How can you identify the strengths of your colleagues?

When asking a colleague directly about his/her strengths he/she immediatley will fall into the trap that what they are capable of doing in general and not being specific. Being specific about knowing strengths is the true dilemma, and to break it you need to explain what strength means, which is something you are good at and enjoy doing. later on in the discussion has to continue to reach a level where he/she says: "My strength is not communication in general, but being able to communicate complicated concepts and ideas to people who are not from its industry. People must be specific when speaking about their strengths and it's not an easy task to do, but very rewarding when achieved.

Asking them directly - Finding someone's strength is not as simple as it sounds. Even if you directly ask someone, He / She might not be aware of strength completely. - Instead you can observe, find out what is that one unique thing this person is know for? - Very often when you are good at something, you become known about that trait in your circle. People will come to you for suggestion in the area of your strength.

Asking directly from the colleagues formally or informally plays an important role in enhancing their overall performance Listening carefully to their answers and trying to understand their perspective will always help in unleashing the true potential of colleagues!

I believe it helps to make some distinction between hard/technical skills and soft skills. The first are often more visible and people are also more conscious of therefore asking them can work quite well. These skills are also generally easier to test if needed in case of interviews, new-comers in the team, etc The latter may instead be both more difficult to identify and people can also be less consciuos of. For these I have personally found very insightful getting help from coded assessment methodologies (there are really many available, usually managed or facilitated by the HR department)

By asking people directly what their strengths are you validate their choices, way of thinking, values and needs. It may need strong communication skills, assertiveness, your ability to make them feel confident and to create a safe space for them to talk freely, but I think it's the best way you'll find some roots of what that person's willing to focus on and what likes best about himself. It's not enough to let them talk - I think it's best if you turn this into a dialogue. Empowering others to speak their ideas by giving them a sneak peak into yours is always a good connector. Finally, if you can mix it all up with case practices, share good and bad experiences, would definitely take you further (ex. action, change)

Convertirte en un observador en tu oficina puede ser más divertido que un reality show. Fíjate en quién es el mago de los malabares multitarea o el ninja de la calma bajo presión. Observar a tus colegas en su hábitat natural, digamos durante el pico de estrés de un lunes por la mañana, puede ser tan revelador como un documental de naturaleza narrado por Sir David Attenborough.

One thing I find helpful on this approach is,we may find near to perfect behavior of our coworker and their real strengths,because under this approach they are free to express their thoughts and opinions but we need to be mindful off their actions while we do the observation and we need to be a good listener so that we can identify their preferences and talents.

This could be a good way of identifying the strengths of our colleagues provided we look at them without any biases and within their area of expertise. In the competitive landscape the qualities which differentiate one from the other is his understanding of his own subject, dedication to go that extra mile, communication ability (listening skills), risk taking appetite and also collaborative approach. Motivations can be different for individuals, whereas self motivation is the most pivotal in anyone's attitude towards a task in hand. Hence observing these clues in a person's behaviour can give a lot of insights about his capabilities to handle any challenge in job or life as a whole.

It's really important to learn from the individual. What someone believes is a strength or a weakness isn't always the reality, sometime confidence is an issue and a little coaching can be a game changer.

Team building exercises are a great way to see how people function together, and thus discover their strengths and areas of improvements.

De acuerdo. Si la observación es un arte, entonces un marco de trabajo es tu galería. Utiliza metodologías establecidas como el análisis SWOT o las 'Cinco Grandes' personalidades para evaluar las fortalezas de tu equipo. Es como armar un mueble de IKEA sin las instrucciones: desafiante, pero al mismo tiempo tan gratificante cuando todas las piezas encajan.

One of the benefits of using a framework is that it can help become more objective and be used to measure alongside the strengths of others in a team. Beyond the ability to complete tasks, the combination of strengths and personalities can make or break a team as it contributes to the culture. If a team is full of leaders, there will be too many chefs in the kitchen. If everyone is reflective, it may take time to shift into action. If everyone is logical, you may miss the cues to connect deeply with each other and the customers you're trying to serve. I've personally found strengths tests to be illuminating about my own character. Once understood, I knew when to step forward, or back, for the benefit of the group.

Evaluating your strengths comparatively can be a great way to gauge your performance objectively. One such effective method is a 360-degree evaluation. However, it is important to note that such evaluations should always be coupled with coaching about the results. Moreover, they should never be used as a measure of competence. Instead, they are an excellent tool to capture perceptions and identify improvement areas while acknowledging and appreciating your strengths.

I employ a strengths identification framework by assessing three key areas: skills, motivations, and results. Firstly, I observe their proficiency in various tasks and projects. Secondly, I explore their motivations – what aspects of work energize them the most? Lastly, I analyze their track record for achieving positive outcomes. This structured approach helps me discern their strengths systematically, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of their abilities and contributions to our team's success.

The Enneagram test is a great way to better understand your colleagues. I recommend you take it and share with those who work close to you, so they can better understand you.

Asking for feedback on others can be helpful, but you should always make the effort to get information that will help you to form your own opinion. What one person saw as a weakness or flaw, another person may see as a strength. On the other hand, if several people, are saying the same thing, good or bad, this is likely something to pay attention to.

Imagine the immense benefits of a 360 Evaluation paired with transformative coaching. Don't settle for anything less than a transformative experience that will help you grow and succeed. I wholeheartedly agree that this is the way to go and learn about others' perceptions of your strengths.

360-degree type of survey are also very useful but - to deliver good insights they should ask feedback to different types of colleagues and should also include those that we believe are not really our main supporters (and this can also lead to positive surprises at times) - need to be read with some caution as the group of people giving feedback usually cannot be that large One fundamental tip I could give is to ask the persons that you would like feedback from if they are available to do so BEFORE sending out the survey. This will greatly increase the % of respondents!

Asking for feedback helps identify colleagues' strengths, but we must examine it carefully. Feedback provides insights, but we should form our own opinions based on objective observations. This ensures fairness and accuracy in understanding colleagues' strengths, promoting effective collaboration. However, we must consider biases, limited perspectives, and the accuracy of feedback. Trusting our judgment and combining feedback with objective observations leads to a well-rounded understanding of colleagues' strengths.

Pedir feedback es como hacer una cata de vinos; necesitas un paladar refinado y la capacidad de leer entre líneas. No todo el mundo puede distinguir las 'notas de roble' en un Merlot, así como no todos pueden ver la genialidad en la gestión de proyectos de un colega. Pero cuando pides y das comentarios genuinos, se abre un buffet de insights que incluso un sommelier envidiaría.

La experimentación en el lugar de trabajo no siempre significa usar la impresora 3D para hacer figuras de acción personalizadas. Se trata de poner a tus colegas en nuevos roles, proyectos y equipos para descubrir habilidades insospechadas. A veces, el resultado es una obra maestra, y otras veces... bueno, ¿quién no ama una buena comedia de errores?

Experiment and learn - give you a tremendous amount of information. There are many possibilities for projects, team collaborations, little assignments, or testing the hypothesis tasks. Here, you can combine multiple ways: observation, direct interaction, feedback, and asking questions directly. All of which will provide different pieces of information. A mental note: don't assume that person is good or bad only after one experiment. Give them to try it out a few times: more data, better information, and a clear conclusion.

Facilitate a platform for team members to share their expertise and learn from one another. Organize workshops, training sessions, or knowledge-sharing events where individuals can showcase their strengths. This not only enhances the skill set of each team member but also promotes a sense of camaraderie. Cross-functional learning opens up avenues for collaboration and enables individuals to apply their strengths in various contexts.

Trust your colleagues to get the job done. If you don't allow your colleagues to try new things, reach their edges, or have a possibility to fail - You'll have a bunch of stagnant colleagues, who will eventually leave because they aren't challenged. And you will burnout on top of that because you don't trust your colleagues to do good work.

This is a in place tool. Good option but just limited experiments in laboratory environments are not bringing always proper conclusions. Interviews or role playing always are not reflecting behavior in real situations.

In my experience, I consider that mentoring could be an area that supports others and yourself to recognize your strengths, your areas of opportunity and set goals for your development path. Working with a mentor on this topic could help you to identify your strengths and work towards those that you want to leverage.

Appreciation and Utilization with Empathy: In recognizing and leveraging colleagues’ strengths, be sensitive to how you communicate your appreciation. Some may prefer public recognition, while others might value quiet acknowledgment.

We must make a habit of acknowledging and appreciating the achievements and exceptional work of our colleagues. When we publicly recognize their strengths and contributions during team meetings or through written appreciation messages this fosters a positive attitude and their general motivation and affinity to the workplace environment (potentially) increases manifold.

Na minha experiência, fazer uma avaliação após a realização de um evento, conversar sobre os resultados, enxergar o que deu certo e principalmente reconhecer onde erramos tem nos dado resultados excelentes para um maior engajamento. Reconhecer a excelência do trabalho que foi realizado por aquela equipe, e mostrar o que precisa ser melhorado, faz com as pessoas se sintam seguras, confiantes em buscar novos projetos e felizes por terem realizado algo que contribuiu para o bem de outro.

🌟 Identifying Colleagues' Strengths: Appreciation and Utilization 🌟 Discover colleagues' strengths by showing appreciation. Acknowledge how their strengths benefit the team and the organization. Align their strengths with collective goals and values. Leverage strengths by assigning tasks that match, involving in challenging projects, or mentoring for enhancement. Foster a positive, supportive environment valuing and celebrating strengths. 🤝💡

Take a look on the successful projects they have been leading or even just collaborating, understand their contribution and drivers for the achievements. Discuss with them and ask for their suggestions and inputs on common activities, increase collaboration to know them better.

Encourage an environment where constructive feedback flows freely. Regular check-ins and performance evaluations can help team members understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Implement feedback loops not only from supervisors but also among colleagues. This cultivates a culture of learning and adaptation, ensuring that strengths are acknowledged and weaknesses are addressed.

At my current workplace in a school, we have implemented a unique approach to identifying the strengths of our colleagues. We have established a system where each individual teacher has the opportunity to choose a topic for a professional development session that they would like to lead. This approach has proven to be very effective in uncovering and highlighting the diverse strengths within our team. By allowing teachers to take the lead in these sessions, we not only promote a collaborative and inclusive environment but also gain valuable insights into the expertise that may not be immediately apparent in their daily roles

1) Be curious and consider asking “What energises you?” “What do you enjoy learning about?” "When do you lose track of time?" to prompt reflections of their strengths. 2) Observe - Notice the moments when their faces light up, they speak with conviction/ enthusiasm, stand a little taller and confident. These are clues they are in the strengths zone. 3) When are the times they instinctively volunteer for something? Or helped you with something that made you wonder “How did you do it so quickly?” The next time you spot a strength in your colleague or loved one, it’ll be a really nice gesture to tell and acknowledge them. It’s likely they may not be aware of it as it comes naturally.

Consider using a personal assessment tool like Gallup's CliftonStrengths as a way of getting to know each other and build trust on the team. A tool like this gives an opportunity to directly learn and share about each other's strengths. Gaining an appreciation of what your colleagues bring to the table also allows you to consider how you can best leverage your team's strengths by creating ideal working environments for their strengths.