Using your strengths for maximum impact

Time to read: 5 minutes

Hi Reader

Strengths. We all have them. But we often think about them in the wrong way. And that means we fall short of their full benefit.

In my coaching experience, I've seen great people underplay their natural talents, simply because they're 'too familiar' or 'too easy.' Others get caught in the shadow side of their strengths, unaware of the unintended impacts. And then there’s those who never truly leverage their strengths to align with their deeper purpose.

But there's a world of untapped potential if we can rethink our approach.

So this week’s edition will flip the script on strengths. We’ll call out the common traps and why they’re so problematic. I’ll share some personal stories about how I’ve got this wrong in the past. And I’ll take you through the thought process I now use with my coaching clients, to help them make full, unapologetic use of their strengths.

Let’s dive in…

Common Strengths Mistakes

Underappreciating our talents and downplaying what we’re great at:

Probably the most common trap of all. We just undervalue what comes easily to us.

Because we do something with ease, or it’s the thing that people come to us for regularly, we start to forget how valuable that strength is. Or worse, maybe we never realise in the first place.

One of my signature strengths is big-picture thinking. I can step beyond the immediate problem to understand the moving parts and see things in a different context or timeframe. It’s really helpful these days when I coach. But for years I underappreciated it because it’s “just how I think”. It was only after receiving similar feedback regularly, then noticing that I did approach problems in a different way to others, that I started to appreciate and embrace it.

So remember, just because a skill feels natural, doesn't mean it's not valuable.

Overemphasis on weaknesses:

It's a classic trap. We pour energy into fixing our flaws, believing this will lead to success.

It can often be triggered by comparison. The thought goes:

“They’re successful. They’re great at

But that’s missing the point. They’ve leveraged their strengths to support their success. We need to do that with our own.

And you've only got to look at anyone who's excelling in their chosen endeavour (sports, music, business, etc.). They've embraced who they are - and who they're not - and they're OK with doubling-down on what makes them great.

The superficial strengths list:

Many of us make a good start by identifying our strengths (often through online tools) but then stop at that. However, knowing you're good at something isn't the same as understanding how to use it effectively.

There was a point in my career when I couldn’t get enough of self-assessment tools. I’d fill them out diligently and read through the results. I had about 5 different takes on my strengths - or at least what the tools told me.

It was confusing, because each tool gave me a different set of outputs. And, crucially, I was no further on really understanding what these strengths meant to me, or the impact I could make.

My ability to maximise my strengths started when I stopped looking for the next shortcut through a generic report, and did the deep work to really understand what my strengths were, the subtleties in each, and how I could fully utilise them.

Shadows cast by strengths:

A great manager of mine in the past would say “Every strength casts a shadow”.

But what does it mean?

• Imagine the driven and purposeful manager who gets things done, but who becomes overbearing when things get tough.
• The amazing logical thinker who gets so wrapped up in the problem that they lose sight of the bigger picture.
• And the emotionally intelligent and caring leader who becomes so afraid of conflict that team performance suffers.

Every strength has a flip-side or a countereffect. Sometimes more than one. And the shadow gets longer when we start to over-use a strength.

So get aware of these shadows and take them into effect. Build in some balancing strategies. Then you get more of your strength and less of the shadow.

It’s one of the most powerful lessons I learned on strengths. Thanks Emma.

Strengths in isolation:

A list of strengths is just a starting point. If we’re not fully integrating them into the process to achieve our big, ambitious goals then we’re isolating and under-utilising them.

This one’s quite subtle. It often shows up as someone who’s actually quite clear on their strengths. They’ve probably also got a pretty clear goal. But they’ve not done the work to see how to make confident and unashamed use of their strengths in the pursuit of their goal.

And that brings us nicely to thinking about this in a different way.

Maximising Our Strengths for Impactful Outcomes

First, a basic principle:

Our strengths are just a set of tools. We have to decide what to use those tools for.

Without a purpose to guide their application, our strengths are just a random collection of skills, experience, behaviours and knowledge. They might even compete for attention and application.

But let’s go back to my example: My purpose is to “develop new perspectives so we can create meaningful change”. So now I can bring my strengths to bear more intentionally:

• Coaching helps dig beyond the obvious to uncover new insight on opportunities and challenges
• Strategic Thinking joins the dots to reveal a bigger picture
• My Transformation focus helps to chart a path to change and tackle the difficulties on the way.

I could go on, but this isn’t a job interview and you get the idea.

It’s why two leaders will approach the same job in very different ways but both be successful. Why no two CEOs or top consultants have taken the same career path. Why every solopreneur needs to grow their business in their own, impactful way.

(And, if you’ll allow me a quick sports analogy, it’s why teams often organise their whole playbook and strategy around a star player’s strengths and the shadows they cast.)

The important thing is becoming clear on where you’re heading and why. Then you can strategically use the tools in your toolbox - your strengths - to maximise your journey.

If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. Kind of.

It takes deep work to get clarity on your purpose, fully understand your strengths, then a plan to apply them strategically.

But once you’ve got this, you’ll have a new level of clarity, confidence and control.

Wrap up

Just remember, we’ve all got a bag full of strengths already. We might not be tuned into them. We might even under-appreciate them.

But, when you fully embrace them and integrate them into a cohesive strategy that aligns with your goals and values, great things will start to happen.

So here’s this week’s reflective question:

It's not just about listing them; it's about understanding their true nature, their potential for impact, and how they can propel you towards your goals in ways you might not have considered.

Before you go, I’ve got a quick question to ask.

I’m working on a new Ambition Accelerator programme

I’d love to speak to 3 ambitious, purposeful leaders who want to maximise their personal impact, but right now are facing the challenge of feeling like they’re playing smaller than they could.

Do you know someone in your network who might be interested?

Don’t share their name with me without their permission. But please ask them to get in touch for a chat. They can drop me an email or book a catch-up call. Thanks!

Thanks for reading. Stay ambitious.

Rob

Sparked Ambition Ltd

​linkedin.com/in/robstubbs​

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