Room to Grow: 7 Ways to Help Your Team Find Their Strengths

Whether you’re an American team working out of a coffee shop or an Aussie team working from a shared office, understanding your team strengths allows you to thrive. Unfortunately, finding those strengths isn’t always straightforward—it requires observation, honest conversations, and the right support. 

Here are seven practical ways to help your team identify what they do best and how to make the most of it.

1. Observe How People Work Under Pressure

Deadlines have a way of revealing true strengths. Some team members, for example, might excel at problem-solving when the clock is ticking, while others bring calm and clarity to a crisis. 

Pay attention to who naturally takes charge, who offers creative solutions, and who keeps the team grounded when things get hectic. These moments highlight strengths that people may not even realize they have.

2. Pay Attention to What People Enjoy

People tend to be good at what they enjoy—or at least, they improve more quickly when they’re motivated by something that lights them up. If someone comes alive when discussing strategy but drags their feet on execution, that’s valuable information. 

Regular check-ins can help uncover patterns: What tasks do different team members gravitate toward? What do they volunteer for? What do they complain about? Strengths and interests often go hand in hand.

3. Use Strengths Assessments (With a Grain of Salt)

Personality and strengths assessments like CliftonStrengths or the VIA Survey can provide useful insights—but they shouldn’t be treated as gospel. A test might tell someone they’re a “natural leader,” but if they shy away from responsibility, the real story is more nuanced. 

Use these tools as conversation starters rather than definitive labels, and encourage team members to reflect on whether the results align with their experiences.

4. Encourage Peer Feedback

Colleagues can often see strengths that individuals overlook in themselves. A structured feedback session—where team members highlight each other’s strengths—can provide valuable insights. 

Instead of generic praise, ask people to share specific examples, such as, "You’re great at simplifying complex ideas in meetings" or "You always spot the small details that the rest of us miss." This reinforces strengths and gives people a clearer sense of their value.

5. Rotate Roles and Responsibilities

Routine can hide potential. Giving team members the chance to step into different roles—on a temporary or trial basis—can uncover hidden strengths. Someone who has never led a project might surprise themselves (and you) when given the opportunity. 

Others might discover they prefer a different aspect of the business than they originally thought. Structured rotations or short-term assignments allow people to explore without long-term commitment.

6. Provide Opportunities for Skill Development

Strengths aren’t always fully formed—they often need refining. Offering professional development opportunities, such as mentorship, training, or stretch assignments, allows team members to build on their natural talents. 

If someone shows an aptitude for public speaking but lacks confidence, giving them small speaking opportunities can help them grow into that strength over time. Growth requires practice, not just talent.

7. Create a Culture Where Strengths Are Recognized and Used

Identifying strengths is only half the equation—people need opportunities to use them as well. If a team member excels at strategy but spends all their time buried in administrative tasks, those strengths aren’t being maximized. 

Encourage managers to align work with people’s preferences and growing abilities as much as possible. A strengths-focused culture doesn’t mean ignoring weaknesses, but it does mean ensuring people get to spend more time doing what they do well.

Helping your team find their strengths isn’t about fitting them into rigid categories—it’s about giving them the tools, opportunities, and confidence to recognize and use their abilities effectively. When strengths are acknowledged and developed, work becomes more engaging, collaboration improves, and the team performs at a higher level. And if nothing else, at least you’ll know who to call when things go sideways.