Would your life look different if you had always viewed things through a strengths-based lens?

There is a certain innocence in childhood. One where children have no filter (for better or worse!) and simply speak as they find, as well as a natural curiosity which doesn’t necessarily linger into adulthood. Does that naturally dissipate over time or are societal expectations put upon us? Is it simply the fact of growing older and gaining additional knowledge or maybe it’s the additional responsibilities that change our outlook on life?

Traditionally the workforce as a whole has not been viewed through a strengths-based perspective but rather through an acute focus on weakness and the resulting course correction. This can historically be seen manifesting during reviews, promotion or even pay discussions. Many of us have been conditioned to focus on our weaknesses and improve them, rather than celebrating what is RIGHT about us. The subsequent impact of changing the narrative and perspective not only impacts us all at work but overflows to home, family, friends... etc

That focus on weakness invariably starts in school - in the classroom, in the playground and now across the virtual world. The way in which we are taught and even what we are taught hasn’t changed that much in recent memory. In a way we are trapped in this existence underpinned by a certain “because we’ve always done it this way” mentality. Which begs the question… “But why?”  

With the Gallup Global Emotions 2022 report saying we are sadder, lonelier and more stressed than ever before we firmly believe a shake up is overdue. After all, if we are going to make a real difference through ways of work there is a real and absolute dependency on the education systems that underpin the workplace.

What if this was all flipped and uniqueness and personal strengths were celebrated in all aspects of life? We know that companies who truly value their employees and recognise who they are and how they feel create a stronger sense of belonging and a more profound sense of engagement. By adopting a strengths-based approach, one that focuses on working with and not against our natural innate talent, attrition can be reduced by 20%-73%, employee engagement can increase by 7%-23% and performance can increase by 8%-18%. (Gallup) 

What if this transformational thinking began in schools? We ask Mariane Power, Co-Founder of The Posify Group, who offers science-backed resources programs and events to help the next gen develop and share their personal and professional potential, to let us know what she is seeing and leading in this space…

Are we starting to see a shift in school curriculum? With Australia’s traditional propensity to focus on the academic side of schooling coupled with our sliding rankings, surely it’s time for a shakeup?

There’s been a lot of conversation around how our system needs a shake up. With 88% of youth reporting they feel ill-equipped for their future, and 9 out of 10 teachers reporting feeling under trained in curriculum that supports future world and work readiness, it’s no wonder we’re questioning the status quo. However, system change takes time, and time is one thing we don’t have when it comes to ensuring today’s youth are equipped with the critical life, wellbeing and career skills they’ll need to navigate this rapidly changing world. What we’re seeing is a call on co-collaborative approaches to change. For example, the OECD in their Meet the Future report demonstrated the benefit companies have when they invest in next gen personal and professional development initiatives. In this way, we’re seeing an increase in a demand for intermediaries, like ourselves, who can serve as translators between education and industry, in the co-design of solutions that help plug in the gaps, and provide much needed and valued support to our world class educators in Australia, who are juggling unprecedented change in an exceptional and constantly evolving world context.

Are we starting to see an emergence of viewing students as a whole rather than focusing on their academic outcomes?

I’d like to say yes, however, my experience is we still have a lot of work to do in this space. Certainly in education, movements toward understanding the significant role wellbeing has on factors predictive of positive outcomes, both in adolescence and adulthood, are being reflected through the uptake of the Positive Education movement here. There’s a push toward exploring how we might measure, capture and share the development of ‘soft’ skill, through the addition of Learner Profiles in the secondary years. When we speak with parents, educators and even young people themselves, there seems to be an inner knowing of this relevance, but a lack of understanding as to how ‘whole human development’ is valued beyond the school gates. That journey, around reframing and repositioning what matters most, and what we value in our society, in our workforce, in our communities and world, is a big piece. And one that we believe industry can play a significant role in shaping. 

How is Posify leading this change?

At Posify, we’re disrupting the talent acquisition space by designing both digital and in-person programs and events that enable industry to safely and effectively connect with and support their people of tomorrow, today. Our award-winning trilogy series meets young people right as they begin their developmental task of exploring who they are in the world, and grows alongside them, pulling them through their formal education and into meaningful work. Our clinical founding team draws on expertise in positive psychology, human potential sciences, behaviour change, modern career development theories, inclusive education practices and human design thinking principles to co-design flexible personal and professional development pathways, enriched by real world design challenges, career stories and mentorship provided by our industry partners, keen to position themselves positively to their talent of tomorrow. 

How do you see these changes benefiting our workforce? 

When we first started, we assumed from the literature that meaningful connections and conversations with adults would be predictive of positive development outcomes for youth, and that certainly has been the case. What’s been really interesting and rewarding is the evidence we’ve gathered that demonstrates the mutual benefit for our industry contributors too. People today want to know their contributions count, and want to experience their work as meaningful. So it’s been wonderful to track the benefit of our programs on positive youth outcomes, and also on creating connected, engaged and purpose driven teams at work too! 

What is your hope for Australia’s youth?

Too many of our young people are burdened by the ‘problems’ of the world that we, the generations before them, have co-created. We want Australian youth to see, firsthand, that we as adults have got this. That we’re investing in ensuring equitable access to education and development pathways, so we have the best chance of ensuring maximum human potential is harvested, and available to co-design solutions for good. And beyond being seen as our ‘future workforce’, we value and want to nurture their role as future caretakers of the planet, and all that’s in it.

At Humanico, we believe everyone is unique and therefore can offer a unique set of strengths, skills and perspective. When this uniqueness is explored it can be understood, amplified and enhanced especially when combined with others. In doing so truly great things can happen. Imagine the benefits for both companies and individuals if you could have the right people in the right place at the right time.