ROCHESTER, Minn. — In life and at work, people tend to focus on the negative instead of pointing out the positive. It's easy to take a tumble down that rabbit hole.
Take relationships, for example. Sometimes people who live together or spend a lot of time in the same space get on each other's nerves. Opposites attract, it seems, and we all have those moments of frustration that stem from not understanding why people do things the way that they do. Maybe you get a little steamed when you walk into a room to find an orange peel and dirty socks on the coffee table. Or maybe you disgruntle your partner or roommate because you forgot to mention that your car was in the shop and you'd need a lift home from work.
The same sort of issues happen in the workplace. People get annoyed with each other because they have different work habits and systems.
Instead of zooming in on the problems we see in others, why not identify each other's strengths and put those talents to use? We might become more productive and less stressed and in the process. Better yet, we might improve daily interactions with people at work, school and at home. We might be happier.
"Individuals who work to their strengths report a three-times higher level of joy in their lives than those who do not," said Bruce Alfred, owner of BolsterUp , a coaching and consulting company for individuals and organizations based in Rochester, Minnesota. "At work, when we work to our strengths, rather than trying to fix our weaknesses, we get to work happier and work better. We do better."
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Alfred and his team use the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment to identify people's innate talents. Then they set goals and develop tools for a path to success. The same process works for organizations. The assessment identifies individual team members' top talents (we can't be experts at everything) and figures out how best to leverage them. Then they develop a plan that streamlines procedures, promotes collaboration, boosts efficiency and ensures understanding of each person's strengths. Alfred says the result lifts the entire team.
"Our strengths are really who we are as people," Alfred said. "If we develop and use our strengths to complement the talents of others, we'll be more successful and a lot happier in the process. And we'll be better partners."
Some people are disciplined. They live and work on schedule. Others are adaptable and are more flexible. So, for example, if you're creative and good at computer graphics, but not great at accounting, focus on putting together a fabulous brochure for your company instead of agreeing to keep the books.
In addition to identifying strengths and putting them to use to benefit your relationships, Alfred's program also focuses on well-being and resilience.
"Yes, we can do better by working toward our strengths," Alfred said. "But how are we in our whole lives? Well-being is the other part of Bolsterup. We want to help people work, interact and feel their best. Because when that happens, life is great."
The BolsterUp program includes practices such as mindfulness and meditation. To learn more about Bosterup or to reach Alfred, check out www.BolsterUp.Life.
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