Implement Strengths-Focused Leadership Through Conversations

Powerful discussions help you know your team

There is very little risk in learning about strengths and sharing the strengths we see in others. To make these efforts successful, it is essential to have a one-on-one strengths conversation with each member of your team. Holding these meetings within a few weeks of each other will make it easier to find connections and areas for synergy between team members. The goal of these one-on-ones is to help each team member explore their signature strengths—confirming any strengths you’ve already seen and opening your eyes to strengths you may have overlooked in the past.

Here are some conversation prompts to get you started:

“Which two to three strengths do you feel are most relevant to your job and goals today?”  Be as encouraging as you can, and offer other stories of how you’ve seen them utilize these signature strengths.

“Which strengths on your list most surprised you?” These can be particularly valuable places to push their development because there is likely more untapped potential in these latent or unrealized strengths.  Help them brainstorm how they might put these “surprise” strengths to work.

"What are a couple of development goals you would like to set around your strengths?”  Encourage them to set goals for improving their strengths on their own or through formal training opportunities or conferences they might attend.

"How might you change your responsibilities or workload to focus more time on signature strengths and less time on decoy strengths?” As they get to know their colleagues’ strengths, ask them for their suggestions on how you might be able to rearrange some of the work or projects that are going on to better utilize their (and their colleagues’) strengths. Brainstorm ideas of how they might explore task swapping with colleagues who might be interested in complementary changes to their job responsibilities.  Make sure you both listen with an open mind (some of their crazier ideas might work).

These discussions can be a very powerful way to kick off and integrate with any coaching you do with them. Prior to your one-on-one meeting, make sure they have completed the full analysis of their strengths. Ask them to send their signature strengths list to you ahead of time. Decide which topics from the conversation prompt list above you are going to cover, and give them explicit instructions on what to come prepared to discuss.  As you listen to your team members, do the following:
 

If any of their suggestions are impossible, clearly explain why. Depending on your team structure, these conversations can take place individually or as part of sub teams within the larger group, but be mindful of team members’ privacy.  Conversations about strengths can feel personal and thus make people feel vulnerable, so make sure you are clear about what can be shared.