Strengthen Strengths
#workhack
Helps with
- a strength-oriented assignment of tasks and consequently an increase in commitment and motivation.
- improving work performance (both individually and at the team level).
- opening up new possibilities for problem solving.
- the release of energy and the reduction of subjective stress.
- increasing the meaningfulness and purpose of work.
To be considered
- Nobody is forced to take on a task from someone just because it corresponds to his or her strengths. Sometimes we have strengths in areas that just don’t energize us.
- Sometimes you find tasks that you would like to hand over very unattractive for yourself. But most teams have members with very different strengths and preferences – which is why we advise not to “sell” the assigned task too badly. We are all different.
- When describing strengths at the beginning: please only name real and serious strengths – no hidden criticism.
Tools
- Flipchart paper, whiteboard, etc.
For years we have learned from positive Psychology that it is easier to build on one’s strengths than to work on one’s weaknesses. Much easier. And yet, in many feedback sessions, more time and attention is given to so-called development potentials than to the wonderful strengths. And that is not only emotionally very unfortunate, but also not very motivating.
The #workhack “Strengthening strengths” is suitable for teams of up to 12 people. The team is divided into two groups. Each group names five strengths per person of the other group and records them on a flipchart. The strengths are written down anonymously, i.e. without personal assignment of the five strengths. Once both halves of the team have finished, the flipcharts are exchanged between the groups. The task for each group is now to guess which person is behind which five strengths. Then the groups reveal the secret and reveal how many hits the other group was able to record. Each strength is then briefly presented with a specific example.
Now comes the important second part of the #workhack: in the team or department, a board (analog or digital) is installed with tasks that individual team members would like to hand over because they are not part of their strengths. If someone feels called to take on this task, the participants exchange information about it among themselves.
In the weekly team meeting, they then discuss whether tasks have been distributed and how well this is working. If no one wants to take over a task pinned to the board, it remains with the original owner. The board gradually leads to a strength-oriented distribution of tasks.
The strengths description at the beginning is a good kick-off for this #workhack, but the strengths which had been written down are no longer relevant for the board.
Helps with
- a strength-oriented assignment of tasks and consequently an increase in commitment and motivation.
- improving work performance (both individually and at the team level).
- opening up new possibilities for problem solving.
- the release of energy and the reduction of subjective stress.
- increasing the meaningfulness and purpose of work.
To be considered
- Nobody is forced to take on a task from someone just because it corresponds to his or her strengths. Sometimes we have strengths in areas that just don’t energize us.
- Sometimes you find tasks that you would like to hand over very unattractive for yourself. But most teams have members with very different strengths and preferences – which is why we advise not to “sell” the assigned task too badly. We are all different.
- When describing strengths at the beginning: please only name real and serious strengths – no hidden criticism.
Tools
- Flipchart paper, whiteboard, etc.