1. Albers School of Business and Economics

2. Maximizing Your Strengths
Presented by:
Megan Spaulding
Manager of Experiential Programs
Albers Placement Center
Albers School of Business and Economics

3. Activity: Greatest Success
What has been your greatest success?
Can be from any aspect of life (school, sports, service, employment, leadership, family, etc.)
What were 3 primary causes or factors
that helped you achieve it?
*Jot it down
*Turn to partner and share
*Very likely that one of the factors/causes that lead to this success somehow relates to one of the 5 strengths on your report
*BIG TAKEAWAY: Utilizing your strengths helps you succeed and also helps you feel fulfilled, capable, energized
Different people are invigorated by different activities
Albers School of Business and Economics

4. Strengths Approach
“Which would help you be most successful in life – knowing your weaknesses and attempting to improve your weaknesses, or knowing what your strengths are and attempting to build on your strengths?”
-Question posed by Don Clifton
Albers School of Business and Economics

5. Activity: Handwriting
Write your name 5 times on a piece of paper…
What did it feel like to write your name 5 times with your dominate hand?
What words describe what it felt like to write with your non-dominant hand?
Albers School of Business and Economics

6. Strengths Approach Gallup’s study of work performance
Interviewed excellent performers
Many different professions
Results - the most successful individuals:
Know and build on their talents
Capitalize on their uniqueness
Apply their greatest talents in roles that fit them
Invent ways to apply their greatest talents
You have the most potential for growth in areas of your
natural strengths
Albers School of Business and Economics

7. Albers School of Business and Economics
Strength Themes
Albers School of Business and Economics

8. Albers School of Business and Economics
VIDEO
Albers School of Business and Economics

9. Strengths In Your Own Words
Go through your strengths and highlight words that resonate with you
Complete the “Exploring My Signature Themes” document
Find someone you don’t know and share
Strengths are only useful if you understand them, interpret them and explain them to others
Albers School of Business and Economics

10. Albers School of Business and Economics
Strengths In Career
Knowing and articulating your strengths gives you an advantage
Strengths can help in deciding career, major, involvement, etc.—figure out what you truly enjoy rather than what you think you “should do”
Utilize on your resume/cover letter, in interviews, justifying choice of major
We’ll be coming back to your class in a couple weeks and we’ll cover this more
Albers School of Business and Economics

11. Albers School of Business and Economics
Strengths In Teams
Why would knowing about strengths be useful when working in teams?
Utilizing everyone’s strengths maximizes performance of individual and team as a whole
Seeing strengths rather than differences is positive
Broadens your perspective and appreciation for diversity
Albers School of Business and Economics

12. Albers School of Business and Economics
ACTIVITY
Albers School of Business and Economics

13. Albers School of Business and Economics
Team Strengths
Share strengths with your team members
Learn about those strengths on your Reference Card—have a discussion of how the strengths can be maximized for your class project
Albers School of Business and Economics

14. Albers School of Business and Economics
Resources
Strengths Center (
More in-depth explanations
Share your strengths on Social Media
Create a certificate to hang in your room for reminders
Strengths Quest (
Designed for college students
Student tab with info on strengths in relation to career, academics, relationships, leadership, student organizations, etc.
Strengths Quest book
Strengths Finder 2.0 book
Albers School of Business and Economics

15. Albers School of Business and Economics
Now What?
Review the Action Plan steps in your report
Start to consciously develop and enhance each strength through various activities
Utilize strengths in your team project; share strengths
Feel confident and excited about what you naturally do well!
Albers School of Business and Economics

16. Albers Placement Center
Career Center for the Business School Pigott 331 ●
Albers School of Business and Economics