Strength Spotting

4.8

(1,543 ratings)

Team members identify and appreciate each other's unique strengths, building recognition culture and self-awareness.

Strength Spotting is a positive psychology-based activity focused on identifying and celebrating individual strengths. Participants observe each other during activities or reflect on past interactions, then share specific strengths they notice in teammates: creative problem-solving, active listening, strategic thinking, enthusiasm, organization, empathy, etc. This practice builds self-awareness, increases appreciation, leverages strengths for team composition, and creates positive culture. Based on research showing that focusing on strengths (vs fixing weaknesses) drives performance and engagement.

30-50 min4-12 peopleindoor

ReflectiveCorporateSmall GroupsAdults

Getting to Know YouTeam Building

Objective

Build self-awareness and leverage individual strengths for team performance.

Materials Needed

Strength cards or list
Note-taking materials
Optional: Strengths assessment tools

How to Play

1

Introduce Strengths Framework

5 min

Explain strengths-based approach. Share strength categories: thinking, relationship-building, execution, influence.

2

Observation or Reflection

15 min

Option A: Do collaborative activity, then spot strengths. Option B: Reflect on past work together.

3

Identify Strengths

10 min

For each person, others write down 2-3 specific strengths they observe. Include examples of when they saw this strength.

4

Share Appreciations

18 min

Go around circle. Each person hears their strengths from others. The recipient just receives - no deflecting!

5

Discuss Applications

7 min

How can the team better leverage individual strengths? Are any strengths underutilized?

Pro Tips

facilitationImportant

Focus on specific, observable behaviors rather than vague traits.

Variations

Try these variations to adapt the game for different contexts and group sizes.

Written Strength Notes

Write strength appreciations on note cards that people can keep.

Strength Pairing

Pair people with complementary strengths for upcoming projects.

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