A Strengths-Focused Life
I just started reading Marcus Buckingham’s book, Go Put Your Strengths to Work. I’m excited to get into because it is attempting to answer the very questions I’ve had since the moment I discovered Strengths.
I am completely and totally sold out to the idea of learning and living from our strengths. Since the moment I discovered strengths I’ve been convinced that this is the way to move ahead in live and ministry. I know some will disagree with me, but I disagree that we need to focus on our weakness and improve upon those (this is actually a myth that Buckingham addresses in the book).
But from the beginning I have wondered, “Okay, I know discovering these themes of strength have helped me learn more about my tendencies and the tendencies of those around me but how do we utilize this knowledge to help us live from our strengths?” I’ve bought into the idea “that excellence is not the opposite of failure, and that, as such, you will learn little about excellence from studying failure” (5). But how do we utilize this knowledge of our predispositions for strength (the labels as Buckingham calls them) to live from our strengths?
This is where I am hopeful as I read the book. It appears he is getting ready to scratch right where I itch. And the timing couldn’t be more impeccable as we are gearing up to launch a church because I want to become a community that is helping people discover and live from their strengths in life and ministry. In my mind this seems to embrace God’s created design of people and pragmatically a focus on strengths can help grow even more effective in ministry. My greatest desire is that we would live for God’s mission in our world. And I think strengths could be a great tool in seeing this happen.
For anyone reading the book check out Sam Radford’s Vox for an ongoing conversation over the content of the book. Sam if off soon to receive even more training to become a trainer of sorts in Strengths. The discussion over there should be very valuable in the days ahead. Check it.
April 7th, 2007 at 11:52 am
if you like Strengths, check out also the IMN Strength’s Center:
http://internationalmentoringnetwork.com/category/the-strengths-center/
the site is underconstruction so we’re not posting there presently, but there are a couple of excellent [archived] posts by IMN Coach, Dale Swinburne. there’s also a great conversation there on “aliveness” theory.
there will be regular updates on strengths there when the site relaunches. the site should relaunch towards the beginning of may.
enjoy.
April 7th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Thanks for the mention, Jason!
April 7th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
No problem Sam. And thanks for the link Alex.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:22 am
I enjoyed “Discover Your Strengths” and had the same frustration on implementation.
I’m about half way through “Put Your Strengths to Work” right now. My wife is a bit frustrated with the whole “strengths thing” because she’s wondering how much people are focusing and relying on their own strengths and not leaving room for surrender to God’s will and power in their life.