QUESTION 2

When someone says, "focus on your strengths," it's easy to read that as "just do what you're good at and
you won't need to improve." But that's what Stanford professor and researcher Carol Dweck calls a fixed
mindset: Believing that your talents are innate gifts. That's opposed to Dweck's growth mindset:
Believing that your talents can be developed. Dweck argues that both strengths and weaknesses can be
improved, and she says that people with a growth mindset "tend to achieve more than those with a fixed
mindset because they put more energy into learning." In other words, people who believe they can
improve put more effort into improving, which, in turn, helps them improve. So to grow professionally
and personally, it's not enough to identify your strengths and use them. You also need to believe that
those strengths can be improved.
HOW TO FIND YOUR STRENGTHS
The first step in growing your strengths is identifying them, and that can be a tricky task. Weaknesses are
obvious. You're asked to give a speech, but you feel miserable with anxiety anticipating it. Or you're
asked to document a process, but you always did poorly in your writing classes in school, so the blank
page mocks you.

 PAY ATTENTION
Sometimes you have to look at things a little deeper to find your strengths. Unexpected praise for
something you didn't put much effort into could be a sign. So could a compliment buried within a
criticism. If people talk your ear off, you might be a good listener. If people consistently come to
you for advice, you might be a good leader or problem-solver. Life has a way of showing you
your strengths if you pay attention.
 THINK ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES MAKE YOU FEEL
It's definitely possible to be good at something you hate doing, but that's not the type of strength
you necessarily want to improve. Instead, think of the things that energize and excite you—even
if you don't excel at them yet. Those may be the strengths you set out to develop and grow.
 CROWDSOURCE IT
It may be hard to see your own strengths, but the people in your life probably see them quite
clearly. Ask your friends, family members, boss, coworkers, or a mentor to tell you what they
think your strengths are. Some people may be uncomfortable responding, and that's okay. Others
may respond in a way that's unhelpful (my mom says I'm good at everything). That's okay too.
The goal is to identify things that you wouldn't have thought of on your own—or to find patterns.
Then, consider the responses: Do any of the strengths people reported make you feel excited and
energized when you exercise them? If so, those may be the strengths you want to grow.
MY CORE STRENGTHS

 OPEN MINDNESS
An open mindset refers to a tendency to be receptive to new ideas and information. Having an
open mindset means being objective when you approach new things, listening to other points of
view, and being willing to admit what you don't know.
Some signs that you are open-minded include feeling empathy for others, wanting to know more
about what other people think, and not getting defensive when other people challenge your
beliefs. If you are willing to learn new things and change your mind if you are wrong, there is a
strong chance that you are an open-minded person.
 Effective leaders are able to overcome fixed thinking, generate new ideas, and take advice from
knowledgeable members of their team. Being open-minded allows people in leadership positions
to look for creative solutions and rely on members of the group who have experience and
expertise.

 SELF REGULATION
Self-Regulation is a complex character strength. It has to do with controlling your appetites and
emotions and regulating what you do. Those high in self-regulation have a good level of
confidence in their belief that they can be effective in what they pursue and are likely to achieve
their goals. They are admired for their ability to control their reactions to disappointment and
insecurities. Self-regulation helps keep a sense of balance, order, and progress in life. Self-
Regulation can be viewed as a resource that can be depleted and fatigued. A useful metaphor can
be that self-regulation acts like a muscle, which can be exhausted through over-exertion or
strengthened through regular practice.

 PERSUASION
Persuasion skills meaning, in simple words, is the ability to make intentional and successful
efforts in influencing someone either through written or verbal communication. Simply put,
persuasion skills refer to the skill of changing or influencing the behaviors, beliefs or attitudes of
someone or a group towards another idea, person or event. The art of persuasion usually involves
reasoning, sharing feelings, and cleverly conveying information.
Imagine trying to get a friend to watch the web-series you’ve recently binge-watched. You’ll try
to highlight the most exciting takeaways from the show and the impact it had on you or the way it
made you feel. This is a classic example of persuasion where people try to get others to develop
similar interests. Now imagine taking this art of persuasion and effectively using it to influence
your coworkers. It’ll not only help you get excited about similar ideas; it’ll also help you motivate
each other to achieve common goals. This is the power of persuasion.
GROWING YOUR STRENGHTS

 USE YOUR STRENGTH

Keep your strength statements in a place where you can see them as you work. Each week, try to
find another way that you could play to your strengths as a leader in your organization.
1) Identify how each strength can be used in your current role as a leader.
2) Identify how each strength can be used in your current role as a leader.
3) Modify your role so that you use your strengths instead of your weaknesses.
4) Invest in your strengths. Find ways to further develop the skills and knowledge you have.
Participate in training, workshops, and conferences. You can also read books or blogs that
deal with your leadership area.

 PLAN AROUND YOUR WEAKNESS

In strengths-based leadership, you need to focus your time and energy on the things you do well.
Therefore, it is important to find the necessary tools to help you deal with your weaknesses.
1) Utilize appropriate technology. Tools like online calendars, smart phones, and alarms can help
you stay organized and on time.
2) Delegate tasks to other people. When possible, pass a task on to someone else that is better suited
for it.
3) Collaborate with others on group projects and assign tasks based on each person's strengths.

 DEVELOP A RELATED SKILL

If you're truly an expert at what you do, another option is to develop related skills.
For example, if you're an excellent blogger, you could turn your attention to learning related
fields like SEO, videography, or graphic design. If you're a talented developer, you could learn
project management to build your leadership skills. Learn something that will make you better at
your core strength, even if that secondary skill never becomes a main area of focus for you.

 TEACH YOURSELF
Several research studies have found out why: People who expect to have to explain what they've
learned do a better job of organizing their knowledge and recalling it. Plus, as they teach, they
"identify knots and gaps in their own thinking."
Consider hiring an intern or taking on a mentee. By walking someone inexperienced through
something you know inside and out, you may uncover things you don't know as well as you
thought you did, things that you could improve upon, or new ways to do things you thought you
perfected long ago.
QUESTION 2