STRENGTHS
for Resilient Leaders
FOCUS ON WHAT'S STRONG INSTEAD OF WHAT'S WRONG
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SPOT LIGHT 2: Strengths for Resilient Leaders
How do we develop character strengths to help us become more resilient leaders and better leaders of others?
Look around and ask questions: Start thinking about what strengths are, and how each of the 24 character strengths impacts the way we think about how capable we are as leaders, and how capable we think other people are.
Find out something new: Study and learn about character strengths from positive psychology. Starter resources are provided to read, listen to, and watch. Consider how a person's strengths and weaknesses affects their view of themselves and others.
Understand more by connecting information and knowledge: Complete the Strengths Survey (link below). Consider how you respond to the world around you in relation to your own areas of strength. Discuss and compare your findings with others.
Form a new idea or create a solution: Design and create a resource (digital or physical) to educate others about the impact of knowing your character strengths on the ability to be a resilient leader. You can team up with others to do this.
(Poster, infographic, slides, video, multimedia etc.)
(Poster, infographic, slides, video, multimedia etc.)
Think critically about your creation, seek feedback and make improvements: Share your resource with another group and seek their feedback. Refine your resource so that the driving question is outlined and clearly answered. Considering who your audience could be and how you'd like to share your work.
Share your ideas and creations with others: Finish your resource creation journey by reflecting on the process of working together. How are you thinking about the development of your own strengths and leadership skills after this learning process? Complete the L.I.G.H.T Bulb Moments activity to reflect, integrate, and synthesize your knowledge.
Complete the survey to find out your character strengths, then discuss the visuals and question prompts together:
Complete the survey to find out your character strengths, then discuss the visuals and question prompts together:
Complete the survey at this link, add your school email/password when prompted:
The survey will take about 15 minutes, once finished, share your top 5 strengths with a friend and have a chat about the different top strengths in the class.
NOTE: Your strengths will change over time, so treat this activity as 'interesting' not permanent!
View the 24 character strengths.
Questions to discuss:
What would our school be like if we all knew our strengths and used them to support each other?
What would our school be like if we spotted others using their strengths and let them know that we noticed?
Why do we as humans tend to focus in on what's wrong with us, instead of what's strong with us?
Why is focusing on strengths important? (this doesn't mean we ignore weaknesses or areas for improvement).
Youth Character Strengths.pdfVisuals to look at and explore:
Visuals to look at and explore:
STRENGTH BOOST
Deliberately growing strengths helps make you more resilient when life gets hard, by giving life more meaning.
You can focus on strengths to improve your own wellbeing, and make you a better model and leader for people around you.
Meaning Wheel With Citation v6.pdfLEADERSHIP TIPS
Using your strengths when working with others.
You can use your strengths for good NOW - you don't need to wait till you leave school - young people have lots to offer, don't let people tell you otherwise!
7 Tips for Working with Others.pdfVideos to watch and listen to about character strengths:
Videos to watch and listen to about character strengths:
Articles to read to grow your understanding:
Articles to read to grow your understanding:
L.I.G.H.T BULB MOMENTS - Strengths for resilient leadership
Use the POUNAMU INQUIRY STAGES : CREATE, REFINE, SHARE and the LIGHT reflection questions below to show what you've learnt. Share your work with your dean for L.I.G.H.T points and be in the draw for other rewards.
LEARNING: What did you learn about how to identify character strengths to help become a more resilient leader and a better leaders of others?
INTEGRITY: How can using your character strengths enables you to act with more integrity as a leader?
GUARDIANSHIP: Can the character strengths we have change the way we live and interact in the world, to make it a safer and better place for others? Share an example.
HAUORA: How does understanding the impact of our character strengths on how we interact with ourselves and others improve our resilience? Share an example of how you could have a positive impact through using one/some of your strengths.
TRUTH: Can knowing our character strengths help us to learn to know ourselves and understand others with more tolerance, compassion, and kindness? How? Share an example.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
Thanks to the VIA Institute on Character for lots of these resources and the survey.
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