Question # 5: "How Am I Using My Talents?

When you talk with people who have achieved a high level of success in their lives, you’ll find that they have found ways to incorporate their passions and talents into their daily activities. They also experience more fulfillment and balance because they intentionally played to their talents and strengths by developing the know-how and experience through continued focus and practice.

Your talents influence how you think and the way you respond to the situations in your life. Once you fully understand and acknowledge your natural abilities, you will develop a higher self awareness, which will lead to increased self confidence, a healthier self esteem, more success and personal satisfaction.

Talents by themselves are not that special, it is what you decide to do with them that make them special. All too often we deny our own talents, because to acknowledge them would mean we have to use them.

Why is it sometimes difficult to identify our own talents? First, it’s a question we don’t really ask ourselves. Second, our talents feel so natural to us that we tend to take them for granted. Third, we live in a culture where we tend to focus on improving our weaknesses rather than developing our talents into strengths.

Do you know what your talents are? How do you go about discovering some of your talents or natural abilities?

Answer the following questions and start to identify some of the common themes within your answers.

• What are some activities or special interests you enjoyed growing up? What did you enjoy most about those moments and why?
  
• What are some of the skills or abilities you developed over the years? What skills were easy for you to learn or develop?
  
• What are some of your favorite activities or projects that give you the most satisfaction?  At home? At work? What are some activities that whenever you’re doing them, everything just flows because it just feels right.  It comes natural to you and you tend to lose track of time. What are some activities that you genuinely look forward to doing again? (.. .watching American Idol is not one of them!)
  
• What would you enjoy doing even when you’re not getting paid for it?
  
• What do other people regularly ask you to do?
  
• What are some of the qualities that other people think you have?

Once you get a better understanding of your dominant innate talents and abilities, start looking for ways to incorporate them into your daily life. None of us have been dealt the perfect hand, but it is your responsibility and greatest joy to become the best you can with the cards you have been dealt.

Question # 10: "How am I spending my time?"

Question # 9: "What Would I Do If I Knew I Couldn’t Fail?"

Question # 8: "Who Am I becoming?"

Question # 7: "What Am I Tolerating?"

Question # 6: "Where Do I Focus My Attention?"

During uncertain economic times, many employees experience more anxiety about their future, more stress and declining attitudes. If you want to enhance their creativity, increase their productivity and personal engagement, follow these 4 business coaching tips to lead your employees through hard times.

1. Get them involved.

It is important to keep the lines of communication open and involve them in developing goals and action steps. Use their skills and knowledge for problem solving, strategy sessions and developing creative solutions. Honest and consistent communication with employees will result in a stronger feeling of connection and increased personal engagement. It will also create a stronger sense of belonging and significance, and minimize their feelings of powerlessness.

2. Focus on personal and career development.

The natural law of increase states that all people have the innate desire to grow and learn. Give your employees the opportunity to take advantage of career training and personal development opportunities.

3. Establish realistic expectations that motivate them.

Concise and consistent communication of expectations will promote an atmosphere of commitment to success. When expectations are realistic and clear, employees can take full ownership of their personal achievement and become responsible for their own success. Success will boost morale.

4. Reward and recognize.

In today’s work environment, praise and recognition are rare. In a recent poll, 65% of Americans reported receiving no recognition for their work. On the flip side, studies clearly indicate that when people receive recognition on a regular basis, they increase their productivity, they increase their personal engagement and they are more likely to stay with their organization. Recognition is most appreciated and effective when it is individualized, specific and well deserved.