Finding Your Strength as Entrepreneurs

I’ve been talking to entrepreneurs lately about honing in on their strengths. From time to time, I can get lost in projects, roles, and even new business ideas, if I don’t go back to what are my strengths. When I chat with entrepreneurs who’ve lost their way, I often encourage them to explore their strengths. Here are a couple of my favorite resources to help you explore where your strengths line up:

1.  Strengths Finder 2.0 from Gallup and Tom Rath. Discover your Clifton Strengths by Don Clifton. “Pair this book with the online assessment (https://www.gallup.com) to discover your Top 5 Talents from a list of 34 themes. Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself — and the world around you — forever.”

I was first introduced to this list when I purchased the book for an upcoming “no electronics 7-day vacation.” I took the test right before I left and used the vacation to really dive into my strengths and strategize about how to utilize them. This was during my transition from non-profit director to founder of Coffee & Nosh and was instrumental in defining my role going forward. I found out I’m really good at activating people into action and driven by achievement. I was able to embrace my love of learning and utilize that to my advantage in starting a business. I thought some of the things identified were common in all people. Being able to identify these attributes as strength, really catapulted me to capitalize on these gifts.

2.  The Enneagram Institute. https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/ “Discover your type by taking the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI® version 2.5). At its core, the Enneagram helps us to see ourselves at a deeper, more objective level, and can be of invaluable assistance on our path to self-knowledge.” Also, The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr.

There are a ton of resources on the Enneagram: Books, Websites, Instagram Accounts, and more! My niece first introduced me to Enneagram on her path of self-discovery during her college years. Seeing her develop an understanding of herself and those around her convinced me to explore this more myself. I was able to take this understanding and apply it to therapy sessions to really work through some of my insecurities common with my Enneagram type and come out the other side emotionally and spiritually stronger. Additionally, it has helped me approach managing a crew of different personalities according to their motivations and ways they feel appreciated. Anyone working with people will benefit from understanding the Enneagram.

   A few more resources I recommend for discovering your strengths:

Books:

1.   The Motivation Code, by Todd Henry

2.  Chazown, by Craig Groeschel

3.  Personality Plus, by Florence Littauer

Podcasts:

1.  Unlocking Us with Brene’ Brown

2.  EntreLeadership Podcast

3.  The Reboot Podcast Jerry Colonna

4.  Typology with Ian Morgan Cron

Stacy Orndorff, Stacy O Speaks

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