In his book, The Mastery of Love, Don Miguel Ruiz shares that as children, our attention is hooked by adults who put information in our mind through repetition. It is through this process that we learn how to speak, read, behave, dream, and ultimately who to become. Ruiz says, “We learn to pretend to be what we are not, and we practice trying to be someone else.”
When considering his thought process, I recall an earlier time in my career when I mentored and guided numerous college students that were caught in the trap of this exact premise. They were desperate to determine their life path, but were stuck due to conflicting information they were receiving from others (parents, teachers, peers, and/or family members). The messages from these well-intentioned individuals that reflected who they “should” be, were prevailing over the messages the students were telling themselves about who they “wanted” to be. Their passion was calling but the expectations of others were echoing much louder. As such, they often declared majors that ultimately put them on career paths misaligned with their innate talents, desired identity and life purpose.
Subsequently, they graduated from college, in search of jobs that required competencies they could do, but that weren’t necessarily tied to their strengths. Furthermore, the companies and organizations that hired them were focused on fixing weaknesses in performance evaluations and the managers they reported to did the same when providing feedback.
It’s no wonder that years later, these same individuals seek the help of myself and other coaches to determine why they are no longer motivated or engaged in their career and how they can redirect themselves towards a more fulfilling and happy existence. They lack an awareness of who they’ve become, how they got there and what it will take to get back on track. Most begin with one of the following intentions, “I have no idea what my purpose is, but I want to find it,” “I dread getting up on Monday morning. Nothing about my job excites or motivates me,” or “The work I do isn’t meaningful. I want to contribute in a way that makes me feel like I’m making an impact.”
Imagine IF each of these individuals had identified his/her distinctive talents early on, and IF he/she had chosen an area of study that allowed for the development of those talents into strengths, and IF his/her job search was focused on positions that put these strengths into play, within companies or organizations that were invested in utilizing and developing those strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies… What do you think the chances would be that their reality would be much different today?
According to Tom Rath, author of Strengthsfinder 2.0, the answer is “significantly higher.” In the book, Rath shares The Gallop Organization’s survey results which found that when people have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day, they 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. The ability to do so is more important to overall success than one’s role, title, or even pay.
Yet, of the more than 10 million people surveyed by Gallop on this topic, approximately 7 million report not having the opportunity to do what they do best every day. Hence why they end up seeking the support of myself and my colleagues. As credentialed professionals, we are aware of the direct link between a Strengths-Based Approach and Positive Psychology, the premise of which is centered on what makes people thrive instead of strive. When in play, the process is as follows:
- Identify Your Innate Talents
Complete the Strengthsfinder 2.0 Assessment and then determine if they are currently in play. If so, are you using them to your advantage and if not, what can you do to develop them?
- Gain Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
With an awareness of your talents, formulate a plan to develop them into strengths. What resources, opportunities and tasks are available that will allow you to gain the knowledge, skills and abilities to develop the talents into strengths?
- Engage in Tasks That Utilize the Strengths
Find opportunities to demonstrate your strengths in play. Are there tasks that you can take on or roles in which you can serve?
- Experience an Increase in Positive Emotions
Engaging in tasks and taking on roles that are aligned with your strengths will result in an increase in positive emotions. You will feel challenged, happier and more motivated.
- Gain New Perspectives and Expanded Knowledge
Operating from a place of positivity will open your mind to new ways of thinking and seeing the world around you. Your enthusiasm will lead you towards gaining more information and seeking input from others.
- Thrive, Due to Increased Motivation, Fulfillment and Engagement
Instead of striving to get through, you will now thrive to be the best you can be. Your levels of engagement and motivation will soar, resulting in fulfillment in all areas of your life
Due to its numerous benefits, a Strengths-Based Approach to Talent Management has become widespread across companies and organizations that are invested in developing highly engaged and motivated individuals and teams.
What they’ve learned is that by allowing people the opportunity to do what they want to do – instead of what they should do – the outcome is invaluable… increased productivity, profitability and, most importantly, happy employees that genuinely enjoy their work.
And, as individuals, when we tap into the best of who we are, which innately exists within, and resist the attempts of others to determine who we should be, we become the creators of our intended reality, which is divinely liberating. In the words of Ruiz, “When you are wise, you are free to use your own mind and run your own life… Surrender all the ideas about being what you are not, become what you really are and you will no longer suffer.”