The MacroStrength

Many leaders find great value in strength-based approaches to developing themselves and their people. Indeed, research suggests that leveraging strengths can be more powerful than addressing weaknesses. Gallup’s StrenthsFinders is just one of many assessment tools geared toward helping people discover and better leverage their strengths. While I see the value in discovering and utilizing strengths, I also feel that most strength-based approaches undervalue a universal “macro strength” – the strength to change our strengths. A post in Harvard Medical School’s HEALTHbeat blog begins, “Strengths are built-in capacities for certain thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Everyone has these capacities to one degree or another. Your particular pattern of strengths is part of what makes you unique.” The article goes on to give examples of individuals leveraging their strengths to tackle the same problem in different ways. As someone who has seen thousands of people make shifts in their thoughts, feelings and behaviors that have remarkable impacts on their results, I find the way that this article approaches strength-based development (e.g., “built-in capacities”) incredibly limiting.

Not only do we have the ability to better leverage our strengths, we can fundamentally change our strengths. I have seen those who seem blind to social cues transformed into highly sensitive and intuitive leaders. I have seen those who seemingly lack the “gift” of charisma transformed into leaders who can rally their groups. My experience matches with that of many of my leadership coaching colleagues. We can certainly grow by leveraging our current strengths, yes, and we can also create space for new strengths to be born within us. Can you imagine what it would be like to grow new signature strengths within yourself? Have you discounted this possibility for yourself? What if you’re stronger than you think – not in will or force, but in your capacity to adapt? If you aspire more for yourself than expanding on your current strengths, consider investing in your macro-strength, your own capacity to change your own strengths. Start by consciously choosing to shift your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Choose to focus on something that you typically disregard. Choose to feel grateful for someone who irritates you. Choose to do something uncomfortable for you. Choose to make these shifts for the higher purpose of increasing your capacity to change.