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Strengths
9-22-2015
All across the province children have returned to school—some with excitement, others with trepidation. For many children formal education brings out their best, but sadly, nearly 15 percent of students in BC do not graduate from high school. Picture a kindergarten class of twenty eager learners and realize that, on average, three of these students will drop out before making it through BC’s education system. Although there are a multitude of factors influencing this alarming rate, a key component is the propensity of schools and parents to focus on addressing weaknesses instead of cultivating strengths.
In “Now, Discover Your Strengths” Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton offer a radical perspective on how to educate. For them an ideal school would be an attentive and prolonged search for each child’s areas of greatest potential. Teachers would identify and enhance natural talents such as adaptability, discipline, positivity, or strategic thinking and children would be taught how to use skills and knowledge to maximize these traits. Currently, the trend in education is to personalize education and address multiple types of intelligence but this book takes harnessing an individual’s special aptitudes to a whole new level.
Indeed, such a vital task of nurturing talents and skills can’t be left to the school system alone. We all have a role to play in identifying, developing and applauding a child’s natural tendencies and inquisitiveness. Before we can develop these traits in children, we need to reflect upon our own characteristics and determine if our personal development focuses on marginal improvements in perceived weak areas or phenomenal success through fortifying and fully utilizing our strengths.
So what exactly is a “strength”? The authors define it as consistent near perfect performance in an activity. Think of something you can do repeatedly, happily and successfully—you’ve just spotted a strength. We tend to overlook our strengths because they are so natural and we assume others have the same abilities. Upon deeper examination, four components are revealed. First is success—when you apply a strength you get the results you want. Next is instinct—you are drawn to repeated use of the specific talent. Third is growth—activities utilizing this strength energize and revitalize. Finally there’s a sense of need—you do these things fill a void in your life. Step back and watch yourself in action. Look at a wide variety of situations, examine your gut reactions to circumstances, and see what patterns emerge. These almost instinctual patterns point to your strengths.
Strengths are related to talents but are not identical. A talent is any recurring pattern of thought, feelings, or behaviour that can be productively applied. Talents are traits you are born with and are interwoven into the fabric of your very being. They are innate, enduring and since this book doesn’t rely on traditional categories like artistic or athletic, they can be hard to describe. You may have a talent for making connections between people, ideas, and events; for sensing the feelings of others; for being inquisitive; or imagining a better future. These are the types of traits the authors implore us to identify in ourselves and in our children.
Once we shift our mindset to acknowledge and embrace these overarching tendencies, we can then begin refining the traits by providing necessary knowledge and skills. A child with a perfectionist streak can be taught to be a maximizer—getting the most out of themselves and others without being severe. A person who is bossy can be trained to be a commander—taking charge even when it’s difficult. A child who complains can have his sense of fairness nurtured and become a guardian against injustice. Someone who craves attention can be shown how significance can motivate them to rise above average and become exceptional in their chose field.
The point is that everyone has predispositions towards certain patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Instead of minimizing these traits, we should be maximizing them. We can teach people to direct all their talents toward positive goals, for the betterment of themselves and others. Accept your psychological talents and refocus your live around getting the most out of them. Don’t waste time trying to be something you’re not. Focus on your strengths and find ways to manage around your weaknesses.
As self-awareness of your strengths increases, begin developing the strengths of the children in your life. When a child’s personality is embraced, respected and nurtured they will want to continue their education and reach their full potential. Together let’s shift our attitude so that every precious kindergarten student entering school this fall will thirteen years hence walk proudly across the graduation stage secure in his or her strengths. When they fail, we all fail.
For more information read “Now, Discover Your Strengths” by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. Zainab Dhanani can be reached at z_dhanani@yahoo.ca
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