Are you leveraging your strengths at work?
To be successful in our careers, we need to be intentional about the steps we take toward our growth and development. When I think about one thing that has helped me build a successful career, it is that I have leveraged my strengths professionally. We are good at things and do not leverage them enough at work.
In this blog post, I will share how to leverage your strengths professionally and grow your career. Check out my other "Her Career" blog for more tips and resources.
MC's Journey
Right from when I was a child, people talked about how I talked too much, asked too many questions, and was bossy. Little did they know those traits would make me a great program manager over 30 years later. At various points on my journey, I have had to remind myself of my strengths and ensure I am leveraging them. Some of the ways that I leverage my top 5 strengths include:
Learner: I have acquired new skills over the years and have continued to prioritize learning in my career
Relator: interacting with people is a core part of my job, and being good at connecting with people helps me be more impactful
Focus: with so many distractions in a very fast-paced industry, I can stay focused on the priorities that we set
Responsibility: as a program manager, I am responsible for delivering work. I take my responsibility very seriously and make sure I keep my word
Achiever: working towards accomplishing goals energizes me, and I get to do that in my job
How to apply your strengths at work
Discover your strengths
Knowing what you are good at is the first step toward leveraging your strengths. If you had asked me about ten years ago what my strengths were, I would not have been able to articulate them clearly. I started working with a career coach when I moved to the US over seven years ago; one of the first things she asked me to do was to spend time thinking about my strengths. I knew I was very good at certain things but could not articulate them clearly. Especially at work, it is crucial to know what your strengths are.
Strategies to consider
Spend time thinking about your strengths. I recommend the CliftonStrengths self-assessment
Ask people you work with what they think you are good at
Seek out opportunities to put your unique strengths to use
You shine when you are using your strengths. As you choose the projects and initiatives that you want to work on, seek out ones where you can apply your strengths. Becoming a project manager, I knew that I would excel because I like to plan things and am organized. As I have progressed in my career, I have applied other strengths, such as working with global teams. Given my background living in different countries, I have learned how to navigate connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. This greatly influenced my decision to work as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program manager.
Strategies to consider
Look for projects that align with your strengths and interests
Volunteer to work on projects or initiatives where you can apply your strengths
Talk about your strengths
One way to let people know what you are good at is by celebrating your achievements. There is so much power in telling your story and highlighting the strengths that helped you accomplish your goals. I had to learn how to talk about my strengths. It was hard to speak up when I knew I was good at something that would help our team succeed. Observing others speak about their strengths helped me develop that skill and improve. I leverage avenues such as performance evaluations and work presentations to showcase my strengths.
Strategies to consider
Share your strengths with your team and managers
Showcase what you are good at
Teach others the skills you have
I have learned that one way to amplify my strengths is to share my knowledge with others. Although I am a passionate learner, I did not know the value of teaching others. I discovered that when I teach others, they benefit a lot, and my strengths increase. Initially, I offered to teach people things I excel at, and now they come to me to seek my expertise.
Strategies to consider
Offer your support to people who could benefit from learning something you are good at
Think about ways to share your strengths with your team and organization
Continue to grow your strengths
Part of a growth mindset is believing you can always get better even at things you do very well. Recently, I have been leading a program that has multiple phases. One of the things I noticed was that I was looking for ways to do things smartly and be more effective with every new launch. I am very intentional about learning new ways to leverage and grow my strengths.
Strategies to consider
Learn new skills and discover ways to increase our strengths
Track how your strengths have evolved over time
Final Thoughts
It feels great to know that we can apply our strengths and grow professionally. I really like to see all my team members showcasing their strengths. You have something unique to contribute to your professional community.
Time for Reflection
What are your top three strengths?
How have you been leveraging your strengths at work so far?
How would you like to leverage your strengths more at work?