In business, we often focus on the weaknesses that hold us back. But what if the key to success lies in recognising and leveraging the strengths you already have?
As an accredited Strengthscope® practitioner and business coach, I work with entrepreneurs, managers, and teams to help them unlock their natural strengths, boosting performance, resilience, and motivation.
Understanding strengths
Strengthscope® is a psychometric tool designed to help individuals identify their unique set of strengths, the qualities that energise them and enable them to perform at their best. It goes beyond skills and competencies, focusing instead on what gives them energy and drives them forward. When people work in line with their strengths, they’re more confident, more productive, and perform better.
Avoiding strength overuse
Like any powerful tool, a strength can be overused. For example, if you’re naturally detail-focused, that strength can be invaluable in quality control or planning. But if overused, it can tip into perfectionism, slowing down progress. By being aware of these potential ‘overdrive’ risks, you can balance your strengths more effectively and lean into them when they serve you and know when to step back when they start to hinder progress.
Harnessing ‘bubbling under’ strengths
Strengthscope® also identifies ‘bubbling under’ strengths which are those qualities that aren’t part of your daily toolkit but still energise you when used. For example, you may have a bubbling under strength in creativity, which doesn’t come into play in your current role but could be tapped into when brainstorming new products or marketing ideas. By recognising and drawing on these bubbling under strengths, you can add fresh energy and innovation to your work.
Managing your drainers
Equally important is understanding your ‘drainers.’ These are tasks or situations that you may be good at but that sap your energy, no matter how capable you are at handling them. For example, managing conflict might leave you feeling exhausted, or repetitive admin work drains your focus. Identifying these drainers means you can plan around themdelegating where possible, finding systems to ease the load, or simply being mindful to schedule recovery time after tackling them.
Applying strengths at every level
Whether you’re a sole trader, a leader, or managing a team, understanding strengths can transform the way you work.
Sole traders can use their top strengths to build confidence, focus on their unique value, and outsource the tasks that drain them.
Leaders and managers can gain awareness of how their strengths impact others in a positive and negative way and can change or adapt their approach to inspire their teams more effectively.
Teams can benefit from mapping strengths collectively. When you see how strengths combine, complement, or sometimes clash, you can create a more collaborative and energised workplace where people perform at their best.
The bottom line
Strengthscope® isn’t about identifying or fixing weaknesses, it’s about building on what already energises you. By understanding how to maximise your strengths, avoid overuse, draw on bubbling under qualities, and manage your drainers, you can achieve greater success, resilience, and fulfilment in business.
Whether you’re running your own business, leading a team, climbing the career ladder or considering which career would best suit you, strengths-based coaching is a powerful tool to get the best out of yourself and those around you.
If you’d like to book a coaching session to discover your strengths, please get in touch.
Sam Hook Business Coach and Accredited Strengthscope® Practitioner
Uniquethinking.co.uk
