Are you good at maths? Do you have a knack for storytelling? Perhaps you’re a great listener. Your skills and talents are likely to be closely linked to your professional success, so it’s important to know what they are. 

By recognising where your strengths lie you can develop them and leverage them to help you get ahead – in the workplace and in your personal life. Whether you’re looking to fast-track your career, improve your relationships, or move towards a professional goal, knowing your strong points is the first step.

What are personal strengths?

Personal strengths are your best traits. They can include things like curiosity and ambition, being a great listener or having a natural talent for music or art. Embracing your personal strengths allows you to base your career choices on what comes naturally to you, giving you the best chance of job satisfaction and professional success.

Different types of strengths

• Personal strengths: these include traits like resilience, empathy, creativity and problem-solving. Personal strengths often emerge in our interactions with others when overcoming challenges. These can include character strengths like honesty, integrity, courage and kindness. 
• Professional strengths: these strengths include specific skills that are relevant to the workplace, like leadership, communication skills, analytical thinking and so on. 

Importance of recognising strengths

Recognising your own personal strengths is not always easy, but if you make the effort to identify them you can enjoy a range of benefits in your personal and professional life. 

Increase in self-confidence and self-esteem

Self-esteem is essential to mental well-being – and vital to being able to perform your job to your best abilities. When you know exactly where your talents lie, you feel empowered to take on challenges and embrace situations where you know you can shine. Self-confidence will also help you create good workplace relationships. 

Excel in personal and professional life

Recognising your strengths allows you to create a professional development pathway tailored to your natural abilities and personality. This results in better job performance as you develop those strengths and put them to use, leading to more fulfilment in your career. In your personal life, playing to your strengths can help you build meaningful relationships, and lead you to hobbies and interests that bring you joy.

Contribution to personal growth and development

Understanding your strengths allows you to focus on what you do best and build on those skills. You’ll find yourself drawn towards activities and goals that align with your innate abilities. This can help give you direction and purpose when it comes to your personal growth and development. It will also help you identify areas for improvement. 

Increased job satisfaction and productivity

When your career aligns with your personal strengths, you’re more likely to feel satisfied with what you do each day. You'll find that tasks come more naturally to you, leading to increased productivity and a sense of accomplishment. 

Positive relationships and effective communication

Strengths like empathy, active listening and effective communication are important when it comes to both professional and personal relationships. These skills help you understand and connect with others, which can lead to more collaborative thinking in the workplace and more meaningful personal relationships.

Examples of personal strengths

Personal strengths are just that: personal. Everyone will discover they have different talents and skills that make them who they are. It can take time and a good deal of self-reflection to uncover these strengths, but once you do, it can open up unexpected opportunities in your work and personal life. Here, we explore a range of personality strengths examples to help you uncover where your talents lie.

Kindness

Most people try to be kind. Kindness is a strength that involves being considerate, compassionate and generous. It's about showing empathy and concern for others without expecting anything in return. It applies both to real-world situations and anonymous online interactions. 

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone’s place and share their feelings. It’s a skill that can help you connect with others on a deeper level, allowing you to build strong relationships. It can also help you in the workplace, as it gives you insight into customer and client needs. 

Resilience

Resilience is your ability to adapt quickly to challenging life experiences and to bounce back from setbacks. Resilient people are adaptable and cope well in tough situations, keeping a positive attitude.

Honesty

Honesty is a fundamental strength that builds credibility. Honest people are often seen as trustworthy, both in personal relationships and professional settings. People who are trustworthy can be relied on to do their job.

Helpful

Being helpful involves providing assistance or support to others. It's a strength that involves making a positive impact on the lives of others. Helpful people are often appreciated for their ability to work well in team settings.

Decisive

Decisiveness is the ability to make decisions effectively and confidently. You can weigh options, think critically, consider the consequences, and take action. Decisive people are often leaders, as they can guide others and take charge when needed.

How to identify your strengths

Start by asking yourself: what is my strength? Think about what you enjoy doing and what you’re good at. Here are more ways to identify your strengths and discover what sets you apart. 

Ask others

One of the easiest ways to discover your strengths is to ask people who know you well. Friends, family members, colleagues and mentors can highlight strengths you may not recognise in yourself, offering a different perspective on your unique qualities.

Take a quiz

There are plenty of online quizzes you can take to help uncover your strengths. Make sure you’re in the right mental space so you can answer each one truthfully, with a little self-reflection. Not sure where to start? One of the most popular options is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Look at patterns

Reflect on your past experiences and look for patterns in your behaviour. Think about times you felt successful, satisfied or proud. What were you doing? What skills or qualities were you using? 

Consider your passions

Often, your passions and interests are closely linked to your strengths. Think about the activities you love doing and the hobbies you're drawn to. For example, do you love doing art? These are usually areas where you naturally excel.

Developing and enhancing strengths

Once you've worked out exactly where your strengths lie, the next step is to develop and enhance them so you can put them to use. 

Self-reflection and self-awareness

Taking time to think about and evaluate your experiences is an invaluable tool that allows you to learn and grow as you develop your strengths. This practice leads to awareness of areas where you excel, and areas that need improvement.

Seek feedback for areas of improvement

While it's important to focus on your strengths, it also helps to be aware of areas where you can improve. Peers, mentors and supervisors can provide valuable insights into how you can further develop your strengths or address any weaknesses for you to work on.

Practise using your strengths

Like any skill, strengths can be improved with practice and self-reflection. Look for opportunities to apply your strengths in your personal and professional life. The more you use your strengths, the better you become.

Engage in activities or experiences that align with your strengths

Join sports clubs, special interest groups or workshops where you can put your talents to use. For example, if you're a great artist, you might join a painting class. If you're empathetic, you could volunteer at a local charity. These are also great opportunities to meet like-minded people and build networks centred around your abilities.

Integrating strengths into daily life

Incorporating strengths into your daily life is one of the best ways to develop them. Whether it's using your problem-solving skills at work or your communication skills at home, consistent practice will pay off.

Personal strengths are innate traits, like kindness, empathy, resilience and decisiveness. They play an important role in your personal and professional development, and can guide you to success and fulfilment. By recognising and developing your own personal strengths, you can open the door to career opportunities and forge deeper relationships with those around you.

FAQs

What are personal strengths?

Personal strengths are the unique attributes and qualities that are inherent to you. This can include traits such as empathy, resilience and creativity. Recognising these strengths can lead to improved relationships, better problem-solving abilities and a more fulfilling life overall.

What are professional strengths?

Professional strengths are skills and abilities that are valuable in the workplace, such as leadership, technical expertise and effective communication. They are developed in response to job requirements and are important for excelling in your career.

What are the three greatest personal strengths?

There is no single answer to what are the greatest personal strengths. There are many different strengths and they’re all worth developing. Some examples of common personal strengths include empathy, resilience, critical thinking, curiosity, kindness, honesty, patience and self-discipline. All of these play a role in navigating life's challenges, building meaningful relationships and achieving personal fulfilment.

How do your personal strengths affect your career?

Your personal strengths have a big impact on your career. For example, strengths like effective communication and teamwork enhance collaboration and productivity in the workplace. Creative problem solving can lead to innovative solutions. Aligning your career with your personal strengths can lead to greater job satisfaction and success. When you work in a role that leverages your strengths, you are more likely to excel and feel fulfilled in your job.