Quick answer: Most people freeze when asked what their strengths are, not because they lack them, but because we're rarely taught how to talk about what we do best. A strength is more than a skill: it's something that gives you energy as you do it. Tracking your energy, reflecting on proud moments, and reframing frustration as an underused strength are three practical ways to find the answer.
Whether in an interview, appraisal, or a team development session, this one question comes up time and time again: “What are your strengths?”
It seems like a simple ask. But when people freeze, mumble something vague like “I’m a people person”, or shift uncomfortably, it’s not because they lack strengths.
It’s because we’re rarely taught how to talk about what we do best, especially in public sector workplaces, where modesty often takes precedence over self-expression.
People often struggle with this question because:
Saying “I’m good with people” or “I get things done” doesn’t really capture your energy, your style, or the ways you make a difference. True strengths go deeper. They reflect how you think, relate, respond, and thrive even in challenging situations.
See also: What Is a Strengths-Based Approach
A strength is more than a capability. It’s something that gives you energy as you do it, and makes you feel like you’re doing your best work, not just ticking boxes.
Think about:
These are often the moments where your strengths are in full use.
Recall:
Ask yourself what strengths helped you get there.
Sometimes our strengths show up as frustrations when they’re underused or misdirected. For example, someone who's naturally drawn to the bigger picture and long-term thinking might feel drained when bogged down in the short-term admin. Recognising this helps shift your focus and create more energising work.
In a university setting: a team leader noticed how her natural ability to read the room and pick up on how others were feeling allowed her to spot team fatigue early, before burnout set in. By naming it, she felt more confident in advocating for reflection time and support.
In NHS services: a clinician who was driven by a strong sense of purpose and conviction found clarity in why he’d stayed in the profession so long. It also helped him reframe new service changes within that deeper purpose.
In local government: a digital lead rediscovered their natural drive to gather information, ask better questions, and connect insights across systems during a team workshop. By owning this strength, they shifted from simply solving problems to becoming a strategic source of insight for their team, energising not just themselves, but others too.
When leaders and teams start to explore strengths together:
This doesn’t just improve wellbeing; it supports performance, collaboration and resilience too.
Read: How to Help Your Team Stay Positive Through Change
Our sessions aren’t about buzzwords or box-ticking. They’re about real discovery, helping managers, leaders, and teams unlock what drives them and how to use it more effectively at work.
Contact us to bring strengths discovery into your team or department.