Taking a strengths-based approach with your team can lead to some pretty awesome results, but where do you even begin?
Today we’re going to look at what goes into a strengths-based approach and how managers and team leaders can get started with it.
Curious to see what’s possible when we focus on developing and using our strengths in the workplace? Keep on reading.
What is a strengths-based approach?
When you lead with a strengths-based approach, you will identify the individual strengths of each team member and utilise and build upon these strengths for the benefit of the individual as well as the whole team. It’s a method that creates a win-win situation.
According to Gallup research, taking a strengths-based approach to supporting your team will see your people six times more engaged in their jobs and 38% more productive. That’s a pretty good reason to consider a strengths-based approach.
As a leader, you play an important role in bringing a strengths approach to your organisation. Curious about the other benefits of this method? Let’s explore them now.
The key benefits of a strengths-based approach.
There are more than 30 years of research indicating significant benefits when an organisational culture focuses on building the strengths of individual team members.
Here’s a couple to help paint the picture of what a strengths-based approach could bring to your workplace:
- Employee engagement increases
- Productivity increases
- Employee turnover decreases
- Collaboration and delegation are more successful
How to kickstart a strengths-based approach with your team.
Do you know what your strengths are? And more importantly, are you aware of the core strengths of the people you lead within your organisation?
There are many resources that can help you to uncover your strengths. Langley Group identifies four that are worth exploring and comparing.
#1: Get to know your team members
This one’s obvious, I know, but in order to successfully take a strengths-based approach with your team you need to get to know your team on an individual level.
Spend time with your team one-on-one talking about their past roles, their favourite projects, their skills and achievements. This will help you to understand which areas interest them and which tasks may be best suited to their strengths.
#2: Align tasks and projects with strengths
The next time you need to assign a project or task to your team considers the strengths and ‘genius zones’ of your team to determine who would be a great fit.
This may mean encouraging collaboration within your team by assigning a project to two or more people whose strengths will help to achieve the desired outcome. Diverse groups with diverse skillsets and strengths make strong and exceptional teams.
#3: Empower your team to take creative risks
Your team will only take creative risks if they feel supported by you. If you’d like your team members to use their strengths to come up with unique and creative solutions, you’ve got to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.
Spend time coaching your team to empower them actively reflect on and learn from their successes and failures. Some of our best learning can come from our failings especially within a supportive strengths-based work environment.
Are you ready to begin exploring the strengths of your team members? This is the beginning of an exciting journey as a leader and as an organisation.
If you need any help with coaching your team members to achieve their full potential, we’ve got a couple of other coaching resources that’ll take you down the right path.
