Elevate Your Impact with Character Strengths | L.O.V.E Notes #3 💌
Uncover the transformative power of your character strengths. From boosting your leadership skills to enhancing your personal relationships and vitality, this issue is packed with practical insights.
Welcome to the third issue of Sunday L.O.V.E Notes 💌—Weekly insights on Leadership, Organization, Vitality, and Evidence-based practices for a happier, healthier life and business.
Since starting this experiment three weeks ago, I've been fine-tuning and clarifying my vision for the newsletter.
I made a couple of changes to the format this week and I’d love to hear your feedback!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments at the end of this post. 💬
Today we’re exploring the power of character strengths.
Leadership: How strengths-based leadership can make you a more positive and effective leader.
Organization: Delivering positive feedback with a practical 3-part formula that can strengthen personal and professional relationships.
Vitality: Enhancing your wellbeing through character strengths.
Evidence-Based Practice: Discover your unique character strengths with a free assessment, founded in science.
“Research shows that if you have an active awareness of your character strengths you are 9x more likely to be flourishing.” 1
Strengths are characteristics of your identity that empower you to experience your greatest potential.
When you use your strengths, you feel energized and engaged. You navigate obstacles with less friction.
Signature strengths bring joy to your work, deepen your influence as a leader, strengthen relationships with others, and support your wellbeing.
Onto the L.O.V.E Notes 💌
Leadership
How strengths-based leadership can make you a more positive and effective leader.
By prioritizing personal development and wellbeing, strengths-based leaders inspire, empower, and leverage strengths to foster engagement and wellbeing.
Strengths-based leaders:
Identify, practice, and develop their strengths to effectively lead and manage their business in harmony with their life.
Use strengths to overcome challenges.
Recognize and develop strengths in others, making them feel seen and appreciated.
Build confidence in themselves and others.
Your team will be happier and more fulfilled the more they get to leverage their strengths and feel appreciated for their contributions.
“78% of employees who report having a meaningful discussion with their manager about their strengths feel their work is making a difference and is appreciated.”2
Organization
Delivering positive feedback with a practical 3-part formula that can strengthen personal and professional relationships.
Strengths-spotting is a meaningful way to recognize and value others. Sometimes, people are only aware they have a specific strength once someone points it out to them.
Specificity is essential to making the feedback impactful. Compare these two examples of positive feedback:
"You're doing a great job!"
-VS-
"Creativity is one of your strengths. Last week, when we had a deadline issue with a client, you were able to identify a creative solution that saved everyone time and made the client happy. I appreciate you thinking outside of the box!"
The first example is generic and can feel empty and meaningless.
The second example identifies the strength, provides a specific example of when it was demonstrated and expresses appreciation.
This approach will encourage more creativity and help the person embrace their strength!
Use the ICE Method of Strength-Spotting 🧊
➡️ Identify and name the specific strength you spotted
➡️ Cite an example of when they demonstrated the strength
➡️ Express appreciation
This approach works in personal relationships, too! Try it out the next time your partner does something you appreciate.
If you're interested in learning more about the impact of positive reinforcement, check out one of my favorite leadership books - Whale Done🐳.
Vitality
Enhancing Your Wellbeing Through Character Strengths
Scientific research has consistently demonstrated that using one’s strengths is associated with higher levels of wellbeing. People who use their strengths have been found to experience more positive affect, vitality, self-esteem, work satisfaction and engagement.3
Here's how focusing on character strengths can boost your vitality:
Authenticity
When you align your actions with your character strengths, you're living authentically. This alignment fosters a deep sense of congruence between who you are and how you show up in the world, leading to greater inner peace and fulfillment.
Energy Boost
Utilizing your strengths energizes you. Unlike draining tasks that deplete your energy, leveraging your strengths feels invigorating. By tapping into what comes naturally to you, you sustain your vitality and enthusiasm for life.
Resilience
Character strengths serve as pillars of resilience during challenging times. They provide you with the inner resources and coping mechanisms necessary to navigate adversity, ultimately contributing to your overall wellbeing.
Positive Emotions
Engaging with your strengths generates positive emotions such as joy, satisfaction, and contentment. These emotions not only enhance your mood but also contribute to a broader sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction.
Meaning and Purpose
Your character strengths are deeply intertwined with your sense of meaning and purpose in life. By leveraging your strengths in pursuit of meaningful goals and activities, you cultivate a profound sense of purpose that fuels your vitality and enriches your life.
Evidence-Based Practice
Discover your unique character strengths with a scientifically validated assessment.
The VIA Character Strengths Assessment is a free scientifically validated tool designed to help you identify your unique character strengths.
This is one of the first exercises I take coaching clients through to help them develop self-awareness and self-efficacy.
If you take the assessment I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to share your top 1-5 strengths in the comments section. 💬
To your wellbeing,
Alyssa
Niemiec, R. Research Points to Two Main Reasons to Focus on Strengths [Blog post]. VIA Institute on Character. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/research-points-two-main-reasons-focus-strengths
Niemiec, R. Help your employees find happiness and engagement [Blog post]. VIA Institute on Character. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/help-your-employees-find-happiness-and-engagement
Positive Psychology Practitioner Guide