Strengths Finder 2.0

1. Discover and develop your unique talents for personal and professional success

You cannot be anything you want to be—but you can be a lot more of who you already are.

Unlock your potential. The key to personal and professional growth lies in identifying and nurturing your innate talents. Rather than trying to become someone you're not, focus on developing your natural strengths. This approach leads to greater satisfaction, productivity, and success in both your career and personal life.

Embrace your uniqueness. Everyone possesses a distinct set of talents that, when properly developed, can become true strengths. By understanding and leveraging these talents, you can differentiate yourself in the workplace and find roles that allow you to excel naturally. This self-awareness also helps in building more effective relationships and making better career decisions.

2. Leverage your strengths instead of fixing weaknesses for optimal growth

People have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies.

Focus on strengths. Traditional personal development often emphasizes fixing weaknesses, but this approach is less effective than capitalizing on strengths. By concentrating on areas where you naturally excel, you can achieve exponential growth and performance improvements.

Reframe weaknesses. Instead of viewing weaknesses as flaws to be corrected, consider them as areas where you can:

• Partner with others who have complementary strengths
• Develop systems or strategies to manage them
• Find roles that minimize their impact

This strengths-based mindset allows for more efficient use of time and energy, leading to greater overall success and satisfaction.

3. The StrengthsFinder assessment: A tool to identify your top five talent themes

The StrengthsFinder assessment doesn't ask about your knowledge—there are no questions about your formal education, degrees, or résumé. Nor does it ask about your skills—whether you're able to perform the fundamental steps of driving a car, using a particular software package, or selling a specific product.

Uncover hidden talents. The StrengthsFinder assessment is designed to reveal your innate talents, which are often different from acquired knowledge or skills. By identifying your top five talent themes, you gain insight into your natural patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior.

Personalized insights. The assessment provides:

• Detailed descriptions of your top five themes
• Personalized Strengths Insights based on your unique combination of responses
• Action items for developing and applying your talents

This information serves as a foundation for understanding your potential and creating a path for personal and professional growth.

4. Embrace your natural talents to increase engagement and productivity

People who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.

Align roles with talents. When individuals are able to use their natural talents in their daily work, they experience higher levels of engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction. Seek out roles and responsibilities that allow you to leverage your strengths regularly.

Create opportunities. Even if your current role doesn't perfectly align with your talents, look for ways to incorporate your strengths into your daily tasks. This might involve:

• Volunteering for projects that play to your strengths
• Collaborating with colleagues whose talents complement yours
• Proposing new initiatives that allow you to utilize your natural abilities

By actively seeking opportunities to apply your talents, you can increase your engagement and overall quality of life.

5. Cultivate a strengths-based approach in leadership and team management

Having someone at work who regularly focuses on your strengths can make a dramatic difference.

Strengths-focused leadership. As a leader or manager, prioritize identifying and developing the strengths of your team members. This approach leads to:

• Increased employee engagement
• Higher productivity
• Improved team morale and cohesion

Build complementary teams. When forming teams or assigning projects, consider the strengths of each individual and how they can complement one another. This strengths-based team composition allows for:

• More effective collaboration
• Enhanced problem-solving capabilities
• Increased overall team performance

By focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses, leaders can create a more positive and productive work environment.

6. Understand and apply the 34 StrengthsFinder themes for personal development

The 34 themes represent our best attempt at creating a common language or classification of talents.

Explore theme descriptions. Familiarize yourself with the 34 StrengthsFinder themes to gain a deeper understanding of various talents. This knowledge can help you:

• Recognize and appreciate diverse strengths in others
• Identify potential areas for personal growth
• Communicate more effectively about talents and strengths

Apply theme insights. For each of your top five themes, consider the following:

• How does this talent manifest in your daily life?
• In what situations do you naturally excel using this talent?
• How can you further develop and apply this talent?

By understanding and consciously applying your talents, you can transform them into true strengths that drive your personal and professional success.

7. Create a strengths-based action plan to maximize your potential

Build a strengths-based development plan by exploring how your greatest natural talents interact with your skills, knowledge, and experience.

Set strengths-based goals. Develop specific, measurable objectives that leverage your top talents. Consider how you can:

• Apply your strengths to current challenges or projects
• Seek out new opportunities that align with your talents
• Enhance your skills and knowledge in areas related to your strengths

Track progress and adapt. Regularly review and adjust your action plan:

• Monitor how effectively you're utilizing your strengths
• Identify areas where you can further develop your talents
• Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors on your strengths application

By creating and following a strengths-based action plan, you can continuously improve your performance and achieve greater success in your personal and professional life.

Last updated: January 22, 2025