Strengths-Based Leadership: Self-Assessment and Follower Needs

Personal Strengths Assessment

A common characteristic among great leaders is their awareness of their own strengths. Based on the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment presented in Rath and Conchie (2017), my top five strengths are:

I agree with this assessment, as I have achieved several goals I set for myself across various tasks by drawing on these competencies. For example, without focus, I cannot fully understand the guidelines for the direction I need to adopt while reaching key milestones. Staying on track is vital if work is to be completed successfully and efficiently.

The one strength I felt did not describe me best was context. People with high context competency tend to understand present situations well by researching the past. I believe that, as a future-oriented leader, one should prioritize better goals and focus directions accordingly. Research has corroborated this notion: the latest generation's leaders opt for innovation, open-mindedness, empowerment, and self-achievement as prominent personal values that help leaders become future-oriented (Cresnar & Nedelko, 2020).

I am currently pursuing a role that utilizes most of these strengths — not necessarily all at once, but sequentially. At times, I move fluidly from one competency to the next, which helps me stay on track and on schedule. Foremost is my sense of responsibility toward assigned tasks. I need to focus on understanding guidelines clearly; otherwise, I cannot pay attention to detail. I understand that responsibility instills honesty in my work, and I hold myself accountable even when my output contains rare errors. This competency aligns naturally with my focus attribute, as I arrange a systematic approach to working and act accordingly.

I also communicate with peers — sometimes to seek their help, and sometimes to offer support. Coordination and collaboration are essential for achieving targets, particularly in teamwork and professional development through better networking (Reeves et al., 2017). I am always measured in my words, weighing them before I speak and remaining cautious about word choice so as not to cause harm. Context, as noted, is the competency that describes me least. While I do research facts when confused in my work, I do not apply that habit consistently in personal relationships or everyday decisions as a general rule.

Meeting the Four Basic Needs of Followers

The four basic needs of followers — trust, compassion, stability, and hope — can be understood as responsibilities that a leader must fulfill. Trust, for instance, is the honesty and transparency a leader must demonstrate through actions, words, and behavior, which is highly conducive to employee motivation and engagement, as verified by Gallup research (Rath & Conchie, 2017, p. 83).

I asked a colleague at work to evaluate me on these four dimensions. He indicated that I rank high on trust and compassion, relatively lower on stability, and lowest on hope. His reasoning was that I am reliable — hence trustworthy — and that he and other co-workers feel comfortable approaching me with problems, whether professional or personal, knowing I will listen and try my best to help. This supports my compassion attribute: I am sympathetic and a good listener. He also noted that my presence provides a sense of calm, and that my caring, friendly, and positive personality uplifts those around me.

Stability ranked somewhat lower. My colleague felt I am not always consistent in my decisions, particularly when dealing with people. For example, I tend to make quick changes to my plans when I sense that one person is troubled by my approach while another reacts negatively. In trying to accommodate and please everyone too quickly, I undermine my own stability. As for hope, my colleague observed that I am more of a team player than a leader — I prefer working alongside people rather than directing them. As a result, I may not effectively instill optimism about the future, making me a weaker motivator in that respect.

I recognize that I need to improve stability and deliberately work on the follower need of hope. Hope is a vital element of employee development; followers want to see their leaders provide opportunities for growth and a sustained drive toward the best possible outcomes. Leaders must be persuasive enough to instill positive thinking and foster hope for the future in their followers (Rath & Conchie, 2017, p. 89). To address this, I believe I should build personal competence, support followers by addressing smaller tasks within larger projects, earn their trust through consistent consultation, and encourage them to reach milestones on time (Richardson et al., 2011). Acknowledging followers' performance — such as recognizing when someone completes a defined task efficiently — raises standards in a way that benefits not only the organization but also the individuals, pushing them beyond their comfort zones toward greater recognition and achievement.