Identifying Personal Strengths

Discovering your strengths doesn’t require a career coach or a personality test. Sometimes, all it takes is paying closer attention to your everyday life. Here are five practical ways to spot where you're already equipped to serve and grow: 1. Notice What People Ask You For Help With People are always giving clues. What do your friends, coworkers, or kids come to you for? Encouragement? Discernment? Clarity? Keep a list. You might not see the pattern right away. But over time, themes will emerge. God often reveals your gifts through community. 2. Pay Attention to What Energizes You You can be good at something and still feel drained by it. But the tasks that energize you? They’re worth noticing. Ask yourself: • What makes me lose track of time? • What do I look forward to? • What gives me life—even when it’s hard? Energy is a compass. Pay attention to where it points. 3. Reflect on Past Wins Think back to moments when things just clicked. Not just what you accomplished—but how it felt. • When did you feel most useful? • What made you feel a healthy kind of pride? • What projects lit you up? Tools like CliftonStrengths, Myers-Briggs, or journaling prompts can help too. They’re not magic—but they can give language to what’s already true. 4. Ask Someone You Trust Self-awareness is a team sport. Ask a friend, mentor, or manager: “When have you seen me at my best?” You don’t need a panel of experts. Just one or two people who know you and care about you. As Proverbs 27:6 reminds us: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” 5. Try Something and Reflect Clarity doesn’t come from thinking alone. You have to do. Try a new role. Volunteer. Pick up a new hobby. Then ask: • Did this feel life-giving or draining? • Was I helpful? • Did it stretch me? Even small steps create momentum. These practices won’t give you all the answers overnight. But they will give you direction. Over time, they’ll help you grow in both self-awareness and stewardship. Start small. Trust God to guide the process.

You're going through a career transition. Don't forget your strengths. One pattern I've observed over time: senior-level professionals navigate career transitions and quietly let their strengths take a back seat to the unknown. I've been guilty of it myself. I've seen this happen with high-performers who take on new initiatives. Individual contributors who become people managers. And experienced leaders taking over new teams. Our strengths have gotten us this far. But they get buried under our desire to prove ourselves. What I keep coming back to in these situations is that your strengths are exactly what will carry you through this next chapter. This is where building emotional intelligence helps. It helps you pause, reflect, and recognize what you bring to the table. Your strengths didn't suddenly disappear. Fear has a way of overshadowing them. Here are 4 ways to rediscover your strengths: 1️⃣ Think back to a previous transition. What strengths showed up then that you're underutilizing now? 2️⃣ Ask someone who knew you before. A former colleague, a mentor, a peer from a previous team. Sometimes the people who watched you work in a different environment can see your strengths more clearly than you can right now. 3️⃣ Notice what feels effortless. In the middle of the chaos, what are you doing when time moves quickly? What do people come to you for without being asked? Effortless typically indicates that something is often deeply ingrained. 4️⃣ Write down three strengths and one specific example of each from the last 90 days. If you can't find an example, that's useful information too. It may mean you haven't been creating space to use them. Everyone has unique strengths that add value. Don't forget them in this season of change. 📌 Save this post for the next time you're navigating something new. 👉 And follow me for more.

Are you clear on the value you deliver? ◾What problems do you solve? ◾What unique strengths set you apart? ◾How do you deliver exceptional results? ◾Why are you an invaluable asset? Most people aren’t fully aware of their strengths or confident in their ability to leverage them effectively. Many struggle to identify what their strengths are, how to showcase them, or how to communicate their value to others. This often holds them back from advancing in their careers. Recently, a friend came to me for coaching. He felt frustrated and stagnant, wondering why he hadn’t received a promotion in years when he believed he deserved one. He needed clarity and direction to move forward. Through a series of structured coaching sessions, we devised a plan with actionable steps that brought him closer to his goal of securing a leadership position. Key Areas We Focused On: ◾Awareness▶We pinpointed his unique strengths—his ability to take initiatives to the next level, solve complex problems, and deliver substantial value to his team. Together, we clarified how to effectively communicate these strengths to showcase his value as an asset to the organization. ◾Mindset and Action▶We addressed mindset challenges that lead to staying stuck, such as self-doubt, fear of failure, and an unwillingness to get uncomfortable, which often results in complacency. Generating awareness of one’s strengths and taking action can be difficult on your own; having a coach or trusted advisor can help you gain the clarity and direction you need. Self-awareness is the catalyst for change, but action is key. Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Consistent progress comes from taking small, uncomfortable steps toward one’s goals. ◾Maximizing Value▶We focused on strategically leveraging his strengths to maximize impact for the organization and clients. This included enhancing his time management skills to work smarter, not harder, and improving his communication skills to clearly articulate his contributions. He began volunteering for projects, leading presentations, and suggesting initiatives that benefited clients. By taking these steps, he built trust and credibility with others and gained confidence in himself and his abilities, enhancing his performance. Now, he is being considered for the leadership position he dreamed of. ♦ The Takeaway ▶ Everyone has value to offer. To advance your career, clarify your strengths, articulate the problems you solve, and understand the value you deliver. Recognize that taking action and generating self-awareness can be challenging, which is why working with a coach or trusted advisor can be invaluable. ♦ Share your thoughts and experiences. ▪ How do you effectively communicate your value to stakeholders? ▪ How have you overcome self-doubt to showcase your strengths? ▪ What advice would you give to someone struggling to identify their value?

Still unsure what makes you stand out in your career? You're not alone. But you're also not stuck. Here's a proven way to uncover your career superpowers—no personality test needed. I've helped 100+ professionals discover their career strengths. And this process? It works every time. Here’s how to find yours: 1. Track your energy levels • Notice when you feel most alive at work • Which tasks make time fly by • What you'd happily do even without pay 2. Collect feedback patterns • Save compliments from peers, managers, or clients • Observe what people frequently ask your help with • Reflect on what mentors highlight in you 3. Analyze your wins • List your top 5 accomplishments • Identify the skills you used in each • Look for patterns in how you approached problems 4. Study your free time • What do you enjoy teaching others? • What topics do you research for fun? • Where do people naturally seek your guidance? 5. Document "flow state" moments • Tasks that feel effortless • Projects where creativity flows • Problems you can spot and solve instantly 🔁 Here's what to do next: ✔ Track patterns for the next 30 days ✔ Maintain a daily “wins” journal ✔ Ask 3–5 trusted colleagues for feedback ✔ Compare your findings to job descriptions ✔ Review your past performance reviews This clarity becomes your career compass. Save this post if you’re planning your next move. And tell me what’s one strength people always see in you? P.S. Want to turn these insights into a real job-winning plan? Join my free webinar “Get Your Dream Job with My Career Spotlight Framework.” 📌 Register Here - https://lnkd.in/gq7ZrvDj #CareerGrowth #StrengthsFinder #JobSearchTips #CareerCoaching #PersonalBranding

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘴?" This is a question that many people have been asking me recently, since they've heard I'm now a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. My short answer – take the Clifton Strengthsfinder Assessment! But if you aren't ready for that yet, but want to have a glimpse of the possible talents you already possess, here are 𝟱 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 according to Gallup: 1. 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 – To what kinds of activities are you naturally drawn?     2. 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 – What kinds of activities do you seem to pick up quickly?      3. 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 – During what activities do you seem to automatically know the steps to be taken?      4. 𝗚𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 – During what activities have you had moments of subconscious excellence, when did you thought “How did I do that?”      5. 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – What activities give you a kick, either while doing them or immediately after finishing them, and you think, “When can I do that again?” You may want to pause and reflect on these questions. Done? If you're stuck, here are some of my own examples. 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: • I am naturally drawn to travel, because my number 1 strength of "Input" means I like to collect information about things, places, culture, history. • When I travel, I often skip the tourist attractions (except to collect photos and memories of course) and just randomly roam through the city. 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: • I realise that I pick up languages very quickly. Because I have a very strong auditory sense, I can listen to someone say something a couple of times and I can repeat it back. • I speak English, Mandarin fluently, and French fluently enough to have a simple 20 minute conversation with someone in French. 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄: • When I first learned Improv Theatre, I found it difficult as a speaker, I'm usually more prepared. • But once I get the hang of the concepts, my strengths of "Input" (#1), "Ideation" (#2) and "Adaptability" (#3) comes to the fore. 𝗚𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: • When I am coaching clients, I often find it easy to quote a research, a concept, or offer a metaphor or analogy to help clients gain clarity and move conversations forward. • I often thought "how did I do that?"    𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • I enjoy facilitating workshops. For most people, a full day workshop can be very draining. • But for me, it's fun! I get to listen to multiple perspectives, hear different stories, and I'm able to direct the conversations and weave learnings together to meet every participants' needs. • It's energizing for me! I hope you find these questions useful guideposts for your talents. If you can uncover them and use them, it may just change your life! I am a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. If you or your organisation would like to explore how a strengths-based approach can unlock purpose and raise productivity, let's chat! #WholeHearted

The most powerful intervention I do with my clients: Here's one of the most powerful exercises you can do to boost your performance. Make a list of 10 of the most important people in your life. Ask them to send you a story about a time when they saw you operating at your best. Where were you? What were you doing? What did they observe about you? When you get back all the answers, group them thematically (or ask ChatGPT to do it for you). You'll have a list of your signature strengths — as witnessed by other people with real examples you can use to tell the story of you at your best. Each time I do this intervention, the person or people I'm working with tell me it’s one of the most positive experiences they've ever had. A group of medical school residents I did this with told me it was the best thing they did in their entire residency. A VP I did this with told me it reconnected him to long-lost friends and changed the way he saw himself. A CEO I did this with said he never felt more appreciated by his team and it helped him to reach the next level. It can be hard to see ourselves honestly. It can also be challenging to identify what it is we're great at. This exercise allows us to do both. And that's important, because both honesty and maximizing our strengths are key to peak performance and reaching the top of our game. This is one powerful way to get started.

How I get other people to help me recognize my strengths: (this 4-step exercise is fun AND effective) It's called the 'Best Self Exercise': Step 1: Think of 3 people. ↳ You should trust them and their opinion of you. ↳ Ideally, 1 coworker, 1 family member, 1 friend. Step 2: Ask them to write about a SPECIFIC time when they felt like you were being your best self. ↳ People have different perceptions. ↳ It's interesting to hear from their point of view. Step 3: Spot the patterns. ↳ Look for recurring themes in the stories. ↳ Notice anything you haven't caught on your own. Step 4: Turn these insights into action. ↳ Test and apply these strengths in your life. Why this works: ↳ Gain clarity from outside perspectives. ↳ Get a boost of confidence. ↳ Brings you closer to that person. ↳ Identify and leverage your true strengths. What do you think of getting help recognizing your strengths? Any other tips? Let me know in the comments! PS. When I asked my dad, he first said, "I can't think of anything." After a week, he texted me a story about how I was tenacious about getting into Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York. He's right; I always go after my most meaningful goals. 😉 ___ 👋 Hi, I'm Sheena Hakimian, and I share tips on building confidence, career growth, and strengthening your mindset. Follow me and hit the 🔔 to never miss a tip. #strengths #confidence #personaldevelopment #careergrowth

How Chartered Accountants can scale? #2/9 Our Biggest Mistake while scaling ...! When we started scaling at DVS Advisory Group, our strategy seemed straightforward: assign roles based on technical expertise. Sounds logical, right? But here’s where we stumbled - we overlooked a crucial element: the personality factor. After several expensive lessons, we had an epiphany. The key to successful scaling? Aligning roles based on personality, not just expertise. #Step 2/9 in our scaling journey: "Knowing your Self". It’s not just about what you know; it’s about who you are. Your personality, the way you think, work, and make decisions, can be more impactful than your technical knowledge. A tax expert might not be the best fit to lead a business. Why? Because personality traits matter. At DVS Advisory Group, we categorize our team members into three primary types: Hunters: They shine in networking and client acquisition. Farmers: Experts at nurturing and deepening client relationships. Chefs: The detail-oriented executors, vital for daily operations. Take me, for instance, though I’m passionate about international taxation, I realized my strengths lie in engaging and solving complex structures, not in crafting detailed presentations. There's no right or wrong here - it is what it is. This self-awareness was crucial. We embraced Ray Dalio's and Adam Grant's "principlesyou" framework, creating our "Talent Warehouse". This approach helped us align personal inclinations with professional expectations. Key Questions at Step 2 "Know your Self":  1. What’s your Personality? Are you a Hunter, a Farmer, or a Chef? Understanding this can transform how you contribute to your firm. 2.What’s your Energy Gainer? Time is finite, but energy is infinite. Identifying what energizes you at work can lead to miraculous outcomes. 3. Is your Role aligned with your Personality? Using detailed Job Scorecards and the WHO Framework, we assessed the alignment between our team members' personalities and their roles. It was eye-opening. We were, in essence, judging fish on their ability to climb trees. The takeaway? Knowing yourself is more than a step in scaling or personal development; it’s a strategic advantage. As we continue our deep dive into Scaling up CAs, stay tuned for insights on aligning your personality with your economic engine (step 3) next week. Updated insights from step 1 are available here https://lnkd.in/gjPywE8t #charteredaccountants #strategy #entrepreneurship #scalingup