We know from our research that optimising strengths will help you reach your goals as an individual.  Whilst this will get you part of the way, everyone appreciates a team player, so ensure you are committed to achieving you team's goals too by following our simple tips.

Define the standards

Research that looked at high performance across 19,000 people found that knowing your performance standards was the number one predictor of high performance. So, do your team know exactly how they are evaluated?

Define the goal

We know that the top strength that people want to see in their managers is Mission. Having a clear sense of purpose in what you do is critical to success. Do you and your team have a clear sense of what exactly you’re trying to achieve, why you are doing it, and a well-communicated strategic plan for its execution?

Define the individual tasks needed

Break the goal down into bitesize achievable tasks in your project plan, with timelines for delivery. How long will it take and when will it be delivered by? What are the milestones? Who is on the project team and why? What are their responsibilities?

Define the strengths and people needed

Who, with their Detail and Planner strengths, oversees the execution? Who on the team, with their Innovation and Creativity strengths, loves to come up with new ways to achieve the creative elements? Who has the Service and Drive to ensure the client is delighted?

It may be tempting, particularly if you are a small team, to go with the tried and tested method of who does what, based on what you have always done. But if you want to see an improvement in performance (the Corporate Executive Board suggests up to 36%), it is worth the investment of structuring responsibilities around people's strengths.

Don't assume that because it worked before it was a success; the team could have been using their Learned Behaviours rather than their strengths. If this was the case, you may not have seen the painful expressions on their faces as they struggled to get the job done.

Understand the weaknesses - Are there any gaps in the team? Can you learn from previous challenges of where the team needed extra support or were delayed in executing tasks? Highlighting those gaps and seeing if anyone can use their Unrealised Strengths to fill the gaps and support the goal is a great way forward.

To find out more about your own strengths and support your team to identify and use more of theirs, why not take a free Strengths Profile?  You could even consider becoming an Accredited Practitioner to support your team further?  Understanding the skills and strengths within your team will help to make everyone more productive and happier at work.