UTILISATION OF RESOURCES

I had been to Firenze before, so in 2010, I stayed at our retreat centre in the remote Tuscan hills and worked out my strengths whilst the others went sightseeing. After a day’s work with the Clifton Strengths Finder, I concluded that my key strengths were collecting and absorbing information, connecting with people, and sharing and using ideas to bring about change in people and organisations.

This definition of a key personal resource has stayed with me since then. When it comes to utilising my resources in the service of others, the fourth stage of my FUTURE process, knowing your strengths (which many do not), is invaluable.

Your strengths may be necessary, but they are not the only resource you can utilise to make a difference in the world. Some of your other resources include your skills, connections and money, and the Utilisation of Resources stage of the FUTURE process will help you pull all of these strands together.

Know your strengths

Knowing your strengths is one way of improving your self-knowledge, well-being and ability to do good in the world.

According to research, two-thirds of us don’t know our strengths, echoing my earlier self-knowledge comments. Three well-known surveys can help you discover your strengths.

Clifton Strength Finder (Gallup)

The CSF is designed for the workplace and focuses on talents and skills more than character strengths. The Finder assesses strategic thinking, influenceing, relationship building and executing. It is not peer-reviewed and focuses only on the top five strengths. It can include your weaknesses.

Strengths Profile (previously the R2 by the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology)

The Strengths Profile takes a broad approach to work and coaching environments and highlights your ability to think, feel and do. It is peer-reviewed and provides information about realised and unrealised strengths, habits and weaknesses. Strength categories include thinking, being, relating, communicating and motivating.

Values in Action (VIA)

The VIA assesses core character traits, including wisdom, knowledge, courage, humanity, and justice in home, work, and social environments. It is peer-reviewed and assesses all 24 strengths, although it identifies signature strengths. It also highlights your weaknesses (lower strengths). It is a good choice for independent professionals spending time in the liminal space between home and work.

Utilise your resources

Whilst the surveys are helpful, the real benefit comes from discussing the results with someone. A conversation can help overcome a lack of vocabulary in such a quest and make it easier to identify your strengths and highlight your potential.

Awareness of and utilising your strengths will improve well-being and more positive emotions. At the very least, it can have a knock-on effect on others. More importantly, being aware of and utilising your strengths can benefit others in a practical way.

TAKE IT FURTHER

Reflect

Here are three points of view on which to reflect. Think of stories relating to the question and ask yourself what happened, so what and what next.

• What do you consider to be your top strengths?
• Which of your character traits do you regularly use wisely and purposefully to make a difference?
• Do you think it is important to assess your weaknesses as well as your strengths?

Comment

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Share

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Discover

Help yourself with more posts, templates, factsheets and exercises.
Self-help
https://jeremydeedes.com/self-help/
A selection of information notes, exercises and templates

Related posts

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https://wordsnotdeeds.co.uk/self-awareness/
Your assessment of your self-awareness can lead you to believe you are better than you are. Your stories can change this.

Strength-based tips to help you thrive and flourish
https://wordsnotdeeds.co.uk/flourish/
You are more likely to succeed in moving from okay to flourishing by focusing on your strengths that help you cope with challenges.

Did I make the right decisions?

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Decisions based on principles are more straightforward and reliable than those based on relative strengths and weaknesses.

Attributions and references

Photo attribution

Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash

Audio link

https://audio.com/jeremy_deedes/audio/strengths/

References

Clifton Strengths Finder: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx

Values in Action: https://www.viacharacter.org/

Strengths Profile: https://www.strengthsprofile.com/en-gb/

Biswas-Diener, Robert. “Average to A+: Realising Strengths in Yourself and Others, by A. Linley.” The Journal of Positive Psychology, vol. 4, no. 5, Sept. 2009, pp. 423–425, https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760902992480.

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Your views are important, and your fellow readers would love to hear your opinion, so share your thoughts in the comments box below, and thank you for your time and generosity.