The year 2021 is already off to a cracking pace. The projects, professional and personal, are mounting up. And each one demands something different from us.
Have you ever stopped to consider the positive personality traits you bring to the table? And which ones you may be missing?
Perhaps it's time to consider your signature strengths, as University of New England psychology researcher Associate Professor Nicola Schutte explains.
What are signature strengths?
We each have a distinct profile of character strengths. Among them are universal qualities like curiosity, fairness, honesty, humour, leadership, teamwork and zest. They are the strengths we naturally draw on and employ in all realms of our life, and we possess and demonstrate them to varying degrees.
You can identify your signature strengths by doing a survey like the one at https://www.viacharacter.org/
What happens when we apply our signature strengths?
Researchers believe that understanding your strengths and applying them can increase your wellbeing, improve your relationships and even boost your productivity at work.
The value in exploring your signature strengths is that it helps you to gain insights into yourself.
People who have harnessed their individual strengths report better mental health and wellbeing, fewer symptoms of depression, and greater satisfaction with life.
What about applying signature strengths at work?
Research has shown that people who use their signature strengths in the workplace are more engaged, more productive and report higher job satisfaction. They find work more meaningful, and it can also lead to better work citizenship: our ability to collaborate in teams, and to support others and the organisation at large.
When we use our signature strengths in targeted ways it can lead to better work outcomes, improved customer or client interactions, new ideas or products. Indirectly, we feel less stressed. Over time, signature strengths can become embedded in workplace culture, with the potential to positively influence the wellbeing of others.
What about the signature strengths of the people we work with?
It is beneficial to be aware of the signature strengths of the people around us. It may help support our relationships and this is particularly valuable on a personal level, with regard to our partners and children. Recognising their strengths may help us to interact in ways that enable both parties to further develop their strengths.
Knowing what strengths your colleagues possess, and encouraging them to draw on those strengths, might be useful in a certain field or for certain tasks at work. Identifying your own signature strengths might even help you to determine what types of work you will find most engaging, and such choices can enable us to contribute optimally in those roles.
It may also be useful for employers to consider the signature strengths of applicants during recruitment, to help find the best match for current or future roles.
How do you recommend learning more about your signature strengths?
First of all, take a survey, then reflect on the strengths identified. Consider whether you want to use those strengths more and how you might intentionally incorporate them into realms of your life, perhaps your relationships and workplace. Remember to reflect on whether it was beneficial: could you do more or use your strengths in different ways? You may even want to work at developing the strengths you scored poorly for.
Our strengths can change over time.
Re-take the survey at a later time to see if other strengths are emerging and whether you have enhanced the previously identified strengths through greater use.
It's never too late to develop your signature strengths and we tend to draw on different strengths at different stages in life. It's good to recognise those changes so that you can be continually developing your own signature strengths and helping others to develop theirs.
And, Nicola, for the record, what is your top signature strength?
Curiosity. It fuels my research endeavours. I always want to know what leads people to do certain things, how we can help people overcome a certain problem, or grow in positive ways.
