Recognizing Your Strengths Through the "Reflected Best Self"

"How to Play to Your Strengths" is an article that was published in Harvard Business Review in 2005 by Roberts et al. and outlines a helpful strategy to determine how to be your best self. The authors believe that developing one's natural skills and strengths may be more beneficial long-term than working on weaknesses, which can be a helpful reminder and coaching tool.

The article introduces the "Reflected Best Self" exercise, which includes sending out a survey asking for positive feedback from a diverse group of colleagues, friends, and family members. The survey responses provide a set of patterns that help an individual realize their strengths, and when and how their strengths show up to support themselves and others.

Creating a self-portrait is another critical step in this exercise, because it requires personal reflection on strengths, which unfortunately does not happen enough, especially in our world of performance reviews and upward feedback.

Once strengths are outlined and the "Reflected Best Self" is completed, those who have gone through the exercise can redesign their roles and how they show up with others. It can also remind those who may be in a rut all of the things they are good at, which can help them pivot and become more engaged and productive.

This exercise was particularly helpful for my personal and professional development, and I plan to continue to use this exercise with clients who may be stuck professionally due to a lack of understanding or awareness of their strengths.