Unlocking Your Potential: Identifying the Strengths You Need to be an Impactful Leader
In my previous article, we discussed the CliftonStrengths leadership assessment and the significance of understanding and developing your unique strengths within the four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. However, it's crucial to understand that the strengths that have carried you to your current position may not be the same ones that you will need to excel at the next level, or reach your future goals.
The demands of leadership change as you ascend the career ladder and as your external environment evolves. The strengths that served you well in a previous role may need to be supplemented or even replaced by new strengths as your responsibilities shift or your organization faces new challenges or opportunities.
Understanding the Shift
First, let's explore why your current strengths may not serve you as effectively as they previously did as you move forward.
Most people start their careers as individual contributors, and move up into leadership positions as they gain more experience, and prove that they can excel in their positions…. Not necessarily because they have natural leadership skills or capabilities.
Individual contributors, in most organizations, need to be strong executors. They need to be able to take a directive from their leadership team, and deliver a product within a specific deadline. Whether that’s identifying or closing deals as a sales representative, completing audit checklists and workpapers as an accountant, analyzing thousands of lines of data as a business analyst, or creating copy as a marketing professional.
Now, consider any of these individuals as they move up in the organization. As they move into a more senior leadership role, they will need to learn to step away from the day-to-day execution of tasks, and learn to delegate so they can focus more on strategic thinking and influencing. Likewise, in a rapidly changing business environment, the leader's focus may need to shift from optimizing current operations to driving innovation or managing change.
Identifying the Strengths You Need
While there are a few core strengths within the influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking domains, that are beneficial for leaders to have, the strengths you personally need to develop will be wholly dependent on your natural strengths, your industry, your career path, and your goals.
The key to successfully navigating shifts in responsibility is to anticipate the strengths you will need in your future role or environment and begin cultivating them now. This process involves a combination of self-reflection, seeking feedback, and understanding the demands of your future role or goals.
Ask yourself: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities I am likely to face in the future? What strengths will I need to address them? What strengths do other leaders who have succeeded in similar situations demonstrate?
In addition, seek feedback from mentors, peers, and team members about your strengths and areas for development. They may provide insights you've overlooked and suggest areas where new strengths could be beneficial.
Developing New Strengths
Once you've identified the strengths you need to cultivate, devise a plan to develop them. This could involve a variety of approaches:
Learning: Read books, take courses, or engage a coach to develop understanding and techniques. You can also leverage google or ChatGPT and ask for recommendations on how to strengthen a specific skill!
Practice: Look for opportunities to practice your new strengths, starting in low-risk situations and gradually moving to more critical ones as your competence grows.
Mentoring / Sponsorship: Seek guidance from someone who exhibits the strength you wish to develop. Mentors share their knowledge, skills and/or experience, to help another to develop and grow. Sponsors are individuals in the organization who are willing to advocate on your behalf and connect you to opportunities that will help you gain experience and growth.
Outsource: If you’ve noticed a gap that you aren’t able or willing to develop, consider delegating tasks that require this strength to a team member who has proven that they are strong in this domain. This not only covers the gap but also empowers and develops your team. If you don’t have direct reports, remember that you can leverage other teams!
Final Thoughts
In mindful leadership, the ability to adapt and grow is equally as important as self-awareness. By taking time to assess your current strengths, anticipate future needs, identify the strengths you may need, and taking steps to cultivate them, you can set yourself up to be a successful, influential and impactful leader.
And, as Brene Brown says, “[You] don’t have to do all of it alone. [You] were never meant to.” Leadership growth is a continuous journey, and it's okay to seek help as you gain experience and adapt to your evolving role.
If you’re looking for more resources to help you become a more impactful and mindful leader, dive into my blog and other free resources. Or, if you’re ready to seek individualized support and guidance as it relates to developing new strengths or determining what strengths you need to develop, I invite you to book a complimentary discovery call with me here.
Lastly, if your new role has lead to overwhelm and burnout, consider downloading my Burnout Bundle to reclaim your energy, your life, your career, and your joy. It’s a great first step to becoming a more confident and grounded leader!