Using strengths to be a positive change agent

A strengths story by Paul Neville (He/Him) Positive Change Provocateur, ‘Play to Strengths’ Advocate, Strategic minded leader and NED/Trustee.

Paul’s top strengths:

Play to strengths’ is our mantra, yes of course.  Yet, even as a Strengthscope practitioner, events or contexts can sometimes conspire against us and we forget or lose connection with, those that energise us the most. A story to share another time. These days, I am using all my strengths as I consider a career transition. A time to reflect and reinvent post-pandemic.

My significant seven – Strategic Mindedness, Developing Others, Relationship Building, Courage, Initiative, Enthusiasm, and Self Improvement.  My ‘standout’ three – Strategic Mindedness, Developing Others, and Relationship Building. 

In recently accessing the most fab and informative LHH Career Transitions Programme, I drew upon my Strategic Mindedness, Courage, and Initiative strengths (thanks Jemma and Team LHH for being up for it).  Strategic Mindedness…as I worked out how recent events had led to the ‘here and now for me and, more importantly, what did I intend to do career-wise in the future. Courage, as I looked across my professional network and reached out, and asked for help. As a generally independently-minded soul, also turning Courage inward in this moment of need was essential to willingly accept the assistance of others. 

And what of Initiative? To see a silver lining of opportunity after a series of unfortunate events. Entrepreneurial by nature, and passionate about societal improvement and promoting citizen’s agency, I used my Initiative strength to start to map out what might be possible if I were to pivot away from inwardly focused organisational change and transformation change roles to applying my expertise and experience within a broader sector or social challenges context. 

Who knows what the future will hold, yet drawing on my Strategic Mindedness, Courage, and Enthusiasm strengths I am certain I will be able to act as an engaging ‘positive change’ provocateur going forward.  A change agent helping to continue the forward momentum – social progress and personal growth of individuals and citizens – to the benefit of all humanity. 

How will you play to your strengths and the strengths of others to help make the world a better place? A big act or small act, I’d love to hear.

 

Strengthscope assessment tool