Do you feel like your career is not as full as it should be? And that you don’t really understand what it takes to be successful and unlock your true potential at work? Or maybe, you feel like you are not aware of what you do best and what’s your unique niche?
You are not alone.
Throughout my work with individuals, I found that most people don’t have a clear idea of what energizes them, makes them unique and gives them an edge. They are completely unaware of their natural talents and strengths.
Every single one of us has an inner genius: unique gifts that make us exceptional. We all have something that we can do, and nobody else can do. Everyone is born with natural talents but we are often not aware of them, or we take them for granted. Better yet, we fail at developing these natural talents into strengths and miss out on the opportunity to leverage them and reach our full potential at work.
Gallup research shows that most people who are happy at work are using their strengths regularly. “People who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged on the job and three times more likely to be happier with their lives in general.”Source.
When we play our strengths, we are performing at our best. Strengths are our internal motivators. They are what energize us, allow us to shine, and ultimately help us to reach peak performance at work.
Your best bet for success in your career lies in building on the talents that come most naturally to you, instead of solely trying to fix your weaknesses and become someone you are not.
Now, let’s dive into the discussion of unleashing your inner genius.
Talents
Understanding your greatest natural talents is the first step toward a more productive and empowered life.
Talents consist of the patterns of thought, feeling or behavior that give people a unique edge.
They are aptitudes that come naturally to you. They are second nature to you and using them often seems effortless. You may not even realize when you are leveraging your talents, as they show up naturally and are an integral part of your life.
Talents are a big part of what makes you unique. They are what draw you to certain interests, people, and situations, and they are behind your personal successes at work and in your personal life.
In fact, our talents are the keys to your innate potential. When you tap into them, you act with more confidence, inspiration, and direction.
When you understand your unique talents, you have the power to harness them and your whole world can change.
Developing talents into strengths
A talent becomes a strength when it's cultivated with skills and knowledge. Just having talent on its own is not enough to make it a strength. It needs investment, practice and an understanding of how to use it most effectively.
Although talents are always positive, their expressions may not always be. In fact, talents can either be expressed in a constructive or destructive way, depending on how well they are understood, developed and used in a mature way.
Knowing when to use your talents and how to use them most effectively is key in building your strengths.
Unlock your inner genius!
1. Take the Clifton Strengthsfinder assessment
The Clifton Strengthsfinder is an invaluable tool designed to help you identify and activate your talents and strengths for greater happiness and success. It is one of the most powerful tools on the market and has helped millions of people discover what they do best.
The assessment measures the presence of talent in 34 general areas or themes. Similar to your fingerprint, the sequence of your themes is unique to you. The odds that someone has the same five signature themes in the same order as you are 1 in 33 Million.
"Clifton StrengthsFinder tells you how you're talented. It identifies what you naturally do best. It provides customized results that name your unique talents. It shows you how you're special and how to succeed by turning your talents into strengths." Source.
Your report is just the beginning.
2. Work with a coach
After taking the assessment, work with a Gallup Certified coach to explore your natural talents, harness their power and, bring them to life every day.
Working with a coach will also allow you to understand and develop your talents and use them in a constructive and mature way.
The three main objectives pursued in a coaching session are to:
1. Name it: Identify your talents.
2. Claim it: Appreciate your talents, gain awareness and see the power and opportunities of your dominant themes.
3. Aim it: Learn how to develop your talents and transform them into strengths. You will also learn how to apply your talents towards specific objectives and better respond to situations that happen every day.
A coaching session will allow you understand what it takes to be successful at work and unlock your true potential.
At a different level, if you are a people leader, strengths coaching can help you recognize each of your team member’s unique talents and better understand your team’s collective strengths, gaps, and vulnerabilities. Managers and leaders who know and leverage their team's strengths are more likely to have an engaged and productive team.
Final word
Performing at your best is possible and easier than you think. Your dominant talents are key to your personal development. By fostering them, you will pave the way to greater fulfillment and achievement. And by considering how you’re already using these talents, you can discover how you can cultivate them to be your best every single day.
When you approach your work, relationships, and community from your personal areas of strength, success follows. So what are you waiting for? Transform your world today with a Clifton Strengthsfinder coaching session. Unlock your inner genius today.