Leveraging your strengths means identifying your personal strengths or talents, and then using them to achieve your goals and objectives. It’s an important strategy for growth, as it enables you to focus on what you do best.
Let’s be clear about what personal strengths are not: they are not your true passion, and they are not something you desire to be or have. Personal strengths are skills or abilities that you possess and can use to effectively perform tasks or achieve goals. They are things that you are good at, and you have evidence to support that you are good at them.
True passions, on the other hand, are things that you feel strongly about and enjoy doing. While your personal strengths might contribute to your true passions, they are not the same thing. For example, you might be a great writer, but your true passion might be gardening, even though you are not as skilled in gardening as you are in writing.
There are three useful things to consider when identifying your personal strengths:
- Skills: Think about the specific abilities that you possess and can perform well. These can be technical, creative, communication, or any other skills that you have developed over time.
- Behaviors: Consider how you approach tasks or situations and the patterns of behavior that you exhibit. Are you organized, persistent, adaptable, creative, and a team player?
- Attitudes and beliefs: Think about your values, beliefs, and attitudes towards work, life, and relationships. These can influence your behavior and your ability to leverage your strengths effectively.
Once you have identified your strengths, you can use them to your advantage in all aspects of life. Your strengths are not fixed; with continued practice and development, you can continue to improve and achieve even greater success.
It’s a priority of the Women’s Caucus to empower women to discover and celebrate their strengths, while providing them with the resources and support they need to unlock their potential and make real differences in their lives and communities. Reach out if you’re interested in getting involved. Visit www.uwua.net and the Women’s Caucus page under committees.