Strengths Application

What It Measures

The Strengths Application tool helps you leverage your VIA character strengths in your career:

• Strengths Awareness - Knowledge of your top character strengths
• Career Application - How strengths show up in your work
• Underutilization - Strengths not being used at work
• Development Opportunities - Ways to bring more strengths to your role

History & Research Foundation

VIA Character Strengths

• Peterson & Seligman (2004): Developed VIA Classification of 24 character strengths
• Positive Psychology Foundation: Part of the movement to study what's right with people
• Cross-Cultural Validation: Strengths identified across cultures and history

Strengths at Work

• Gallup's StrengthsFinder: Related research showing strengths use increases engagement
• Job Crafting: Wrzesniewski's work on reshaping jobs around strengths
• Flow Theory: Csikszentmihalyi's research on using strengths for optimal experience

Key Researchers

• Martin Seligman & Christopher Peterson - VIA Classification
• Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton - Strengths-based management
• Amy Wrzesniewski - Job crafting
• Ryan Niemiec - VIA strengths application

Scientific Validity

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong Evidence Base

• VIA Character Strengths have extensive research support
• Strengths use at work predicts engagement and performance
• Strengths-based interventions improve wellbeing and effectiveness

What Your Results Tell You

Strengths Categories (VIA Classification)

Wisdom Strengths

• Creativity, Curiosity, Judgment, Love of Learning, Perspective

Courage Strengths

• Bravery, Perseverance, Honesty, Zest

Humanity Strengths

• Love, Kindness, Social Intelligence

Justice Strengths

• Teamwork, Fairness, Leadership

Temperance Strengths

• Forgiveness, Humility, Prudence, Self-Regulation

Transcendence Strengths

• Appreciation of Beauty, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Spirituality

Application Assessment

• Signature Strengths: Top 5-7 strengths that feel most like "you"
• Well-Applied: Strengths actively used in current role
• Underutilized: Strengths not finding expression at work
• Development Areas: Lesser strengths to grow

Use Cases

Career Alignment

• Match roles to your strengths profile
• Understand why some work energizes you
• Make career decisions aligned with strengths
• Find roles that let you be yourself

Job Crafting

• Reshape current role around strengths
• Add strengths-based tasks
• Reduce activities that conflict with strengths
• Build reputation through strength areas

Performance Enhancement

• Use strengths for difficult challenges
• Approach tasks through strength lens
• Build on what's already working
• Increase engagement through strengths use

Team Collaboration

• Understand team members' strengths
• Distribute work by strength fit
• Appreciate diverse strength profiles
• Build complementary teams

Key Insights

Strengths Are Natural: Unlike skills you learn, strengths are naturally energizing. Using them feels authentic.

Signature Strengths Are Core: Your top 5-7 strengths are "signature"—using them daily is essential for wellbeing.

Overuse Is Possible: Any strength overused becomes a weakness (curiosity → nosiness, honesty → bluntness).

All Strengths Have Value: No strength is better than another. Different situations call for different strengths.

The 24 VIA Character Strengths

Strengths Application Process

Step 1: Know Your Strengths

• Take VIA Survey (free at viacharacter.org)
• Identify your signature strengths (top 5-7)
• Notice which feel most essential to who you are

Step 2: Assess Current Use

For each signature strength:

• How often do I use this at work?
• In what activities does it show up?
• Where is it missing or constrained?

Step 3: Find Opportunities

• What tasks could I approach through my strengths?
• How could I add strengths-based activities?
• What projects align with my strengths?
• Who else shares or complements my strengths?

Step 4: Apply Daily

• Set intention to use one strength each day
• Notice when strengths show up naturally
• Deliberately apply strengths to challenges
• Track impact on engagement and effectiveness

Strength Development Strategies

For Underutilized Strengths

• Find or create opportunities for expression
• Volunteer for strength-aligned projects
• Craft existing tasks to incorporate strengths
• Discuss with manager about role adjustments

For Overused Strengths

• Notice when strength becomes counterproductive
• Pair with complementary strengths
• Develop awareness of situational fit
• Learn when to dial back

For Lesser Strengths

• Don't ignore—develop with intention
• Partner with others who have this strength
• Use signature strengths to support development
• Accept you don't need to be equally strong in all

Practical Tips

1. Focus on Top Strengths: Don't try to fix weaknesses; leverage strengths
2. Daily Application: Use at least one signature strength daily
3. New Ways to Use: Find fresh applications for familiar strengths
4. Discuss with Others: Share strengths, learn how they perceive yours
5. Track the Impact: Notice how strengths use affects your engagement

Limitations

• Strengths are stable but not unchangeable
• Some work environments constrain strengths expression
• Overreliance on strengths can create blind spots
• Team needs may sometimes require non-strength work

Complementary Tools

• VIA Strengths Assessment - Identify your signature strengths
• Energy Audit - See how strengths use affects energy
• Work Personality - Big Five in work context
• Career Values - Align strengths with values

Further Reading

• Peterson, C. & Seligman, M. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues
• Niemiec, R. (2017). Character Strengths Interventions
• Buckingham, M. & Clifton, D. (2001). Now, Discover Your Strengths
• Wrzesniewski, A. & Dutton, J. (2001). Crafting a Job

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Your character strengths are your superpowers at work. Know them, use them daily, and watch engagement and effectiveness soar.