[00:00:10] Hi, and welcome back to Reflect Forward. I'm your host, Kerry Siggins, and I'm so glad you are here today.
[00:00:14] Today, I want to talk about finding your strengths at work. So this weekend, I was walking with a friend
[00:00:20] of mine, and we were talking about work, and he said, you know, I'm really struggling. I don't know
[00:00:25] what my strengths are, and I don't know how I bring value to the organization. And I asked my
[00:00:30] manager to help me identify my strengths, and my manager just turned it around back to me and said,
[00:00:35] well, how am I supposed to know what your strengths are if you don't? You tell me. And I really
[00:00:40] appreciated this conversation for two reasons. One, I could feel his pain. Understanding what you're
[00:00:44] good at, that can be hard to figure out, and it takes intentional work and time and a little bit
[00:00:51] of support. I definitely know in my search for figuring out what I was good at, I have felt that
[00:00:55] way before too. And then two, the manager really missed the mark on this. I mean, our job as leaders,
[00:01:01] as great managers, is to help our employees understand their strengths and really
[00:01:05] dive into figuring out what they're good at and how they bring value to the organization. But
[00:01:09] so many people are just not trained to be able to have these types of conversations or really to even
[00:01:14] be aware of that kind of development that people are looking for from them. While it's not surprising
[00:01:21] that this person said this, it is still indicative of where so many managers are. So today, that's what I
[00:01:29] want to talk about is how can you find your strengths when you don't know what your strengths are. And it's
[00:01:37] your responsibility to understand your strengths. And while it's great to have a manager or a leader who
[00:01:42] is invested in your personal development and who really digs into this with you, it's not up to them
[00:01:48] to figure it out. It's really your responsibility to figure out. That's part of what the ownership mindset
[00:01:52] is, is understanding your strengths and weaknesses and doing that deep exploration.
[00:01:56] So what I said to him in the moment is, I can help you with this. And let's talk through a couple of
[00:02:00] things that you can do when you really are trying to figure out what you're going to do. So these are
[00:02:06] the tips I gave him. Number one, notice when you're in the flow. When you are in a flow state, that's where
[00:02:11] time fades and you're completely absorbed by what you're doing. It feels like, oh, I'm so productive.
[00:02:17] It is such a powerful state to be in. And it's also a powerful indicator that you're engaging with a
[00:02:23] natural talent or skill because it feels really energizing and challenging in a productive way.
[00:02:29] So to tap into this, you want to take notes of the tasks and the activities where you are the most
[00:02:34] engaged. Are there projects or types of work where you feel that deep investment and that you lose
[00:02:40] track of time? When you're in the state, pay attention to what you're doing or who you're working with and
[00:02:45] how you're contributing to the value of the company. Flow moments often reveal those intersections
[00:02:50] between your skills, your interests, and the needs of your role, like how you're bringing value to the
[00:02:55] company. When you recognize these flow states, you're uncovering these areas where your potential
[00:03:00] truly shines. So that was the first tip I gave him. And we talked through when he feels like he's just
[00:03:05] the most engaged and really getting things done. And I saw the light bulb go on like, oh, man, that is
[00:03:10] what I'm good at. That's what I love doing. And that is when I feel like I'm contributing the most value
[00:03:15] to the company. And I said, there you go. You just found a strength of yours. To build upon this,
[00:03:19] I think the next step is to really understand what energizes you and what drains you. And both are
[00:03:24] equally important. So you know, I'm big on listening to what your body is telling you.
[00:03:29] Your body and mind are constantly signaling you about what aligns with your natural abilities.
[00:03:35] Pay attention to the types of work that energize you versus what leave you drained. For me, I love
[00:03:41] talking to people, coaching, mentoring. It's what I'm meant to do. Really helping people explore their
[00:03:47] potential and achieve higher states of well-being and leadership and consciousness. And work that drains
[00:03:53] me is anything to do with a spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets because they are so powerful and they
[00:03:59] make life way easier. But to live in one, to create one, all the circular references and stuff like,
[00:04:06] oh, my God, it is so draining to me. What is that for you? What really energizes you when you're
[00:04:12] working and what leaves you feeling completely drained and demotivated? Tasks that tap into
[00:04:17] your strengths tend to leave you feeling invigorated and accomplished, while tasks that are outside of
[00:04:22] your skill set, the things that you don't like to do or that you're not good at, often leave you
[00:04:25] feeling frustrated or exhausted. Now, this isn't to say that you should avoid work that challenges you
[00:04:31] because growth comes from tackling tasks that are difficult. You know how I say, the only way to get
[00:04:37] good at doing hard things is to do hard things and you got to expand your competency zone by doing
[00:04:41] things that you haven't done before. But if a particular type of work consistently leaves you
[00:04:46] feeling depleted, like working in spreadsheets for me, it may be a sign that it does not align with
[00:04:50] your strengths. So identifying what energizes you will help you recognize those potential areas of
[00:04:56] expertise where you're more likely to succeed and enjoy the process. The third step is to assess your
[00:05:02] past achievements. Look back on your career and identify those moments when you felt really proud of
[00:05:07] what you accomplishment. What were the skills, the qualities, and the talents that you used in
[00:05:11] those situations? Consider both big and small wins when you're doing this exercise. Did you come up with
[00:05:16] a creative solution to a long-standing problem? Did you complete a project ahead of schedule or manage
[00:05:20] a team to get great results? These moments reveal where you naturally excel, especially if they involve
[00:05:25] skills that you can continue to leverage in your current role or for future opportunities. So
[00:05:30] understanding those past achievements is really important. And you know that I'm a big believer in
[00:05:35] this. If you haven't listened to the podcast on the gap versus the game mindset, go back and listen to it.
[00:05:40] You do want to measure yourself on how far you've come. So when you're thinking about your strengths,
[00:05:44] look at those past achievements. Look at how far you've come. When you feel most proud of the things that
[00:05:49] you've done, what were you doing? It's most likely that you were in the flow and you were doing work
[00:05:54] that energizes you and that's why you were successful in it. So do more of those things.
[00:05:59] The fourth thing is to experiment and step outside your comfort zone.
[00:06:03] Sometimes uncovering your strengths requires a little bit of experiment. So stepping into new
[00:06:07] responsibilities or taking on new projects that take you outside of that routine or out of the everyday work
[00:06:12] that you do can be incredibly revealing. By exploring new areas, you may discover strengths that you never knew
[00:06:18] you had. This could mean offering to lead a project, doing something that you've never done before,
[00:06:24] volunteering for cross-departmental work. I remember the very first time that I was ever on stage in front of a big
[00:06:29] group of people. I was a junior in college and my softball coach had asked me to come and speak to
[00:06:35] the Colorado High School All-State Softball Banquet. It was high school softball players who had been
[00:06:41] named to the All-State team and their parents coming together to celebrate. And the keynote speaker
[00:06:44] had canceled two days before the event. And he said, you have this amazing story about how you got in
[00:06:49] trouble in high school and you buckled down and decided that you were going to get a scholarship to play
[00:06:53] softball at Colorado School of Mines. And you called the coach and you made it happen. You got the
[00:06:59] minds, you turned things around and now here you're captain of the team. I know that the girls
[00:07:04] would and parents would love to be able to hear this story. And I had never spoken in front of a
[00:07:09] big crowd before, but I thought, huh, okay, well, I guess I'm going to say yes, I'm going to try it.
[00:07:15] And so I did it and it was amazing. There were six or 700 people in the audience and there was a line
[00:07:22] of girls waiting to talk to me after I gave my keynote, wanting to share their stories with me and to
[00:07:28] ask for advice on how to approach the coach of the school that they really wanted to go play at.
[00:07:34] It was the most invigorating thing. And I completely stepped out of my comfort zone. I was probably 20
[00:07:38] years old. I had never done it before. And here I'm speaking to all of these parents and student
[00:07:43] athletes. And I could have possibly never known how much I love public speaking if I would not have
[00:07:50] done that. So that is an example of how to experiment and step outside of your comfort zone.
[00:07:54] When you have this willingness to test your abilities, it will not only reveal those new strengths that you
[00:08:00] might have, but it'll also build confidence and resilience. That is absolutely what saying yes to that
[00:08:05] speaking engagement did for me. And now I speak all over the world and get paid to do it because of that
[00:08:10] very first thing that I did. And it helped me build my confidence and it gave me motivation and the belief
[00:08:17] that, hey, I can speak. I can stand in front of a crowd and do this. When you also get outside of your
[00:08:22] comfort zone and experiment, you get to know what your limits are, which means that you're probably
[00:08:26] going to push those limits. And that's such an important aspect of growth. You'll also begin to
[00:08:31] understand how your unique talents can evolve with experience. And then finally, number five,
[00:08:37] I do think it's really important to ask for feedback. And I shared this with my friend who was frustrated
[00:08:41] that his manager didn't help it. At least he brought it up to me in this conversation and I could help
[00:08:47] with him, right? We could talk about when he's in the flow and what energizes him and what de-energizes
[00:08:51] him and how to look at those past experiences and what he could do to push himself outside of the
[00:08:56] comfort zone. We had all those conversations and he walked away with a plan, but I also encouraged him,
[00:09:02] don't hesitate to ask for feedback. And yes, maybe your manager isn't equipped to be able to help you
[00:09:08] explore these, but that doesn't mean that you can't ask a friend, ask a mentor, ask your peers.
[00:09:14] You know, what am I good at? Where do you see me excel? How do I really add value to the organization?
[00:09:21] Others might see things that you don't see. And that's what he was looking for when he turned to
[00:09:27] his manager to say, can you help me understand my strengths? And so you can ask those people closest
[00:09:33] to you what they think that you're good at or how you bring value to their lives, whether that's at
[00:09:38] work or in your personal life. Are you a creative problem solver? Do people turn to you when
[00:09:43] they need someone to organize chaos or come with a fresh perspective? Do they come to you when stuff
[00:09:49] just needs to get done and they know that you're going to be that person to get it done? Or do they
[00:09:52] come to you when something needs to be analyzed or really dug into with detail? Ask them those
[00:09:58] questions. That will help you understand what your strengths are when you don't know. Now, I would like
[00:10:03] to remember that sometimes feedback can be challenging to hear, especially if it contrasts with your
[00:10:07] self-perception. For example, you think you're good at something until somebody tells you like,
[00:10:11] no, you're not really that good at. But remember, this feedback is a valuable tool for growth. So
[00:10:15] explore it. Learn for ways to be able to understand that feedback and use it to fuel you forward.
[00:10:22] Reflect on the recurring themes that you hear from others, as these will often point to the strengths
[00:10:26] that you can build on. So feedback is really important, even if you're unable to get it from
[00:10:31] your manager. There's still other people who can tell you what they think that you're great at
[00:10:34] and where you can improve. All right, so why does all of this matter? Well, first,
[00:10:38] it's about purpose. When you align your work with your strengths, you create this powerful feedback
[00:10:43] loop of fulfillment and motivation. Work becomes less about completing tasks and more about
[00:10:48] contributing meaningfully to your organizational goals. This alignment increases your sense of
[00:10:53] purpose, which is so important. That's how we are engaged. Why? Because you are doing work that
[00:10:58] aligns with your unique gifts. Purposeful work doesn't just increase job satisfaction. It brings a sense of
[00:11:04] well-being and personal growth, making you an invaluable asset to your team. The reason why I
[00:11:10] really wanted to talk about this is that I once lived a life that I did not have purpose and meaning
[00:11:15] in my work. I was doing work that I did not like, that was not aligned with my strengths, that I did
[00:11:20] not feel like I could be great at. And it led me down to a toxic place. And when I came to work at Stone
[00:11:26] Age, and I read Marcus Buckingham's and the Gallup organization's First Break All the Rules,
[00:11:30] which is all about aligning your strengths and talents with the role that you play at work,
[00:11:35] my eyes were opened. And luckily, I found Stone Age, and I got to do what I'm great at. And I
[00:11:41] love what I do. It feels like I have this much greater purpose that has evolved over the last 18
[00:11:46] years. But it took really understanding what my strengths were to align with the work that I was
[00:11:52] doing so that I could be great at my job and go on to live a successful life and build a successful
[00:11:57] career. So do not underestimate the power of aligning your strengths with purpose. Another
[00:12:03] reason why it matters is for career growth. When you focus on your strengths, it not only makes you
[00:12:07] more effective in your role, but it makes you more likely to progress in your career. Why? Because you're
[00:12:12] doing things that you're good at. Managers and leaders value employees who understand how to bring
[00:12:16] their best selves to the table and you bring your best self to the table when you are aligning your
[00:12:21] work with your strengths. So when you clarify your strengths, you position yourself as a key
[00:12:25] contributor to reliably drive those results and elevate the team's success. Also, working in
[00:12:31] alignment with your strengths often leads to higher levels of engagement and lower levels of burnout,
[00:12:36] allowing for a more sustainable, fulfilling career. And this is so important because we do get burnt out
[00:12:40] when we're doing things we don't like to do. Knowing and nurturing your strengths allows you to remain
[00:12:45] agile, confident and capable of evolving within your role, which is really needed in today's
[00:12:51] fast changing workplace. Uncovering your strengths and integrating them into your daily work is an
[00:12:56] ongoing process that requires self-reflection, open-mindedness, and a commitment to growth.
[00:13:02] By recognizing where you naturally excel, you can craft a work experience that not only makes you feel
[00:13:07] more productive, but it also creates a much more meaningful experience. In turn, this enables you to
[00:13:12] be able to make a powerful, positive impact on the business, which is what we're all here to do.
[00:13:17] One that is rooted in authenticity, purpose, and sustained motivation because you are working on
[00:13:24] your strengths. So to recap on what you need to do to understand your strengths is first, notice when
[00:13:30] you're in the flow. Second is to reflect on what energizes you and drains you. Third is to assess your
[00:13:37] past achievements. Fourth is to experiment and get outside your comfort zone. And five is to seek
[00:13:43] feedback. Hopefully this podcast helps you and motivates you to explore what your strengths are
[00:13:50] so that you can embrace being your very best, advancing your career, and being much more
[00:13:56] happy and healthy in life so that you can step into that role that truly feels like your own.
[00:14:02] All right. With that, I will leave you to your day. Thank you so much for joining me. I hope that you
[00:14:07] enjoyed this podcast. If you like it, please write a review, subscribe to it on YouTube or your favorite
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[00:14:16] you next week.