaching development by looking at my weaknesses and how to improve them. However, compelling findings from strength-focused researchers will tell you that no matter how hard you work on your weaknesses, they cannot be converted to strengths. 

Still, it had never occurred to me that I should work on my strengths or things I was good at until I was introduced to the idea of strengths as a far more superior option for development.

Since then, I have benefited tremendously from knowing my strengths. Early on in my career, it helped me understand why some things just came naturally and why I enjoyed them. By understanding what I was good at and what I love to do, I happily switched careers from a Certified Accountant to HR Leader and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

In this video, I share a strengths-based approach to development through the lens of a Strengths Assessment. While we all have strengths, not all strengths are equal, and certainly not equally important. If, for some reason you are still reading this instead of watching the video (thank you for your attention, by the way!) here are four areas we will be looking at:

1. Realised Strengths: these are activities that you perform well at, enjoy doing them and give you a high energy level
2. Learned Behaviours: these are activities which you perform well but do not enjoy as much. They can be de-energising and if used too much can lead to burn out
3. Weaknesses: these are things you don’t perform well nor have the energy for. No matter how hard you work on weaknesses, the logic is, you cannot convert them to strengths
4. Unrealised Strengths: These are the things you perform well and enjoy but are not getting the opportunity to use them much. What you need to do is to explore and create opportunities to do more of the unrealised strengths

And now, back to the video!

Editor’s note: Anna is giving away a free Strengths Assessment and one-on-one coaching session with her worth RM1,500. To enter the pool, subscribe to We CEO’s YouTube channel and leave a comment on this video telling us why you’d like to have a Strength Profile of yourself. The giveaway starts on February 25th and the winner will be chosen at random on March 25th. Leaderonomics.com does not receive anything in exchange for this. We just think that Anna shares our vision of Growing People into Leaders and we’d like to help spread the word.