CDAA International Career Conference

Three tools to capture clients’ strengths

Presented by Dr Ann Villiers, Mental Nutritionist®

Cairns, 29 April 2011

Professional Standards: Career development theory

Overview: Productive, engaged, fulfilled people carve out roles that draw on their strengths.

This workshop will: clarify terminology (strengths, talents, traits, skills), put the case for building a strengths-based mindset in the workplace and in life, demonstrate three tools practitioners can use to help clients capture, clarify and confirm their strengths.

Tool 1. Strength statements

Marcus Buckingham, Go Put Your Strengths to Work, 6 powerful steps to achieve outstanding performance, Free Press, NY, 2007

Book tools

http://tmbc.com/mb/books/go?destination=node%2F25%3Fquicktabs_5%3D2#componentTable

Learn how to capture, clarify and confirm strengths:

Capture: During the week, write down what you find yourself doing that makes you feel: Powerful, confident, natural, smooth, on fire, high, great, authentic, that was easy, when can I do this again.

Also write down what you were doing when you feel: Drained, time going by so slowly, I can’t concentrate, frustrated, wiped out, forced, how much longer, irritated, bored,

Clarify: Change tense from past to present: ‘I loved it when’ to ‘I feel strong when…’

Identify which aspects of the activity are critical and must be preserved if the activity is to generate in you the same positive emotions in future weeks.

Ask 4 ‘Does it matter?’ questions:

·  Does it matter why I do this activity

·  Does it matter who I do this activity with/to/for

·  Does it matter when I am doing this activity

·  Does it matter what this activity is about? 102

Strength statement:

I feel strong when …

I learn something new, from someone I respect, that I can use, about communicating with people

Confirm with the strengths test: 12 items, rated 1-5, 5= strongly agree (ideal score 53+)

·  Other people often tell me I have a gift for this type of activity

·  I often find myself volunteering for this type of activity

·  I pick up this type of activity quickly

·  I always look forward to doing this type of activity

Tool 2: Signature Strengths

Martin Seligman, Authentic Happiness, Using the new Positive Psychology to realise your potential for lasting fulfillment, Random House Australia 2002

VIA Survey of Character Strengths, VIA Strength Survey for Children, www.authentichappiness.org

VIA Institute on Character

http://uat.viacharacter.org/VIACHARACTERPROFILE/tabid/61/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Focuses on character strengths. This tool rank orders 24 character strengths (grouped under 6 virtues) and compares your answers to thousands of other people. The top 5 are regarded as Signature Strengths

Characteristics of strengths:

·  Is a trait, psychological characteristic seen across different situations and over time

·  Is valued in its own right and for its own sake

·  Onlookers are elevated and inspired by observing virtuous actions

·  Cultures support them by providing role models, institutions, stories, rituals

·  Ubiquitous, valued in almost every culture

Summary:

Virtue / Routes to the virtue i.e. strengths
Wisdom and Knowledge / Curiosity, Love of learning, Judgment, Ingenuity,
Social Intelligence, Perspective
Courage / Valour, Perseverance, Integrity
Humanity and Love / Kindness, Loving
Justice / Citizenship, Fairness, Leadership
Temperance / Self-control, Prudence , Humility
Transcendence / Appreciation of beauty, Gratitude, Hope, Spirituality,
Forgiveness, Humour, Zest

Criteria that help you identify signature strengths are:

·  A sense of ownership and authenticity (‘This is real for me.’)

·  A feeling of excitement while displaying it, particularly at first.

·  A sense of yearning to find ways to use it.

·  Invigoration rather than exhaustion while using the strength.

·  The creation and pursuit of personal projects that revolve around it.

Using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of life brings gratification, a sense of satisfaction and meaning.

Tool 3: Reflected Best Self

RE Quinn, JA Dutton, GM Spreitzer, Reflected Best Self, Assignment and instructions for participants

http://www.bus.umich.edu/Positive/PDF/reflectedbest_exercise_preview.pdf

Teaching tool with instructions:

http://www.bus.umich.edu/Positive/POS-Teaching-and-Learning/ReflectedBestSelfExercise.htm

Ask 5-7 significant others – friends, family, coworkers, people who know you well and will provide honest opinions – to share written feedback describing you at your best. Ask for specific examples, no negative comments. Write a portrait summary: ‘When I’m at my best I …’

‘Don’t get to your grave with your song unsung.’ Cavett Robert