Harness the Power of Strengths—Start With What You Have, Not What’s Missing

When facing uncertainty or big goals, it’s tempting to fixate on the gaps—missing money, skills, or time. But true momentum starts with focusing on what you do have. Teams that make their strengths visible—whether it’s relationships, assets, knowledge, or past wins—consistently spot more opportunities and get creative under pressure. Consider a stressed-out manager who gathers her project team to fill out a 'strengths inventory.' One lists technical skill, another networks well, a third brings optimism to setbacks. They post these in the meeting room, and before long, team members begin drawing connections—using an intro to land a new client, deploying software hacks to save budget, leveraging positivity to keep spirits up during a crunch. Morale lifts. New options emerge, not out of thin air, but from looking at what’s already present with fresh eyes.

The science is clear: positive psychology shows gratitude and asset focus not only reduce stress, but trigger the release of dopamine, making teams smarter and more resilient. Regular strengths check-ins make this second nature.

Set aside time at your next team meeting or brainstorming session to write down every strength your group or project possesses—talent, relationships, loyal customers, cool assets, anything. Make this list prominent and celebrate it; don’t skip the less obvious things. Push the group to brainstorm how these existing strengths could unlock new possibilities before you start searching for missing pieces or weaknesses. When you hit a roadblock, return to your strengths list and ask, 'How could we apply what we have to this challenge?' Try this once, and you’ll likely want to make it a regular habit.