BLT: Hold a mirror up to yourself…what are your strengths?

Nowadays, we’re all very accustomed to ‘selling ourselves’ online – our websites, our LinkedIn profiles, our job applications…even our dating profiles (for those ‘out there’!) We loudly proclaim our strengths and even contrive to make a virtue out of our weaknesses.

But what about when we’re face-to-face with our friends…our colleagues…people who know us rather better – are we so confident then about our strengths? And, more to the point, how do they perceive us – what do they regard as our strengths?

This was the topic for our most recent BLT(*) meeting.

What do we mean by ‘strengths’?

I’m going to take a step back for a second, and look at what ‘Strengths’ are traditionally sought after.

First of all, there are CV strengths; i.e. the ability to do a job. These tend to be more functional, business-like qualities.

Top Five Strengths Employers seek in Employees

• Analytics – how to make decisions in order to improve profits and productivity.
• Communication – how to ‘sell’ the company, both internally and externally.
• Dependability – how to ‘get things done’ on time.
• Flexibility – how to cope with change and deadlines.
• Teamwork – how to get on with everybody else for the greater good.

The 6 core virtues

Then, there are the more personal strengths; i.e. your qualities as a person out in the wider world, not necessarily just for the benefit of a particular job or position.

The 6 core virtues are defined as those which appear in the major religious and philosophical traditions across the centuries:

• Wisdom/Knowledge; e.g. creativity, curiosity, emotional intelligence.
• Courage; e.g. diligence, perseverance, integrity.
• Humanity and Love; e.g. kindness, generosity, caring.
• Justice; e.g. teamwork, fairness, loyalty.
• Temperance; e.g. self-control, humility, discretion.
• Transcendence; e.g. gratitude, forgiveness, optimism.

How would you assess your 3 core strengths?

When evaluating ourselves, we tended to parrot the ‘CV strengths’ back to the group – honesty, dependability, professionalism – generally hiding ourselves in the vagaries of being ‘a good employee’ (slightly ironic as most of us are self-employed!)

Interestingly though, when the rest of the group were asked to comment on what they thought of each other’s core strengths, we received much more interesting descriptions:

• Gobby – meaning forcefully creative (in a good way!)
• Pedantic – attention to detail (important for a will writer).
• Unconventional – able to see issues from a different perspective.
• Avuncular – of a benevolent and helpful disposition to others.
• Curious – always on the lookout for a new angle.
• Mind-reader – able to ‎interpret what client actually wants (rather than what says he wants).

Conclusion – Phone a friend

So, next time you’re writing about yourself online, ask a few friends what they think of your core strengths…you never know, it might just surprise you…or at the very least, perk up your CV!

Finally, since this week saw the passing of Ken Dodd, here’s my personal favourite from his extensive joke catalogue:

“I told the Inland Revenue I didn’t owe them a penny because I lived near the seaside.”

– Ken Dodd, at his famous tax fraud trial

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(*) BLT is a free fortnightly networking group that meets from 7:15-8:45, every other Thursday at The George & Dragon, Marlow.

For more details, please leave me a message – new networkers are always welcome.

The next meeting is Thursday 12th April.