Own Your Strengths

📣 And shout them from the rooftops

In our tumultuous world, it’s no time to minimize your strengths.

We need all hands on deck to turn around our broken systems, build valuable companies and communities, and design a way forward. It’s truly not a time to play small.

If you’ve been laid off, you may associate job loss with not having as many strengths as the next person. After all, they are still there and you’re out. Maybe you’re navigating tough times and blaming ourselves for not being “better” “different” or “more”. Maybe you were laid off without much dignity. A brusque phone call, or simply finding out you have no access to your work.

Those are all circumstances that can make us feel diminished or less than.

No matter the circumstances, we all have strengths, wins and victories.

We do. Identifying and being able to speak clearly about your strengths, talents and interests helps you connect to the people and places where you can make the most impact.

You’ll have stories to share that illustrate your strengths and bring them to life. You’ll have more clarity about your next role being a great fit and you’ll be more confident in getting your team on track or blazing a new trail.

If you’re bashful about your strengths, I have a few suggestions to get you going.

1. Gallup’s Strengths Finder is a great place to start. I recently did this (again) and took the $20 student version of the test. It gave me solid language to put towards defining my superpowers.
2. Ask a handful of peers what you’re best at. Be open to hearing your strengths, listening for the things that resonates. Receiving the feedback even when you’re feeling “Aw, shucks” about it.
3. Notice the obvious roles or contributions you always tend to make on a team or with a group. Sometimes these are invisible to us because it seems like “anyone” could do the same things if they wished to. They can’t. You’re actually good at those things.
4. Practice telling your story of your strengths OUT LOUD to your dog, cat a tree or a friend. Speaking it out loud gives you experience, confidence and some time to refine your approach so that you’re ready when the opportunity comes up. People skip practicing aloud and feel flustered when they start to ramble when speaking about their strengths in interviews or important moments. Practice, my dear.
   Your dog will love it.

Once you have a list of just 2–3 strengths, take some time to journal:

1. How have your strengths played out in different roles in your life? As a friend, family member, professional or community member?
2. How would you tell a friend or a peer about what you’re particularly good at?
3. Where would you like to apply your strengths? Who needs what you have?

Get to know yourself. Build stories and examples around your strengths. Inhabit those strengths. Speak about them freely. (The more you may be concerned that you might sound like you’re bragging, the less likely you’ll be that person. You need to turn up the volume, buddy!)

Hi, it’s me! Courtney!

Practicing everything I’ve talked about above happens in my RETHINK group each month. Meet with us monthly, bring your biggest challenges and get some coaching and peer advice to untangle and move forward. Own your strengths and practice sharing your stories. Learn more and register here. — -> Join us!

Destination Unknown(ish) — are you smack in the middle of a transition and could use some support getting through to the other side? I’m thinking about a small group to help you connect with coaching, peer support, and general good vibes. Interested? Help me pull the trigger by completing this survey!

Your coach,
CK