What I Bring to Strengths Performance Coaching Sessions

At the Strengths Performance Coaching program I recently attended, we went through a great exercise that I wanted to share. We analyzed our top 5 signature themes and identified our capabilities (or most helpful talents) as well as potential barriers (or most hurtful traits). I thought it would be useful to capture this information for future reference as well as any insights, input, or guidance that others may provide.

1. Achiever, 2. Learner, 3. Responsibility, 4. Arranger, 5. Relator

Capabilities:
1. Setting the pace, getting things done, bringing a high intensity, having great stamina and a strong work ethic
2. Curiousity, wanting to learn more, provider of applicable tools and resources
3. Keeping things on track, keeping promises and commitments, holding people accountable
4. Comfortable with change and ambiguity, comfortable working through others
5. Genuine, authentic, interactive, able to form strong one-on-one relationships

Potential Barriers:
1. Putting the project before the person, just wanting to get the work done
2. Too curious, feeling of irrelevance or unproductivity
3. Frustration if it isn't done or done in a certain way
4. Difficult to follow, not clear or easy to follow, too many ideas or options
5. Becoming too close or being viewed as providing preferential treatment to some

The best part about the StrengthsFinder is that it provides an outstanding tool and many supporting resources to increase self-awareness. Armed with this self-awareness, people now have the option to learn more and more importantly, take actions based on what they naturally do best. However, even our best strengths can be viewed by some as weaknesses if they are overdone or "overplayed."

So, to increase self-awareness, it is nice to know the capabilities of your strengths and perhaps even more important to understand potential barriers or barrier labels. I'm glad we went through this exercise! I'm looking forward to scheduling some practice coaching sessions so I can learn more about how my strengths play out while helping others learn and apply their naturally best talents.