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Strengths Finder 2.0 – How To Identify and Develop Your Strengths

‘What are your strengths?’

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How many of us have been asked that question and struggled to provide a response?

‘Well, err…ummm people say that I am a leader.’

‘I think I am good at working well with others.’

I think the real question is, how many of us can accurately pinpoint and describe our personal strengths confidently? And no, we are not talking about how fast you can scroll through and read your news feed on Facebook!

A mentor of mine at work challenged me with this question one day. He suggested that we both read Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath and discover what our strengths are. I was on board! One, because my executive mentor wanted me to read a book with him, but more importantly two, I knew that this was something I needed. I wanted to be able to articulate my strengths and learn how to improve them. Rath outlines thirty-four different strength areas and his book is designed to help you identify your top five.

How does it work:

1. First, attain a copy of the book. Each book has a unique code in the back that will give you access to the assessment that you will need to take. The book isn’t expensive at all.

2. You read the first thirty-three pages of the book where Tom Rath describes how important it is to work on your strengths and how once you identify them you need to apply and fine tune them. Really interesting stuff!

3. After the quick thirty page read, you take an assessment. Each book comes with a code that allows you to access an assessment through the book’s website. The assessment lasts for about 30 minutes.

4. Once the assessment is complete, you will be given a detailed report where your top five strength areas are identified. For each area you are given a detailed explanation of the characteristics, ten action items for each area to become even stronger, and quotes and anecdotes from other people who share the same qualities as you. I enjoyed the last part, because I literally was nodding and laughing in agreement with some of the outlooks the book shared.

My personal report identified my top five strengths as: communication, discipline, analytical, relator, and responsibility. Honestly, none of them were a huge surprise to me, but what the book did was validate my thoughts and gave me a little more context as to why I am strong in those areas which is always good for confidence as well.

So, for a relatively inexpensive book, a thirty-three page read, and a thirty minute interactive test you can be on your way to developing the strengths that are unique to you. It can help save you time by not wasting effort on areas that you might not have potential in and it opens your eyes to areas that you otherwise would not have paid attention to. I try to keep my top five themes in the back of my mind whether I am trying to help a friend work through a problem or when I am going through a performance review at work. The awareness is the first step and now I can consciously act accordingly to improve myself.

Have any of you read this book before? What were your top five strength areas? We want to hear from YOU!

-CKB