TO MAXIMIZE YOUR STRENGTHS, START AN 11-MINUTE HABIT

We want to thank Michelle McQuaid, best-selling author, workplace well-being teacher and playful change activator, for sharing this guest post.

 “Now I’ve discovered my strengths, what am I meant to do with them?” is a question I’m often asked.

Having used the VIA Survey to help thousands of people around the world discover when they’re at their best at work, I find plenty of people left scratching their heads wondering what to do about it.

I mean just how do you use a strength likelove in the workplace without being fired for it?

You can imagine their surprise when they think back on the times they’ve been most engaged and energized at work, only to discover their VIA strengths starring them in the face during these moments.  This is where they’ve been.

You can also imagine their hope when they try to visualize what they might achieve over the next year at work, if they could use their strengths to create more of these high-point moments.  This is where they want to be.

At the end of a training session however I’ve discovered there’s one exercise that makes truly makes the difference to people walking out of the room and putting their strengths into action.

It turns out the creation of a strength based, daily habit is what helps to take them from where they are to where they want to be.

To ensure even the busiest executives can find time in their day to have at least one strength-fueled moment I suggest people try starting with an 11-minute habit.

WHY 11 MINUTES?

Based on the latest scientific research around habits try the following:

30 seconds to activate the habit -  Make it easy to get started.  Anchor it to a habit you already have, embed it in your environment, use a “when/then” statement to prime your brainand maximize your self-regulation by starting early in the day.

10 minutes to practice -  Spend at least ten minutes using your strength to complete a task.

30 seconds to celebrate – The habit will stick faster if you celebrate what you’ve just done by checking it off the list or sharing the good news with someone.

For example, one of my top strengths is curiosity and I know my best days are when I get to learn something new.

MY 11 MINUTE DAILY STRENGTH HABIT LOOKS LIKE THIS:

When I get turn on my computer, then I will spend ten minutes using my strength of curiosity to explore the latest research in positive psychology and share what I’ve learnt with one person.

I started this habit when I found myself stuck in a job I loathed.  Incredibly finding just 11 minutes a day to truly perform at my best – even though it wasn’t technically in my job description – was instrumental in eventually being promoted to the job I dreamed of and later going on to launch my own business.

And I could share story after story of people I’ve taught this simple practice to who have found the small change has created significant shifts in their work and life in general.

So if you were given the gift of 11 minutes a day just to fully engage your strengths and shine, how would you choose to spend it?

Not sure where to start, you can find a host of practical, playful ways to use your strengths at work in this great guide: 340 Ways To Use Your Strengths.

About Michelle McQuaid:

Michelle McQuaid is a best-selling author, workplace well-being teacher and playful change activator.  An honorary fellow at Melbourne University’s Graduate School of Education, her work has been featured in Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Boss Magazine, The Age, Women’s Agenda, Wellbeing Magazine and more.

She holds a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently completing her PhD in Appreciative Inquiry under the supervision of David Cooperrider.

Are you ruining your career?

Let me ask you a question that'll help you identify what's really stopping you from going after what you truly want; why do you hold yourself back?

Thinking about it?

Let me share some startling research that puts this in perspective .

Although female employees are 8% more likely than men to meet or exceed performance expectations, they tend not to apply for promotions.

Perhaps this is because women generally apply to jobs only where they believe they meet all the requirements in a posting, whereas men will throw their hat in the ring if they think they meet just 60% of the qualifications.

Sound familiar?

Even Ginni Rometty, IBM's chief executive, said she initially rejected a promotion she'd been offered early in her career, for fear she was under-qualified.

But if you're like anything me, the last thing you want to do is stand on the sidelines while someone who is less qualified becomes your new boss, wouldn't you agree?

So why, given the opportunity to grab hold of success, do we still hear that little voice inside our heads telling us we're not good enough.

And better yet, why do we listen? Even when it's evident that we're capable of achieving earth-shaking outcomes.

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, suggests women should take a mindset of "I want to do that, and I'll learn by doing it."

Sounds simple enough, but this can be difficult to pull off when you're plagued by fears and doubts about your own abilities.

For me personally, the shift only came when I was taught the emerging science of strengths. You know those things you like doing and that you're good at because your brain has become hard-wired to think, feel and act in these ways.

When I stopped focusing on all my perceived weaknesses and failures, and started investing in more moments when I was really engaged, energised and enjoying what I was doing at work I finally shined in a way that felt authentic and enduring.

Letting go of all the fears about my weaknesses and not being good enough, and investing more in the moments where I was really engaged, energised and enjoying what I was doing at work, started as a way to preserve my sanity and just get some joy back into my days. But along the way something surprising occurred.

My performance skyrocketed, in a way that made people, stand up, take notice, and offer me thing I never would have dreamed were possible.

Suddenly I was able to create new roles that better suited my interests. I was given opportunities to travel the world. I was promoted to the top of my field. I was paid more money than my peers. I was given every Friday off to play with my children. And my dreams of further study were fully supported.

When I'd had eventually achieved all that I longed for I was even allowed to write the terms for my own exit.

Frighteningly, it's estimated two-thirds of employees don't even know what their strengths are. If you find yourself in this category a great place to start is the free strengths survey at Viame.org.

From there it's simply a matter of finding out how you're already using these in your work -- I guarantee they're hidden under your best moments. Then choosing to show up – at least once a day – and put your strengths to work so you can start having more of the career you dream of.

If you'd like a series of free training videos on how to do just this click here.

Are You Ruining Your Relationships?

When it comes to doing well at work, there’s no doubt a growing body of scientific evidence suggests: “other people matter”.  In fact, positive social connections – in others words good relationships – have been found to predict our ability to learn, to motivate us more than money or power and to improve our effectiveness and performance at work.

Research suggests having a best friend at work makes it seven times more likely you’re engaged in your job and is likely to help you produce higher quality work, improve your well-being and make it less likely you’ll be injured on the job.

Of course if you want to turn a colleague into a best friend it’s important you’re there to support them through the natural lows and highs we all have at work.  But is it paying particular attention to the good times or the bad times your friend encounters, that will most shape the quality of your relationship?

How To Enhance Your Relationships

A study by Professor Shelly Gable and her colleagues have found when someone shares news of a victory or just a good thing that’s happened to them, how you respond can either build the relationship or undermine it.

I know took me by surprise as well!

Turns out when we take delight in other people’s windfalls or successes by asking questions that appreciate and validate their good fortune, it’s a positivity boost for you and them.

Gable calls this “active-constructive responding”.

The researchers found it’s in these moments we feel understood, validated and cared for and as a result our feelings of commitment and satisfaction in the relationship are enhanced.

In today’s episode of Chelle McQuaid TV I’ll show you how to authentically pull this off and improve your relationships at the office.

How Does Active Constructive Responding Improve Relationships?

Think back to the last time your closest friend at work shared some good news with you.  Perhaps they’d just been promoted, landed a great project or had some extra holiday leave approved.  How did you respond?

Chances are you tried one of these four approaches.

• You may have been passive and destructive saying something like: Great, but have you finished that report I gave you?  You’ve really not engaged with their good  news at all and in fact changed the subject to something that’s likely to kill off any positivity they’re feeling and damage your relationship.
• You may have been active and destructive saying something like: “But how are you going to pull that off and meet all your other commitments?”  You’ve engaged in their news, but you’ve also probably completely ruined their good mood and not done your relationship any favors.
• You may have been passive and constructive saying something like: “That’s great.”  You’ve acknowledged something good has happened, but you haven’t really engaged in what it means for them or used it as an opportunity to deepen your relationship.
• Or hopefully you may have been active and constructive saying something like: “How wonderful?  When did you find out?  What does this mean for you?”  You’ve acknowledged their good news and you’re giving them a chance to share and savor why they’re excited about what’s happened and create a good memory in your relationship.

Not only does an active constructive response make the person you’re asking feel good, by sharing in their positive emotions you’ll also feel great as well.  So next time someone at work shares some good news with you try to respond actively and constructively by asking questions that lets them draw out the story of what’s unfolded so they can savor the good things that are happening for them and build a closer relationship.

Want more help on active-constructive responding? Click here for a great workshop to guide your responses or watch this short video by Professor Martin Seligman explaining this approach to relationships.

What happens to you relationships when you respond actively and constructively to others?  If you’d like a little help with more practical, tested approaches to asking appreciative questions or improving your relationships with others at the office just ask below.

- See more at: http://www.michellemcquaid.com/

Fix a weakness or build a strength?

It’s a pretty straightforward question: to improve your performance at work should you fix your weaknesses or build on your strengths? But where would you place your bets?

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Yet a growing body of research suggestsfocusing on our strengths can boost our engagement in tasks by up to six times, making it easier to achieve our goals, lower our levels of stress and improve our feelings of well-being.It seems eighty-seven percent of us believe we should take dead aim at our weaknesses and work diligently to improve them.

So which should you be doing?

I believe you should do both – which might sound surprising come from someone who’s trained thousands of people around the world to use their strengths.

Let me be clear.  I believe you should be as capable at identifying and fixing your weaknesses, as you are at identifying and building on your strengths. 

I also believe you should be able to make an informed choice so in different situations, for different outcomes, you know which approach will serve you best.

Why do you need both?

Researchers have found your greatest successes and greatest growth comes from regularly using your strengths in your work.  This is because your brain is hardwired to perform at it’s best by drawing on the thoughts, feelings and behaviours you’ve practiced over and over and over again, because they’re things you like doing and you’re good at.

No matter what situation I’m faced with, I always start by seeing if there’s a strength I can build on.  The reality is using my strengths makes things easier, more engaging and more enjoyable, meaning it takes less effort and time to see the results I want.

For example, one of my strengths is curiosity.  I love learning new things.  When I need to master something I haven’t done before my strength of curiosity is a great way to get me to dive into figuring things out.

But what if you don’t have a strength that would help?

Scientists now know our brains continue learning right throughout our lives, so it’s absolutely possible to take a weakness and turn it into a strength.  But, it’s important to be realistic about the amount of effort this requires.

Current estimates are that it takes between 8,000 and 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to take a weakness and master it.  Put that into context and we’re talking about a couple of hours a day, every day a year for about 8 – 10 years.

Are you being realistic about your weaknesses?

If I don't have a strength to draw upon and fixing the area of weakness is important enough that I’m willing to invest the 8 – 10 years of effort, then I set realistic expectations and start showing up.

For example, when I discovered the field of positive psychology, my strengths were purely in the domain of marketing.  Not a huge amount of help.  I knew my strength of curiosity could help me stick at what I needed to learn, but I was also realistic about the time and effort it would take to close my knowledge gap.  And then I put in the hours of practice.

Had I walked away simply because I didn’t have a psychology strength to build on, I would have missed out on the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.

So what’s the right question to be asking?

When it comes to improving my performance I’ve learnt to always ask: in this particular situation, for this particular outcome, am I better to build on my strengths or fix my weaknesses? 

Now where would you place your next bet?

Michelle is a Premium member of Business Chicks, request her online business card and connect with her here. 

Michelle McQuaid is a best-selling author, workplace well-being teacher and playful change activator.  She is passionate about translating cutting-edge research from positive psychology and neuroscience, into practical strategies for health, happiness, and business success.

She holds a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania  and her work has been featured in Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post and more.

Michelle lives to help women discover their strengths, move beyond their fears, and finally discover what it truly takes to flourish with confidence.

Can You Spot Others’ Strengths?

When was the last time you walked into a meeting with a colleague with the deliberate intention of spotting their strengths?  If the answer doesn’t roll off the tip of your tongue, don’t feel bad.

The truth is while it’s relatively easy to spot the worst in others, finding the best in people and ways you can bring more of this out in their work isn’t something most of us naturally excel at.

Scientists have long understood that while we all share a deep psychological need to be respected, valued and appreciated, the negativity bias hardwired into our brain makes us much better at spotting what we don’t like about people, rather than their strengths.

So is there a way you can retrain your brain to help you see the best in others? 

Why is it worth spotting strengths in others?

Well to be honest here the science is still catching up.

There is a growing evidence base that when leaders focus on spotting and appreciating the strengths – rather than the weaknesses – of their employees, people perform better.

But how does it impact people whom we’re not leading?

I saw the power of this spotting strengths in others first hand, when I was lucky enough to spend more than a decade working alongside a man named Jim Stynes.  Jim was an Irishman who came to Australia to play professional football and along the way donated his time to help thousands of teenagers find the confidence to achieve.

He was a master and looking for the strengths in others and then telling them what he saw and in today’s episode of Chelle McQuaid TV I’ll share his secret.

How can you start spotting strengths in other people at work?

If like me you’re not as proficient as Jim was at seeing people’s strengths, try these three simple steps to spotting strengths in others.

Firstly, before you head into your next meeting or conversation at work remind yourself to look for the best in the people you’ll be seeing.

As things get underway look for the moments where they’re more engaged, energized and enjoying what they’re talking about or doing.  Often their bodies will literally start to lean in to the conversation, the body language might become more animated and the tone of voice and pace of speech tend to be uplifted.  You’ll find more tips on spotting strengths here from Dr. Alex Linley.

Secondly, as you leave the meeting or conversation use the cheat sheet below of VIA Character Strengths to help you spot which strengths they may have been using.  Again think back to those moments when they lit up, which strengths might have been in action.

Finally, follow up your interaction with a call or a note of thanks for their time and include a little appreciation for the strengths you saw in play.

For example if you think their strength might be curiosity you might say: “Thanks for taking the time to meet today, I really valued the questions you were asking to help us get a better outcome on this project.”

As I’ve experimented with this in my own relationships at work I’ve discovered more important than actually getting the strength right every time, is showing up with the willingness to look and offer appreciative feedback.  It takes only a moment of my time and it’s been instrumental in improving even my most difficult relationships.

Want more help on spotting strengths in others? Read more here from Dr. Alex Linley on strength spotting or watch this short video with with Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener.

What happens when you spot strengths in others?  If you’d like a little help with more practical, tested approaches to spotting strengths and how to appreciate people for them just ask below!

- See more at: http://www.michellemcquaid.com/

Want To Improve Your Relationships?

The one consistent finding to date from all that science has discovered on improving our wellbeing is that: “other people matter“. In fact, more than what we’re doing in our jobs, research suggests it’s who we’re doing it with that ultimately determines our level of engagement and well-being.

As someone who leans more towards the side of introversion, building relationships at work hasn’t always been my sweet spot. I can do it, but it takes a lot of effort, it often leaves me feeling worn out and I generally don’t feel like it’s me at my best.

Even for the most extroverted among us – and I’m married to one of them – building good relationships with people can be hard work. Especially when the only reason we might have ever been thrown together … is our jobs.

So is there any easier way to authentically connect with people at the office?

Could A Mirco-Moment Improve Your Relationships?

Professor Barbara Fredrickson at the University of North Carolina and her colleagues have discovered that it takes just a micro-moment of genuine connection to spark an upward spiral of mutual care between people.

The research suggests all it takes are three simple steps:

• the sharing of a positive emotion like interest, joy, amusement or pride for example;
• a synchronization of your biochemistry and behaviors through shared eye contact, body gestures or vocal tone that literally causes your two brains to start dancing as one and;
• a reflected motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings mutual care.

Barb describes this process of connection between people as “positivity resonance”.

She suggests we think of it like a mirror. You and the other person mirror the positivity in each other’s emotional state; you mirror each other’s body and brain activity; and you mirror each other’s impulse to care for one another. In this moment to some extent you each become the reflection and extension of the other. Truly making two heads better than one.

Not only this but when we experience warm and trusting feelings towards each other it improve our vagal tone – which is the very subtle airithemia that occurs with each breath we take – to calm down our naturally high human heart rates helping us to regulate gluscose and cardiovascular health, to regulate our attention and emotion at work and have better social skills.

In today’s episode of Chelle McQuaid TV , I’ll show you how you can create more micro-moments of authentic connection at the office.

How To Create More Micro-moments In Your Relationships?

You’ll quickly find opportunities for micro-moments of connection abound in your day.

Each time you interact with someone else take a moment to truly make eye contact with them or if you’re on the phone synchornize your tone of voice to theirs.

You might want to ask them: “What’s going well today?” Or “What’s been the highlight of your week?” Or even: “What are looking forward to this month?” As an easy way to spark off their positive emotions as they savor the good things happening to them.

Of course other effective ways you can create shared positive emotions is to perform an act of kindness, express your appreciation or give them a reason to laugh.

Just try to make eye contact as you do it. Then as positivity resonates between you let that feeling of mutual care rise up knowing you’ve made a connection with the person.

You might also like to try spending 15 minutes a day practicing loving kindness meditation as Barb’s research has found this works wonders on our vagal tone.  You can download a free guided meditation from Barb here.

If you want more on how these micro-moments impact our relationships, health and performance check out Barb’s book Love 2.0 and watch her speak about the research here.

What can you do to create more micro-moments of connection in your day?  If you’d like a little help with more practical, tested approaches to play with just ask below!

- See more at: http://www.michellemcquaid.com/improve-relationships/

Turn The Job You Have Into A Job You Love

Job Crafting

Ever been asked to do something at work you didn’t really want to do?

Perhaps you’re weren’t sure if you could really pull it off.  Or you just didn’t want to spend your days wrapped up in this particular work.  Or maybe you thought your boss had gone completely mad!

A few years ago I found myself in exactly this situation.  I was asked to take on what most people in my organization considered an impossible task to reposition our brand with a tiny budget, a small team and a tight deadline.   And I really wasn’t that keen on spending the next year of my life on this particular project.

Unfortunately my career progression depended on me not just doing it – but doing it well.

So what can you do when the job you have, isn’t the job you want?

Using Your Strengths To Craft Your Job

Of course one of the best ways to make a job easier, more engaging and more enjoyable is to try and find ways to use your strengths – the things you like doing and that you’re good at – in your work each d

ay.

But if your job description wasn’t written with your strengths in mind and the day -to-day demands of your job have you running around like a headless chicken, just how are you meant to find time to play to your strengths?

Personally I was saved by the research of Professors Jane Dutton and Amy Wrezneuski who have discovered crafting your job by changing where you choose to spend your time and energy and how you think about it, can help you reclaim your power, motivation and relationships no matter what your job is.

In today’s episode of Chelle McQuaid TV , I’ll show you exactly how to use the  job crafting toolkit created by Dutton and her colleagues to reshape the work you dread, into work you’ll actually love because it draws on your strengths.

Not only did the approaches I discovered mean my team and I were actually able to deliver the project on time, on budget and exceed every measure set for us, but it made the work I dreaded far more engaging and enjoyable and wound up getting me promoted the job I dreamed of.

How Can You Craft A Job You Love

Take a few minutes to note done all the tasks required in your job.  Now divide them into those you enjoy and those you feel drained by.  The ones you enjoy are usually are good indication of where your strengths lie.

Think about what you could do to grow those things you enjoy doing just a little more in your day.  Remember for me even 11 minutes a day shifted the way I felt and performed.  This might involve changing the type and number of tasks you undertake.  It might mean thinking about who you spend your time with.  It might mean thinking about how you think about some elements of your work.

Then experiment with what’s possible.  Move past your own expectations of how you “should’ spend your time and find small moments – even if it’s at lunch time or just before your day starts – to use your strengths and shine.  It’s likely everything else in your day will go better because you did.

If you want more help to develop your strengths grab my free video training series.  I also recommend the step-by-step video on job crafting,

What would you change to craft the job you have into  a job you love?  If you’d like a little help with more practical, tested approaches to play with just ask below!

- See more at: http://www.michellemcquaid.com/job-crafting/