In my early years’ report cards there was a theme; ‘okay student… talks too much’. It was true! I was a social animal…well, at the very least, I seemed to be unable to control my need to interact with people around me. It wasn’t until years later, that I realized I was an Extrovert. I needed to be able to interact in order to be able to learn. Because the environment was like most learning environments of the time, where ‘quiet’ and ‘order’ were valued, I tried desperately to BE QUIET. I was able to sustain that for a period of time…then my ‘natural’ tendencies would rise up (and it continued to get me in trouble with my teachers). I thought there was something wrong with me. Why could other kids perform well in this environment? Was I defective in some way?
I, only later in life, realized the significance of this experience. I was not at my best when I was quiet (unable to interact with others)…my ability to learn suffered, my overall performance was marginal…and my motivation tanked!
I wonder today if my teachers of the time would be at all surprised with my career choice. I am a professional speaker. I get to spend each day (at least those days when I am not creating new material) interacting with others…being energized by (and hopefully energizing) others. I would not trade this career for any other. I am truly in a position to operate from my strengths, most of the time, when I am working.
One other comment made by my early teachers was that I was a ‘daydreamer’. Well, guess what… I still am! (Another ‘problem’ that is actually an ’strength’.) I think it’s that strength that feeds my creativity – which keeps me personally engaged in what I do and around which I get most of my positive feedback from clients.
What are are your strengths? It’s sometimes not an easy question to answer. I’ll bet that you know that there are times at work in which you are energized and engaged; and there are other times in which you are not. Therein lies a clue about your strengths. Chances are – when your energy (and performance) is high, your strengths are in use. If you are interested in determining your strengths, there are some online resources available to you. Martin Seligman’s website, Authentic Happiness, features several assessments that are free of charge. You can also keep a simple journal, noting times at work when you are energized and engaged…what are you doing?
How much opportunity do you have to play to your strengths at work? According to Marcus Buckingham, author of ‘Go Put Your Strengths to Work (among other very good reads), only about 12% of us play to our strengths at work.
I speak about this topic – and several related to this topic – every day when I am keynoting a conference or leading a workshop. I cannot describe how exciting it is to watch people begin to be energized about the possibility of using their strengths more at work. It can be a transforming experience for them…you can actually see them change before your eyes! Their skin colour, posture, and overall way of being changes. Imagine capturing that transformation on a more permanent basis in workplaces everywhere!
Well, you can do more than imagine it! No matter what, you must begin with yourself. Start seeking more opportunity to do the work that energizes and engages you. Talk to your leader and share your ideas to play to your strengths more often. I cannot imagine a leader who is not interested in hearing about how you can positively impact your satisfaction and your results.
I saw this video recently…it brought a tear to my eye. It reminded me about the importance of allowing myself, and then others around me, to be who they are and play to their strengths. The possibilities are endless! And, you never know who you might serve, or SURF, in the process!
Service Dog to Surf-ice Dog!
Archive for the ‘Strengths’ Category
Play to your Strengths!
Friday, May 7th, 2010Appreciative Inquiry “at Work”
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009If you have not already heard of Appreciative Inquiry, check out AI Commons and learn a bit about AI and it’s founder David Cooperrider. I first became acquainted with AI from a colleague; that inspired me to attend the AI Conference in Orlando Florida in 2008. Since then, I use the principles of AI regularly in the work I do with organizations. This summer, I took extensive training with Jane Magruder Watkins and Maureen McKenna on using the theory of AI in practice.
Here’s a quick peek at the principles of AI:
- organizations (and the humans within) grow in the direction of their most frequent inquiries; when we appreciate what is best about ourselves and each other, and ask questions about that, we get more of what’s best
- we learn about and create more success by asking ‘what is the root cause of success?’ (as opposed to creating more failure by asking ‘what is the root cause of our failure?’
- we get higher performance by focusing on our strengths, rather than ‘fixing’ our weaknesses (inquiring about weaknesses begets more weaknesses)
- our inquiries are fateful…the questions we ask set the stage for what we find; instead of asking ‘what is stopping us from being successful?, we need to ask ‘what is contributing to our success?’
- our perceptions determine reality (not the other way around)
- we socially contruct our organizations (and families, and world); our interactions are the source for what is true for us; so AI requires that the entire system (organization, family) participate in the process
- we create what we imagine…we will notice what we anticipate, positive or negative, so anticipating a positive image of ourselves, each other, and our organizations, helps us to create that reality
- the phases of AI are Discovery (inquiring about what’s right, what our strengths are, what is occurring when we are at our best); Dream (imagining our organization as we desire it in the future); Design (identifying the elements that will construct the dream organization); and Destiny (realizing our destiny, as we have constructed it)
There is much evidence that what we think about affects our actions which in turn determine our reality. Most of us would agree with this idea. Now we have the practice of Appreciative Inquiry which provides us with a process that works!
Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Friday, July 17th, 2009I recently returned from The First World Congress on Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In keeping with the P theme - one word encapsulates my experience there: Powerful! What follows is a summary of a few of my key take-aways from the Congress.
Ed Diener spoke on ‘New Findings on Happiness’: there is a difference between wanting and liking…happiness is impacted most when we learn to WANT what we LIKE. You might WANT the high-paying executive job, but not LIKE the work that comes with that job. If you LIKE the outdoors, learn to WANT or desire finding work that helps you do what you LIKE. He also shared some findings about the latest Positive Psychology research, like the study you might have read that said married people are happier. Diener said the newest research is showing – not so much that married people are happier – but that happier people tend to be married! Interesting…
Giovanni Fava, from Italy, spoke on ’Well-Being Therapy’: he shared a powerful example of how people can identify and modify dysfuctional beliefs (or thoughts) to positively affect their well-being. For example, if you keep a journal of your internal dialogue throughout the day and you notice a thought like ‘I can’t do this’, you can immediately decide to change the thought to ‘I can do the best I can and see what happens’. They key is to identify the dysfuctional thought and then consider a modification of that thought, and notice what happens in terms of how you feel. One way to modify the internal dialogue is to write down what an ‘external observer’ might say about the situation that is causing you difficulty; record an alternative interpretation…then notice what might shift for you.
Michael Frese, from Germany, discussed positive psychology at work – his research confirms that people do best at work when they are active; being able to set goals and take personal initiative positively affect achievement at work. There is a “clear and strong correlation between personal initiative (which engages and ignites positive emotion) and performance”.
Raymond Fowler discussed positive health and positive aging in his session “how to die young as late as possible”. He made a compelling argument to support the point that when you die is a matter of choice – or a series of choices (eating, exercising, all the stuff we all know). Positive emotion is critical in a long life; happier people are healthier (fewer bad habits, better nutrition, take better care of themselves).
Barbara Fredrickson discussed Positivity – the Pathway to Flourishing. She shared her “positivity prescription” on 3 to 1 to reinforce that you need the levity of positivity to counterweight the gravity of negativity. Fredrickson shared her ‘Broaden and Build’ theory of positive emotion; when you experience and express positive emotion, you live longer. It’s not enough just to ‘be positive’, the positive emotion must be genuine and heartfelt. To create a mindset of positivity. be:
- open
- appreciative
- curious
- kind
- real (authentic)…sincerity counts!
Visit Fredrickson’s website for free resources.
David Cooperrider was a true highlight at the conference. He completely captivated the audience with his hopeful message on ‘The Discovery and Design of Positive Institutions’. Mr. Cooperrider, generous in nature, makes his slides from the conference available at aicommons@case.edu. The message from Appreciative Inquiry is ‘change at the scale of the whole’. Ai involves a shift to see the world anew. Mr. Cooperrider shared with us a foundation of AI; that the question we ask determines what we find. If we look for deficits (what’s wrong here?) we find more deficits; if we look for possibilities (what’s right here?) we find more possibility. Most organizations look for what’s wrong and let strengths take care of themselves. AI encourages us to focus on strengths and the weaknesses will take care of themselves. The approach is 1) appreciate the best of what is, imagine what might be, design what could be and create what will be. The key is in the inquiry…the inquiry must be the change we wish to see in the world (not the one we want to avoid or to eliminate).
The conference ended with some words from Chris Peterson that encouraged us to look in the mirror as we are the future, and Martin Seligman, renouned as the father of Positive Psychology, who introduced a new term, ‘Positive Neuroscience’. I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more about that in the future. What about you?
How Positive Psychology can Work at Work
Sunday, October 26th, 2008Check out Martin Seligman talking about Positive Psychology on Ted.com. I had the privilege to see Dr. Seligman speak at an Appreciative Inquiry conference last year and I was impressed with his ability to simplify what could otherwise be a complicated subject. I believe we have enormous opportunities to integrate the results of his research into today’s workplace; impacting productivity as well as global happiness!
We commonly speak in workplaces about the challenges of increasing employee engagement. What we are missing often are the two keys Dr. Seligman cited – being able to use our strengths more at work (and – most importantly – being able to adapt the way we do our work to capitalize on our strengths), and being connected to a meaning higher than ourselves.
With the first, we can be more creative at designing jobs for people instead of making people fit jobs as we have designed them (refit jobs to people, not people to jobs). With the second, we can talk more about purpose at work every day; ask ‘why’ regularly (Why are you in your organization? What purpose do you serve?).
What do you think?
