Lea Waters' book The Strength Switch, has a subtitle that refers to the New Science of Strength-Based Parenting that helps Children and Teens to Flourish. It is important to focus on strengths because I don't know anyone who thinks “I can't do 'xyz' so that is the areas I am going to focus upon in my career." Of course, if a student needs a certain skill or ability to achieve their desired career, it may be necessary to acquire this skill.
The book refers to Core Strengths – those that an individual performs well; uses frequently and the strengths that energise an individual. Martin Seligman refers to these as one's 'Signature Strengths' – the strengths that characterize who we are; the strengths that define us. Waters also refers Growth Strengths those that an individual has the potential to perform well and that energise the individual but that currently have low usage.
Learned Behaviour is characterized by strengths that are performed well but currently have variable use and are de-energised. The final quadrant featured in this book is made up Weaknesses – which are those characteristics which are performed poorly as well as being used variably and are de-energizing.
I have encouraged students to identify their strengths; asked them what strengths are needed for a specific task; what strengths still need to be developed and what strengths are so strong that they get in the way of other strengths developing. As the author of this book says: “It can be inspiring to see how [youth] start using their strengths as forces for good."
A strength-based focus can be very effective, but it is important to allow sufficient time because some students have an especially robust sense of self… whereas others still require emphasis on and bolstering about strengths. Like talent development, strength development takes time. This involves both nature and nurture.
Also, like heightened abilities, strengths emerge at different times: curiosity and cognitive abilities are evident from birth; musical and artistic abilities emerge during infancy; as does emotional intelligence (though this is evident a little later during infancy); personality emerges during childhood; creative abilities have two peak times (during adolescence and again in the middle adult years) whereas wisdom begins in adolescence but continues throughout life. Strengths, like talents, take time to develop and to be used.
© Michele Juratowitch
michele@clearingskies.com.au