Insight       25 April 2025

Strength Spotting

A Valuable Leadership Skill 

As leaders, we’re often trained to identify gaps and solve problems. Yet deliberately spotting strengths can be just as powerful. Taking time to notice what people do well also helps to build engaged, confident teams. 

Why Strength Spotting Matters

Strength spotting is identifying and acknowledging what people naturally do well. Research suggests that teams that operate from their strengths show higher productivity and greater satisfaction. 
I noticed this when I began highlighting my colleague’s talent for asking clarifying questions during meetings. Not only did he lean into this strength more often, but the quality of our team discussions improved notably. 
When you consistently notice and name people’s unique capabilities, you’re: 
  • Building intrinsic motivation and engagement
  • Creating psychological safety for contribution
  • Developing confidence that fuels performance
  • Cultivating an authentic team culture 

Why Strength Spotting Matters

Strength spotting is identifying and acknowledging what people naturally do well. Research suggests that teams that operate from their strengths show higher productivity and greater satisfaction. 
I noticed this when I began highlighting my colleague’s talent for asking clarifying questions during meetings. Not only did he lean into this strength more often, but the quality of our team discussions improved notably. 
When you consistently notice and name people’s unique capabilities, you’re: 
  • Building intrinsic motivation and engagement
  • Creating psychological safety for contribution
  • Developing confidence that fuels performance
  • Cultivating an authentic team culture 

Developing Your Strength-Spotting Skill

Like any leadership microskill, strength spotting improves with deliberate practice: 
Expand your strength vocabulary: Move beyond generic praise. Identify specific character strengths, talent themes, and thinking styles to precisely name what you observe. 
Create simple rituals: Begin team meetings by acknowledging specific strengths demonstrated recently. Keep notes on examples of strengths you notice throughout the week.
Practice specific feedback: Replace “great job” with “your ability to synthesise competing viewpoints helped us reach consensus much faster than usual.” 
Notice your patterns. I realised I quickly spotted strengths in creating new insights, but sometimes missed the team-building ones. What strengths might you be overlooking? 
I’ve found that treating strength spotting as an important leadership microskill rather than an occasional compliment transforms team dynamics. It shifts from a pleasant management technique to a genuine performance catalyst. 

Developing Your Strength-Spotting Skill

Like any leadership microskill, strength spotting improves with deliberate practice: 
Expand your strength vocabulary: Move beyond generic praise. Identify specific character strengths, talent themes, and thinking styles to precisely name what you observe. 
Create simple rituals: Begin team meetings by acknowledging specific strengths demonstrated recently. Keep notes on examples of strengths you notice throughout the week.
Practice specific feedback: Replace “great job” with “your ability to synthesise competing viewpoints helped us reach consensus much faster than usual.” 
Notice your patterns. I realised I quickly spotted strengths in creating new insights, but sometimes missed the team-building ones. What strengths might you be overlooking? 
I’ve found that treating strength spotting as an important leadership microskill rather than an occasional compliment transforms team dynamics. It shifts from a pleasant management technique to a genuine performance catalyst. 

Further Reading