Team Strengths: How to Identify and Foster Team Strengths

Team strengths are your staff's positive qualities and skills, such as effective communication, collaboration, adaptability, creativity, and empathy. Identifying the strengths of your team members and their intrinsic motivation encourages greater productivity and skill-building. Delegating work based on the team’s strengths sets your group up for success and helps employees feel engaged in work that uses their skills.

Identifying your employee’s strengths and weaknesses can help you motivate your team and optimize their performance.

1. 1. Encourage self-awareness. Provide opportunities for team members to reflect on their performance from an individual and group standpoint. Read and review your team’s self-evaluations to understand how each person feels they contribute to the team’s goals.
2. 2. Identify consistent behaviors. As your team members work on an assignment, observe their interactions to understand the group dynamics. Make a note of positive habits along with areas for improvement.
3. 3. Work with employees. Fostering an open and collaborative company culture makes team members feel confident to share their opinion on strengths and weaknesses. Encourage your staff to share what they think are the team’s strengths and areas for improvement. Analyze the responses to see similarities and differences in how your staff views their team dynamic.

Here are three strategies for utilizing your team’s strengths:

• Acknowledge milestones. When you and your team meet a deadline or reach a benchmark, recognize your achievement. Acknowledging minor and major accomplishments inspires and motivates members to continue working toward future goals. This form of recognition also makes team members feel appreciated and valued.
• Assign tasks according to personal strengths. Good managers understand how to use individual strengths to benefit the entire team. Assigning tasks that relate to your team members’ greatest strengths and interests increases employee engagement.
• Create opportunities for professional development. Training programs and team-building activities provide employees with personal and team growth opportunities. Initiating continuous improvement in the workplace helps teams make the most of their strengths and develop new skill sets.

High-performing teams identify and address weaknesses to optimize results. When discussing areas for improvement with your team members, use a diplomatic tone and specific examples to start a positive conversation.

1. 1. Provide feedback. As you identify strengths and areas for improvement, provide sincere feedback in one-on-one meetings. Provide constructive feedback in addition to recognizing positive behaviors, and avoid waiting until performance reviews to offer feedback.
2. 2. Use specific examples. As you discuss points for improvement, use specific examples. Explaining areas for improvement using specific examples helps individual members understand how they can improve.
3. 3. Work together as a team. Problem-solving as a team enhances employee engagement and teamwork. Ask your team members to review performance metrics and develop ideas for improvement. Encouraging your team to take part in the decision-making process fosters a positive work environment.

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