As someone who is about her business, one of the first things to knowing your power is to focus on your strengths.
And an awesome way to do that is to make a list of your strengths and natural abilities.
Looking at your list can make you say “Wow, I really am good!”
So how do you make your list?
Start by asking your friends, colleagues and other people you know for feedback on your strengths and natural abilities.
Do It Now!
There’s no success without action so let’s get going!
List 5 people you know and trust for this exercise.
Make sure they are from different areas of your life.
List them below:
- A family member
- A friend
- A work colleague
- An associate
- A social contact
You may be feeling a little nervous about asking for feedback, but it’s perfectly normal, but don’t worry, you’re only asking for your strengths.
Just Go For It!!
What should you ask?
Here’s a list of questions that I’d like you to ask each person on your list.
It’s best that you meet or talk on the phone beforehand to explain the context of the exercise. Then either ask them verbally or give them the questions on a sheet of paper or they can respond via email with their feedback.
Here’s an email script you can use to follow up on your conversation:
Hi [first name],
I’m doing an exercise to help me become a better leader and person. A part of this process is taking inventory of my strengths and natural abilities and I could really use your help.
I trust you and value your opinion, so if you could answer these five questions, it would mean a lot. Here are the questions:
- What do you perceive to be my greatest strengths?
- What do you like most about me?
- What do you value most about me?
- What three words sum up the positive points about me?
- If you needed help with something, what would you call me to help you with?
Thanks for helping me with this exercise.
Best Regards,
[Your name]
You will find that they will feel honored that you trusted them to ask for their input. The feedback you’ll receive will make you feel fabulous and full of confidence.
And, you will get some really good insight into some of your strengths!
I’ve found that often you will receive valuable information on the strengths that you didn’t even know you had!
Your External Feedback Questions:
- What do you perceive to be my greatest strengths?
- What do you like most about me?
- What do you value most about me?
- What three words sum up the positive points about me?
- If you needed help with something, what would you call me to help you with?
What to Do After The Feedback
After you have received and read all of the feedback, it’s now time to reflect on what has been written or said:
How do you feel about it?
Are there any surprises?
Do you feel confident in your abilities?
How can you use this information going forward?
How can you maximize your strengths?
If these people think you have these strengths, so do a lot of other people as well – how does that make you feel?
What are the key insights you have learned?
What will you do now that is different to what you have done before?
Don’t forget to add your feedback to your Strengths | Abilities List.
So, there you have it.
When you are feeling unsure or insecure, pull out your trusty list and use it to remind you that you are more powerful than you feel right now. Feel free to reply to this email if you have any questions or just want to share your list with me.
Have a great week!
