1. Journey of Engagement
Organisational and personal transformations using strengths-based approaches
Slide deck with notes / further reading recommendations

2. Strengths-based approaches
Why, What & How
Organisational and individual
Learning & insights
Q&A

3. Case studies Social housing member landlords and tenants
Preserved public body with extended remit
2 x change programmes, inc. 18 months transformational
(10 years)
HE / Arts Education Institution
Contemporary Dance & Music, inc. Jazz, Vocal and Musical Theatre
(3 years)
Bottom up pilots
Top down pilot and approaches

4. Why Weaknesses Strengths
We tend to focus on weaknesses, fixing weaknesses, addressing gaps
Deficit focus predominates in work, society and education
Strengths flips the initial focus to positive core / what can be built on and grown
Why
Weaknesses
Strengths
“Underlying qualities that energise us, and we are great at (or have the potential to become great at)”
Brewerton and Brook
Myth busting – weaknesses are addressed not ignored, but after strengths and only if likely to cause a performance risk
We’ll invest the effort to go from good to great on things that energise us

5. What
73% improvement in employee engagement when encouraged to play to strengths (Rath and Conchie 2008)
Remember, energy is finite. It’s our choice where we place our energy.
Copyright – Strengths Partnership
It’s more sustainable performance if based on playing to strengths

6. Emotional Relational Thinking Execution
How
Several tools out there. I’ve had experience of two and favour one with 24 strengths clustered this way
Emotional
Relational
Take care, not all tools that use the word strengths or say they are strengths-based in their marketing are truly strengths-based – remember strengths are not competencies
Thinking
Execution

7. Performance Management Personal Development Team Development
Talent Acquisition
Performance Management
Personal Development
Team Development
Leadership Development
Talent Management / Career Discussions
Restructure
As a strengths practitioner, I have experience of deploying strengths-based solutions in all of these HR/OD contexts

8. Successes Fully strengths-based organisation
Whilst at HOS
Fully strengths-based organisation
81% employee engagement on 94% response rate
 Drops to 68% on 92% response rate 
Productivity over a five-year period – 400% increase
HR Team Member Transition
Whilst at Trinity Laban
Redundancy / Outplacement Support
Finance Team

9. Learning & Insights Energy and sustainable performance improvement
Can be deployed in many contexts
Fixing a problem v pilots
Leaders / Managers ‘world view’ influences value and effectiveness
Organisational and individual readiness
HR/OD professionals have a role in facilitating success
A method and a people management philosophy

10. Time to reflect
What energises you? How much of your time is spent on activities that energise you?
How can you ‘play to strengths’ more and draw on the strengths of others around you?
Where is your leadership team’s current focus?
Top down will lead to faster embedding than piloting bottom up in the hope of promoting curiosity and buy in
Deficit / fix problem or potential / growth based?
Where / how could you first use a strengths-based approach?

11. Thank You and Questions 
@PJNeville_Paul
Paul is an accredited Strengths-based practitioner