“Human systems grow in the direction of what they persistently ask questions about…”(Cooperrider, n.d.)
On one level or another, most people find problem-solving to be a normal part of everyday life. The process of identifying problems, analyzing their causes, then proposing and implementing solutions, is a familiar one that most of us have grown well accustomed to in numerous personal and professional contexts.
Less familiar to most of us however, is the process of reflecting on and discovering the strengths and resources we possess, analyzing the ways in which these strengths and resources have contributed to our previous accomplishments, and looking for opportunities to apply them in new ways.
This kind of work is difficult to do on your own, but coaching presents an opportunity to attune yourself to the actions, behaviors, and attitudes that have already made you successful in the past, and to use that awareness to orient yourself toward future possibilities.
A problem-solving orientation can be very useful, but from a strengths-based perspective, focusing all of your attention on solving problems results in — you guessed it, more problems to solve. On the other hand, a framework for discovering and developing your strengths can be transformative — igniting passion, inspiring innovation, and enabling you to design new and exciting possibilities.
What are your top character strengths?
Download this character strengths worksheet to help you get a sense of how coaching could help you leverage your own top strengths.
