Strength-Based Goals: How to Harness Employee Potential to Achieve Success

Did you know that focusing on employee strengths can lead to greater success for your employees AND your organization?

Setting strength-based goals may begin with a self-starting individual. Still, it is often the result of a collaborative effort by employees, managers, and organizations. 

After the journey begins, everyone involved can learn about each other's abilities and build on skills that complement each other.

Teams can then set goals that play to unique talents, enhancing productivity to achieve milestones that will help their organizations succeed.

This article will explore the power of strength-based goal setting and provide practical steps to help you harness the potential of your employees and achieve success.

🤔 What are strength-based goals?

Strength-based goals are a type of goal setting that focuses on leveraging an individual's or organization's strengths rather than fixing weaknesses.

The idea is that individuals and organizations are more likely to achieve success by building on what they do well rather than constantly trying to improve on what they don't do well.

In a strength-based approach to goal setting, individuals or organizations identify their strengths, skills, and experiences. They then use these as a foundation for setting common goals.

They also ensure that the goals align with the organization's objectives, focusing on leveraging these strengths to achieve success.

"When people feel like they're bringing their gifts to the workplace, they're more productive, more engaged, and they're going to be more successful in meeting their expectations." Nicole Helprin, Director of internal and employee engagement communications for Hewlett-Packard.

The strength-based approach to goal setting derives from the idea that people and organizations perform best when they focus on their strengths and build on them. It's an optimistic and empowering approach that can help individuals and organizations to feel confident, motivated, and engaged as they work towards their goals.

"One should waste as little effort as possible on improving areas of low competence. It takes far more energy and work to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence." Peter Drucker, Managing Oneself.

🆚 Strength-based goals vs. traditional professional goals

Strength-based goals focus on expanding an individual's skills and competencies to move them closer to their desired career goals. In contrast, traditional professional goals aim to achieve specific business outcomes such as increased sales, higher profits, and improved customer satisfaction.

While strength-based goals are tailored to the unique employee, there are many benefits on the organizational level.

According to HBR, applying an approach of strengths intervention can boost sales by up to 19%, increase customer engagement by up to 7%, and support a 16-point decrease in employee turnover.

Applying strengths in goal setting helps employees identify and use their strengths and skills to reach their full potential and advance professionally.

Unfortunately, traditional professional objectives are frequently more generic, focusing on achieving a universally accepted outcome that may not directly impact the employee's development.

Strength-based goals emphasize the journey rather than the final result.

As a result, individuals can develop their strengths and build on them over time, resulting in more holistic development in the long run.

Traditional professional goals, on the other hand, evaluate the end outcome rather than the development process.

Overall, strength-based goals are more involved with the individual's development and growth.

In contrast, traditional professional goals are more invested in achieving specific organizational results.

Both types of goals can be effective when used appropriately.

Still, strength-based goals are frequently the best option for fostering productivity, personal development, and growth.

📈 5 Examples of strength-based goals

Here are a few examples of strength-based goals applicable to most employees who want to improve their soft skills.

Giving positive feedback to others

New managers who want to cultivate their existing positive attitude and outlook on life may want to work on showing more gratitude and appreciation to their direct reports to foster team unity. 

Focusing on the positive aspects of all situations helps set an example of a great strength-based feedback system. Plus, it builds a foundation of trust in the employee-manager relationship.

Improving effective communication skills

Many want to improve their active listening skills and communicate more openly and honestly.

Engaging different stakeholders and understanding people's unique workings style will help create a harmonious environment where everyone works towards a united goal. Not only does this help obtain buy-in, but individuals can also expand their network and benefit from social interaction.

Building self-confidence

The best way to achieve greatness isn't to remove your focus from deficits. 

For example, understanding you're an achiever may help you push yourself out of your comfort zone, even if you are nervous about cross-departmental meetings and public speaking. When embracing this challenge, people can reframe their mindset and practice self-affirmations and positive self-talk.

Increasing resilience

A future-oriented employee can take on planning and foreseeing future problems as the organization scales and experiences growing pains.

Crisis management can be a steep learning curve that reaps many lessons and rewards. These employees can learn cognitive reframing techniques and focus on developing a growth mindset during turbulent times.

Enhancing strategic problem-solving abilities

People with excellent strategic capabilities quickly see patterns and find solutions to complex problems. 

Plus, individuals who engage in creative thinking and brainstorming can develop more effective solutions when confronted with difficult situations.

📜 7 Guiding principles for a strength-based approach to goal-setting

Fostering a positive and productive work environment starts with tapping into employee strengths.

Instead of identifying and focusing on "what went wrong" or "what to work on next time," strength-based practices offer a different perspective, ensuring sustainable growth and improvement in a team setting. 

Let's explore the core principles of strength-based goals.

1. Everyone has unique potential and strengths that define them, not their limitations 

Believe in their potential, and you will see it come to fruition. 

People are more eager to contribute when they have a sense of hope and desire to grow in an environment that allows them to uncover their strengths. 

When an organization helps employees identify their positives and what makes them tick, it draws on their self-image and perception to continue learning and growing.

2. Focus on strengths, not labels

Challenges can foster growth and create hope and optimism

For example, imagine you have an employee struggling with public speaking. Instead of labeling them as "bad speaker," focus on their strengths, such as their ability to research and analyze information. So encourage them to leverage these strengths to improve their speaking skills, perhaps by doing more research and preparation before presentations. 

This approach can help the employee feel more confident and motivated to improve rather than discouraged by a negative label.

3. The language we use shapes our reality for both leaders and employees

For example, instead of saying "problem," use the word "challenge" to create a more positive and growth-oriented mindset.

Similarly, instead of saying "failure," use the word "learning opportunity" to encourage a growth mindset.

Suppose your manager commonly discusses your downfalls and ways to mitigate them. In that case, you'll probably feel let down, disappointed in yourself, or even consider yourself a burden to your wider team. 

However, to cultivate a desire to grow, helping people understand that capacity and skills are dynamic and personal is vital to empowering them to take personal ownership in their growth journey.

So, choose your words carefully.

4. Positive change happens within authentic relationships

Strength-based goal writing is a collaborative, inclusive, and participatory process. These are markers of a workplace that values meaningful relationships. 

For example, take the time to get to know your employees personally and create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.

Team Zavvy uses a "Conversations that Matter" program pairing all employees, founders included. 

"As part of 'Conversations that Matter,' I was partnered with one of the company's co-founders. Our conversation topic was to share some of our proudest moments. Interestingly enough, as part of discussing this topic, we also got to talk about my achievements at Zavvy and potential career paths.

Discussing these topics outside a more traditional performance/development conversation was truly refreshing." Lorelei Trisca, Content Marketing Manager at Zavvy.

Another method of enabling authentic relationships is by providing opportunities for employees to give and receive feedback in a safe and respectful environment.

5. Everyone's perspective is their reality

Start the change process by valuing what is important to the person, not just the expert's opinion.

Each individual has a unique perspective on the world, shaped by their experiences, beliefs, and values. When we acknowledge and value an individual's perspective, we can build trust and rapport, creating a foundation for effective communication and collaboration.

If an employee is struggling with a particular aspect of their job, take the time to listen to their perspective and understand their challenges. Doing this can help you identify solutions and tailor them to the individual's needs rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach that may not work for everyone.

For example, imagine you are a manager working with an employee having difficulty meeting their sales targets. 

Rather than immediately jumping to solutions or providing advice, take the time to understand the employee's perspective. 

Ask questions to understand their challenges and concerns, and listen actively to their responses. Doing this can help you identify solutions tailored to the employee's needs and strengths and create a sense of collaboration and partnership in the change process.

6. People have more confidence when they start with what they already know

When faced with new and unfamiliar situations, people are more likely to take risks and explore when they can build on their existing knowledge and skills.

Starting from a place of familiarity and comfort can help build confidence and momentum for tackling new challenges.

For example, imagine that you are introducing a new software system to your team. Some team members may be hesitant or resistant to learning the new system because it is unfamiliar and complex. 

To help build their confidence and encourage them to explore the new system, you can start by highlighting how it builds on the familiar processes and workflows they already know. 

You can also provide training and support that helps bridge the gap between what they already know and what they need to learn.

7. Collaboration and valuing differences are critical to effective change

It takes a village to raise a child and a team to build a successful organization.

When we work together and leverage our differences, we can create more innovative and effective solutions than alone. Effective change requires a team effort, where everyone brings unique strengths, experiences, and perspectives to the table.

For example, imagine that you are a manager leading a project to develop a new product.

To ensure the product is successful, you must collaborate with various stakeholders, such as marketing, sales, engineering, and design teams.

Each of these teams brings unique perspectives and expertise, and by working together, you can create a product that meets your customers' needs and your organization's goals.

Valuing differences means recognizing and embracing the diversity of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds that each team member brings to the table. 

For example, suppose your team includes members from different cultural backgrounds. In that case, you can leverage their unique experiences to create products that meet customers' needs from diverse backgrounds.

🌟 4 Benefits of strength-based goals

Strength-based goals can provide numerous benefits to both employers and employees. Here are some ways that focusing on areas that come most naturally to people reaps high returns on individual and organizational success.

Improves performance

When employees are encouraged to develop their strengths, they are more likely to bring innovative ideas and solutions to their work.

Plus, focusing on strengths can help employees develop their skills further, leading to better job performance and career growth.

Boosts engagement

When employees are working to develop their strengths, they are more engaged and motivated, leading to higher productivity and better job performance.

Motivated employees show higher satisfaction, well-being, and personal ownership of their progress.

Promotes employee satisfaction and well-being

Employees are more likely to enjoy their work and feel more fulfilled at work by focusing on their strengths.

Identifying their strengths can help employees understand their values and areas of interest, leading to greater self-awareness and a sense of purpose.

Plus, employees who work in areas where they feel competent and confident are less likely to experience stress and burnout.

Fosters a growth mindset

Strength-based goals provide a framework for success and promote a growth mindset, which aids in acquiring new skills and professional development. 

Employees can use this framework to identify areas where they can improve by leveraging their strengths while also focusing on areas where they are already strong.

🤯 5 Challenges of the strength-based goals model

Adopting a strength-based approach to goal setting and performance reviews can pose several challenges.

It requires a new approach to setting goals and performance

As with other aspects of organizational change, the need for a new way of doing things can often bring about hurdles. 

The shift from a traditional review approach to using strengths-based goals can require a significant change in philosophy and approach to goal setting and performance evaluation. This change can take a long process and resources to implement effectively.

It costs time and money

Implementing a strength-based approach to goal-setting and performance can be costly. 

You need to account for the cost of training managers and employees and the resources required to identify and measure strengths accurately, such as the Clifton StrengthsFinder tool.

Potential resistance to change

The shift to a strength-based approach can encounter resistance from employees and managers who are used to more traditional methods (like using performance metrics and OKRs). As a result, they may find it difficult to adjust to the new mindset and practices. 

As a people leader, it is your duty to openly and consistently communicate the advantages of this new philosophy and get all stakeholders on board.

💪 Enable your managers to become change leaders with Zavvy's Change leadership training course.

Difficulty identifying and measuring strengths accurately

Accurately identifying strengths can be challenging, as there are no standard ways to measure them across organizations and departments. Measuring strengths requires a thorough understanding of the employees and their abilities and developing effective methods for assessing and tracking strengths over time.

People managers may be conflicted in addressing employee weaknesses

Leaders might have difficulty understanding how to address weaknesses while using this approach. 

In a traditional approach, weaknesses and improvement opportunities are typically the focus of talent development efforts. 

In a strength-based approach, the focus is on leveraging and building upon employees' strengths, so the ways to address weaknesses may be less clear.

🪜 How to set strength-based goals in 3 steps

Involve employees in the goal-setting process

Goal setting must be a two-way process, as employees should be able to choose their own goals according to their unique capabilities. Schedule a team meeting where you can discuss the importance of strength-based goal setting and get everyone on the same page.

Encourage everyone to share their character strengths and have a discussion about strengths and how they can be leveraged to align with company goals.

Focus on building on existing strengths

Provide tools to uncover soft skills and encourage each team member to reflect on their strengths and experiences rather than fixing weaknesses. This process can involve self-reflection, taking assessments, or getting feedback from others.

Use the SMART framework

Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals based on the employee's strengths. Ensure that each goal is realistic and that the employee has the skills and resources to achieve it.

An example of a SMART goal is intentionally being more adaptable to change during a recession by attending a crisis mitigation course to apply skills when project disruptions occur.

Encourage employees to use their strengths to develop strategies for achieving their goals and provide support and resources as needed.

💡 Get inspired by 35 examples of SMART goals for employees and 10 examples of SMART goals for leaders. 

🏆 Best practices for implementing strength-based goals

Regularly review and assess progress toward goals

Scheduled, continuous feedback and progress assessments are critical to ensure that employees meet their strength-based goals. This process helps identify barriers or potential challenges preventing progress and allows for adjustments.

Provide support and resources to help employees achieve their goals

It is crucial to give employees the support and resources they need to achieve their goals. Support can come from training in strengths, coaching, mentoring, and access to tools and technology. 

You can also ask for observations from teammates or project collaborators for additional perspective.

➡️ Find out how to best improve employee performance with 17 proven methods.

Encourage open communication and continuous feedback

Encouraging open communication and continuous feedback is crucial to the success of strength-based goal setting. Employees should feel comfortable sharing their progress, major challenges, and ideas for improvement with their manager and team.

Offer coaching

Performance coaching and mentoring opportunities available to employees will drastically help them reach their full potential and achieve their goals.

You can offer one-on-one sessions, team workshops, or access to internal or external coaches.

Describe what each employee is supposed to accomplish

Define outcomes, not processes. 

When setting strength-based goals, it's essential to focus on the desired outcomes rather than prescribe a specific process for achieving them.

This approach allows employees to use creativity to find the best path to success. It also encourages ownership and accountability. 

➡️ Enhance your people's strengths with Zavvy

It's one thing for employees to know what they need to improve on. 

Knowing their leader's got their back to nurture their unique talent and capabilities is quite another thing. 

A strength-based approach to goal setting contributes to developing a positive emotional connection between employees and managers, a prerequisite for employee engagement.

A 360 feedback software such as Zavvy helps employees deliberately apply their strengths at work, increasing their chances of growth and upward ability. 

When your people are at their best, their goals can naturally play to their advantage and enhance collaboration with their coworkers, strengthening teamwork and relationships and ultimately benefiting the organization.

Use Zavvy to develop a continuous development cycle by clearly defining employee progression and building plans to track goals now.