Life has a funny way of directing me lately. Two years ago, I was able to step away from a very good job with all positive feelings knowing that I wasn’t in the right organization at the right time. In March of this year, I was let go from a job that I thought was a great fit. It feels like I am at a crossroads – again.

Go figure.

What this has done for me – more than anything else – is to force me to rethink my options. To ask the deep questions. To spend time self-evaluating. To truly seek what it is that I want to be doing, not just what I can do. There is a big difference, you know.

In 2009, I participated in a great educational opportunity through the University of St. Thomas called the “Institute for Executive Director Leadership.” During that year-long endeavor, we took the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. It was eye-opening. What I learned about myself and my strengths empowered me to think differently about my work and clarified why I said and did some of the things that I said and did over the years. It gave me permission to be who I was. Who God made me to be.

The thing I like best about Strengths Based leadership is that we get to focus on what we do best, rather than where we struggle. It’s not that we are to forget our areas of weakness; we are just better off if we spend our time and energy where we are strong and simply manage our weak points. Throughout our school years, we are graded on a scale from A to F. Our parents and teachers are, of course, proud of us when we get A’s and B’s – and quite literally flip out if we are at the other end of the scale. “How did this happen?!” “Why don’t you study more in those classes?!” “We’ll have to get you a tutor to help you bring your grades up.” At work, we should have regular reviews. The Boss typically tells you where you are lacking and, that if you don’t do better, you’re in trouble. Yet, this is the opposite of how we should be treating children and those who work for us. Why do we do this?!

“Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.” – Marilyn vos Savant

Having studied just a small bit of the StrengthsFinder method, I feel motivated to learn more about myself and how my strengths manifest themselves in my work, my home, and my life in general. I would highly recommend this assessment to everyone! It’s not only interesting, it’s fun.

For me, I am seeking my next adventure through the lenses of my strengths: Communication, Adaptability, Restorative, Activator, and Belief.