A few years ago I attended a one hour workshop last week in our office hosted by guest speaker Sue Langley and it opened my eyes to how I look at my strengths vs things I am good at. These can often be confused with each other however it is very important to know the difference as it will help you to create a more effective career path.
How many times have you been asked at work to do something that you are very good at but don't necessarily enjoy doing? Quite often when we see someone achieve greatness in a particular area we automatically assume that they enjoy doing it when it may not necessarily be the case. On another note how many times have you had an appraisal and your manager has identified "an area of improvement" or "area of development" and it is something that doesn't engage or excite you?
Why is it important to know the difference?
People who are in roles that utilize strengths that excite and engage them, are often more productive than those who are not. This link below from the Huffington Post talks about lost productivity in the US when staff are unhappy at work but I also think it just makes common sense as well.
The next time you are thinking about the next step in your career, rather than being distracted by the salary or company name, think about the actual job and think to yourself - "Am I actually going to be happy in this role?". "Am I going to be involved in activities that excite and engage me?" If you answer yes then you are more likely to be more productive and stay in the role longer. Your boss is also more likely to be happier with you and the chances for you to develop your career are more likely to increase as well.
A final note for employers reading this -
"Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to" - Richard Branson
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