The strengths perspective and the StrengthsFinder language is only as powerful as the true impact that it makes in your life and work. If there is no Strengths impact—no change—then it become another fun self-awareness tool that you explore, smile about, and then file away.
We’ve told you personal stories of strengths impact — on confidence, on parenting, on career, on marriage, on leadership, on self-worth, and more. They have been poignant, powerful, and even emotional. They have show true change because of a mindset shift toward a strengths-perspective.
What has the strengths impact been like in your life? Can you tell? Do you have a baseline? Or if you’re new to the concept, how can you tell where you are starting and how far you will go?
Here is a quick assessment to measure the strengths impact on your life and work.
Quick Assessment to Measure Strengths Impact
Grab a sheet of paper and get ready to answer three questions:
Question 1 ::
On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you get to focus on your strengths at work?
1 = Not at all | 10 = Extremely well
This question applies to you whether you work a traditional 9-5, have started your own coaching business, work from home, or work at home. Think about what you do every day. Do you get to do that things that make you feel strong in a way that provides energy and enthusiasm? Do you get to do what you naturally already do well?
Jot down your answer. That’s your first score.
Question 2 ::
Now, on scale of 1 to 10, what is your overall sense of well-being?
1 = Extremely Poor | 10 = Excellent
This sense of well-being should span all the elements of your life — your home, your career, your hobbies, your family, your community involvement, you spiritual life, you financial sense, and beyond.
When you consider all of these factors together, how well do you feel? What is the sense of well-being that you walk around with each day?
Jot that number down. That’s your second score.
Question 3 ::
Lastly, on a scale of 1 to 10, how engaged do you feel in your job?
1 = Totally Disengaged | 10 = Completely Engaged
When you think about engagement, think about an emotional state in your work, where you feel passionate, energetic, and committed toward your job.
Are you excited to get to it every day? Do you feel recognized and encouraged? Do you feel successful at what you do? These are all signs of your overall engagement.
When you jot down this number, that is your third and final score.
So in your quick assessment of strengths impact in your life, you have three scores:
1 :: How well you use your Strengths every day
2 :: Your overall sense of well being
3 :: How engaged you feel at work
The research out of Gallup says that people who focus on their strengths are:
3x more likely to report having an excellent quality of life
6x more likely to be engaged at work
How do YOUR three numbers correlate?
Without changing anything else — by focusing more on what you do best, every day — you could improve both your overall sense of well-being and the way you feel about your job.
And now, you have a baseline to start with to monitor the strengths impact in your life.
Next Steps for Strengths Impact
Based on how happy you are with your Strengths Impact assessment scores, you have the opportunity to make a change. To tweak your day-to-day work and play and truly make an impact on your well-being in life and work.
Here are three next steps for you to consider:
1 :: Know your strengths
Peter Drucker says that most people think they know what they are good at…and they are usually wrong.
If you don’t know your strengths, consider discovering your Top 5 Strengths via CliftonStrengths {popularly called StrengthsFinder}.
Or alternatively, ask people who know you well for their perspective on the things that you do exceptionally well, that you might do better than most people. Other people around you tend to reflect more easily the talents you take for granted and miss.
2 :: Trace Strengths to Success
Once you have a better sense for what your Strengths truly are, take 15 minutes to think about how each of your Strengths is related to past success and thriving.
For example, think about a recent success — something that you are really proud of. It can be as simple as making time for your kids when work tends to get most of your attention or as complex as winning a large contract. The important part is that it resonates with you as a success or victory.
Then, dissect the success. What happened leading up to the success? What did you do? What challenges did you overcome? What were you thinking? Who or what did you have to get involved? What part makes you most proud?
Connect your answers to your Strengths. As you do, bring attention to the fact that only you could have come to this success in the exact way you did. And even the reason it makes you proud likely points to uniqueness in you.
3 :: Choose to Use Your Strengths
Now, you have everything you need to impact your sense of well-being and your engagement at work. You know your strengths and you see how they have showed up for you in a powerful and meaningful way.
Choose one strength — maybe the one that seemed to show up the most in your success example — an make a daily effort to think about that strength every day.
At the end of each day, reflect on the work and life of the day. Ask yourself: Where did I see this Strength show up well? Where might this same talent have gotten in my way or in the way of someone else? Where could I have used it that I did not?
As you practice this ritual, you’ll begin to show up more strongly in strength.
4 :: Reassess Your Scores
Three months from now, come back to your Strengths Impact quick assessment and score yourself again on all three elements.
As you focus on your Strengths every day, your sense of well-being and your engagement at work begin to creep up and you experience the reason we make such a big deal about the Strengths perspective around here.
The strengths impact is real, and it continues to grow in your life and work. And it is well within your reach, no matter where you are starting!
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