Answer the 3 key questions to recognise and utilise your character strengths

Your Guide to Finding Your Genius Zone

As leaders, we are life-long learners.?

We always find room for development.

We always look out for growth opportunities.

We always identify the gaps and find solutions for them.

However, sometimes we get too fixated on improving what we’re not good at that we tend to forget to do the things we excel at.

While it’s important to improve on our weaknesses, we must not forget to identify and enhance our strengths.

Part of our leadership growth is to get to know our character strengths.

To find our best qualities and use them to our advantage…

To live out our full capacity effectively…

To lead our team from an authentic and inspirational space…

Character strengths are the positive parts of your personality that make you feel authentic and engaged.?

Research shows that understanding and applying your strengths can help:

• Increase happiness in the workplace
• Manage problems effectively
• Reduce stress and misunderstanding
• Accomplish goals efficiently

How do we discover what we’re good at?

In the early 2000s, something groundbreaking occurred in the social sciences:?

Scientists discovered a common language of 24 character strengths that make up what’s best about our personality.?

We possess all 24 character strengths in different degrees, giving us a unique character strengths profile.

Each character strength falls under one of these six broad virtue categories, which are universal across cultures and nations.?

Wisdom

• Creativity. Conceptualising something useful, coming up with ideas that result in something worthwhile.
• Curiosity. Seeking out situations to gain new experiences without getting in other people’s way.
• Judgment. Weighing all aspects objectively in making decisions, including arguments that are in conflict with your convictions.
• Love of Learning. Motivated to acquire new levels of knowledge, or deepen existing knowledge in a significant way.
• Perspective. Giving advice to others by considering different perspectives and using your own experiences to clarify the big picture.

Transcendence

• Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence. Recognise, emotionally experience, and appreciate the beauty around you.
• Gratitude. Being grateful for many things and expressing that thankfulness to others.
• Hope. Being realistic while having full of optimism about the future.
• Humour. Approaching life playfully, making others laugh even in difficult times.
• Spirituality. Believing in a sense of purpose or meaning in my life and seeing your place in the grand scheme of the universe

Courage

• Bravery. Acting on your convictions, and facing challenges despite doubts and fears.
• Honesty. Presenting yourself and your reactions accurately to each person, while taking responsibility for your actions.
• Perseverance. Persisting toward your goals despite obstacles, discouragements, or disappointments.
• Zest. Feeling vital and full of energy.

Justice

• Fairness. Treating everyone equally and fairly.
• Leadership. Taking charge, guiding groups to meaningful goals and ensuring good relations among group members.
• Teamwork. ?Being responsible for helping the team reach its goals.

Temperance

• Forgiveness. extending understanding towards those who have wronged or hurt you.
• Humility. Recognising your talents but not seeking to receive recognition.
• Prudence. Acting carefully and cautiously, looking to avoid unnecessary risks and planning with the future in mind.
• Self-Regulation. Managing your feelings and actions?

Humanity

• Kindness. Doing favours for others without expecting anything in return.
• Love. Experiencing genuine, loving relationships that are characterized by giving and receiving warmth, and care.
• Social Intelligence. Being aware of your feelings and thoughts, as well as the feelings of others.

Identifying your character strengths?

Find areas that come naturally to you and identify where you can utilise these in everyday life and in your leadership journey by answering the following questions:?

1. What are the top 5 strengths you resonate with the most?
2. Where do you think you can use these strengths in your current circumstances?
3. What should you be aware of when using these strengths?