“That’s Not Special, That’s Just Me”: How to Spot the Strengths You Can’t See

Are you really playing to your strengths at work? Or are you spending much of your time doing things you're good at, but that leave you feeling drained? Recognising and using our strengths can have a powerful impact on our wellbeing, confidence and performance at work. But many of us struggle to identify our own strengths, particularly when they come so naturally that we don't even notice them. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, I'm joined by Chartered Psychologists Michele Deeks and Martin Galpin, co-founders of Work Positive and creators of the At My Best strengths cards, to explore how understanding and using our strengths can help us thrive at work. Michele and Martin explain the important difference between being good at something and feeling energised by it. We discuss why people often overlook their greatest strengths, how managers can help employees recognise what they do well, and why focusing on strengths rather than just weaknesses can make such a difference to individuals and teams. They also share practical ideas for having more meaningful strengths-based conversations, including a simple activity you can try with your own team. HR Coffee Time Podcast | Episode 188 ☕️ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN What strengths really are and how they differ from learned behaviours Why being good at something doesn't necessarily mean it's a strength How to recognise strengths you might be overlooking Why using your strengths can improve wellbeing, engagement and performance How HR professionals and managers can help people identify and develop their strengths Why positive feedback is so important and how to make it more meaningful A simple team activity to help colleagues recognise and appreciate each other's strengths Practical ways to bring more strengths-based thinking into everyday working life ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Are You Playing to Your Strengths? 03:29 – What Are Strengths? 05:08 – Why We Often Overlook Our Own Strengths 05:51 – Strengths vs Learned Behaviours 08:17 – Why Strengths Matter at Work 11:38 – The Impact of Focusing on Weaknesses 12:36 – How Managers Can Help People Recognise Their Strengths 17:22 – The Power of Positive Feedback 20:18 – Using Strengths Cards to Recognise Colleagues 21:04 – Fay's Experience Using Strengths Cards During Redundancy 22:56 – Bringing Strengths to HR Planning Days 23:39 – The Research and Evidence Behind Strengths 28:44 – How to Discover Your Own Strengths 33:14 – The Story Behind the At My Best Strengths Cards 36:57 – Practical Ways to Use Strengths Cards With Teams 39:53 – Book Recommendation: Personalization at Work 40:50 – What Is Job Crafting? 42:28 – How to Connect With Michele & Martin 43:29 – Final Thoughts & Closing 📚 BOOKS AND RESOURCES RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE At My Best strengths cards – A practical tool for recognising, exploring and talking about strengths: https://atmybest.com/ Free strengths reflection resource – Available through At My Best: https://atmybest.com/ Personalisation at Work: How HR Can Use Job Crafting to Drive Performance, Engagement & Wellbeing, by Rob Baker Journal article: Flourishing in New Zealand Workers: Associations With Lifestyle Behaviors, Physical Health, Psychosocial, and Work-Related Indicators (2015), by Lucy C. Hone, Aaron Jarden, Scott Duncan and Grant M. Schofield: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26340... Journal article: Flourishing in New Zealand Workers: Associations With Lifestyle Behaviors, Physical Health, Psychosocial, and Work-Related Indicators (2015), by Lucy C. Hone, Aaron Jarden, Scott Duncan and Grant M. Schofield: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26340... Michelle McQuaid’s research on strengths-based organisational change: https://www.michellemcquaid.com/produ... University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre: Workplace Wellbeing and Firm Performance, by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Micah Kaats and George Ward: https://wellbeing.hmc.ox.ac.uk/papers... 👤 CONNECT WITH MICHELE DEEKS & MARTIN GALPIN 🌐 At My Best – https://atmybest.com/ 💼 Work Positive – https://www.workpositive.com/ 💼 Michele Deeks on LinkedIn –   / micheledeeks   💼 Martin Galpin on LinkedIn –   / martingalpin   RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR HR CAREER 📝 The Essential HR Planner – https://essentialhrplanner.co.uk/ 🎓 Inspiring HR Leadership Programme – https://brightskyhr.co.uk/hr-leadersh... 💼 Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn –   / faywallis   💌 Free weekly HR Coffee Time email – https://brightskyhr.kit.com/hrcoffeetime 🎫 Get your ticket for an HR Planning Day - https://essentialhrplanner.co.uk/hr-p... 🔔 IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE... Please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with an HR colleague who might find it helpful. Thank you so much for supporting the show.