How to Be a Strengthskeeper in 6 Simple Steps
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We need people who help us to stay connected with our strengths—the inner resources we have inside of us that help us to survive, thrive, and handle life’s challenges. This is why my goal is to get you, and as many people as possible, excited and curious about being Strengthskeepers.
Just like a scorekeeper keeps track of the score in a game and the timekeeper keeps track of the time, a Strengthskeeper is the person in a group or team who keeps track of people’s strengths. The Strengthskeeper takes responsibility for helping people to recognize and remember the strengths within themselves and one another. Because let’s face it, we all forget about strengths sometimes.
Since it is almost impossible to have well-being or to work well with others without using and sharing our strengths, being a StrengthsKeeper is one of the most important roles that you can ever play.
You don’t have to be an expert on strengths to start being a Strengthskeeper. You can and will learn as you go, so don’t be afraid to begin today!
Here is all it takes to be a StrengthsKeeper for your people in 6 simple steps:
1. Select a group of people who you would like to help recognize and remember their strengths. It could be your family, a team, a committee or a club. It could be a group that already exists or a group of friends, classmates, acquaintances, neighbors, or co-workers that you bring together. Commit to acting as a Strengthskeeper for them. Once you’ve made this decision, find a way to remind yourself of your commitment.
2. Learn what your own signature strengths are in less than 15 minutes by taking the free, scientifically-validated VIA Character Strengths Survey. Once you know your signature strengths, make it a habit to keep looking for new ways to understand and use them in your daily life.
3. Encourage your people to take the VIA Character Strengths Survey for themselves and to share their results with you and the rest of your group. Don’t forget to share your strengths with them as well. Keep a list of everyone’s strengths so that all of you can remember what they are.
4. Start conversations and organize activities that help the people in your group to recognize and remember the strengths within themselves and one another. Share information that helps your people understand and remember why an ongoing practice of focusing on strengths is so important. Check out www.allourstrengths.com as an always-growing source of ideas, tips, and encouragement.
5. Look for opportunities to recognize and celebrate the strengths of the people in your group! Help them celebrate each other’s strengths!
6. Repeat these steps often!
There you have it! The “art of Strengthskeeping” summed up for you in 6 simple steps. Of course, there are many ways to approach each of these steps, so stay in touch with us at allourstrengths.com to keep learning more. Also go to the viacharacter.org site to stay current on the latest and greatest news and research on the science of character strengths.
