Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Lecture Notes
Chapter 6: Engaging Strengths
Learning Objectives
1. Assess the potential role of strengths in an individual’s development as a leader
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
A. Every one of us has identifiable leadership strengths, areas in which we excel or
thrive. But, we often fail to recognize these strengths.
II. Strengths-Based Leadership Explained
A. Strength is an attribute or quality of an individual that accounts for successful
performance.
B. Traits are characteristics of people that are often inherited; in the case of strengths,
these traits are being engaged at their highest level.
C. Skills and strengths:
i. Skills are learned competencies; everyone can be taught skills.
ii. Strengths are expressions of a pre-existing capacity and are unique to each
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
ii. StrengthsFinder profile: It is one of the most widely used self-assessment
questionnaires in the world and has been completed by more than 10
million people to date.
E. Identifying and Measuring Strengths
i. Gallup and the StrengthsFinder Profile
a. The goal of the interviews was to identify the qualities of high-
performing individuals.
d. Talents are similar to personality traits: they are relatively stable,
fixed characteristics that are not easily changed.
e. Strengths are derived from having certain talents and then further
developing them by gaining additional knowledge, skills, and
practice.
ii. Values in Action Institute and Inventory of Strengths
a. Researchers at the Values in Action (VIA) Institute, led by Martin
Seligman and Christopher Peterson, were engaged in a project to
develop a framework for the field of positive psychology that
defined and conceptualized character strengths.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
b. To develop the classification, they reviewed philosophical and
c. From the review, they identified six universal core virtues.
d. The classification of values with the corresponding strengths are:
• Courage (Emotional strength):
• Justice (Civic strengths):
• Fairness.
• Leadership.
• Teamwork.
• Transcendence (Strengths about meaning):
o Appreciation of beauty and excellence.
o Gratitude.
o Hope.
o Humor.
o Religiousness.
• Wisdom (Cognitive strengths):
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
o Creativity.
o Curiosity.
iii. Centre of Applied Positive Psychology and the R2 Strengths Profiler
Assessment
a. From CAPP’s perspective, strengths were conceptualized as “the
things that we are good at and that give us energy when we are
using them”.
c. R2 Strengths Profiler Quadrant Model
• Realized strengths are personal attributes that represent our
strongest assets.
• Unrealized strengths are personal attributes that are less
visible.
III. Strengths-Based Leadership in Practice
A. Discovering Your Strengths
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
i. We all have unique personality traits, and therefore we all have unique
strengths.
b. Second, you can fill out the Leadership Strengths Questionnaire
c. Third, you can complete the Reflected Best Self Exercise (RBSE).
d. Fourth, you can complete the “discovering your strengths” exercise.
B. Developing Your Strengths
i. Acknowledging and expressing: First, you must acknowledge your
strengths and be prepared to reveal them to others.
C. Addressing Your Weaknesses
i. Leaders must not only recognize and capitalize on their strengths, but also
be able to identify their weaknesses and address them.
ii. Working to improve on your weaknesses or using them as opportunities
for others to contribute their strengths will improve your leadership.
D. Recognizing and Engaging the Strengths of Others
i. Leaders need to recognize and engage the strengths of their followers.
E. Fostering a Positive Strengths-Based Environment
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
i. People feel better and work better when the climate in which they work is
positive.
ii. Leaders who want to create a positive work environment should attend to
four areas:
a. Climate: To create a positive climate, leaders should foster among
their employees’ virtues such as compassion, forgiveness, and
gratitude.