Examples of Strengths: Personal and Professional

Updated July 6, 2022
Doctor and baby patient as examples of strength
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    Doctor and baby patient as examples of strength
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    Doctor: didesign021 / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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Strengths are tasks or actions you can do well. These include knowledge, proficiencies, skills, and talents. People use their traits and abilities to complete work, relate with others, and achieve goals.

Personal Strengths

The personal development section in your local bookstore is enormous for a reason. The strengths of a person serve as their barometer for self-satisfaction. A particularly poignant time to sit back and assess your strengths and weaknesses is when you're submitting a college or job application, or preparing for an interview. Let's take a look at a long list of personal strengths, many of which are touted in those self-care guidebooks.

Accurate

Action-oriented

Adventurous

Ambitious

Analytical

Appreciative

Artistic

Assertive

Athletic

Authentic

Caring

Clever

Compassionate

Charming

Communicative

Confident

Considerate

Courageous

Creative

Curious

Decisive

Dedicated

Deliberate

Detail-oriented

Determined

Disciplined

Educated

Empathetic

Energetic

Entertaining

Enthusiastic

Fair

Fast

Flexible

Focused

Friendly

Generous

Grateful

Helpful

Honest

Hopeful

Humble

Humorous

Idealistic

Independent

Ingenious

Industrious

Inquisitive

Inspirational

Intelligent

Kind

Knowledgeable

Leading

Lively

Logical

Lovely

Merciful

Modest

Moral

Motivated

Observant

Optimistic

Open-minded

Orderly

Original

Organized

Outgoing

Patient

Peaceful

Perseverant

Persuasive

Persistent

Practical

Precise

Problem-solving

Prudent

Quick-witted

Resourceful

Respectful

Responsible

Self-assured

Self-controlled

Serious

Spiritual

Spontaneous

Social

Straightforward

Strategic

Tactful

Team-oriented

Thoughtful

Thrifty

Tolerant

Trustworthy

Versatile

Visionary

Warm

Welcoming

Wise

General Strengths in the Workplace

Nothing beats a team player. In the workplace, an ability to work well with others is an indicator of success. Off the top of your head, what are some of your strengths? Organization? Budgeting?

A good resume is built upon core strengths and skills. When formulating your resume, you might want to use some of the keywords below as a springboard for your core values and skills section. For example, "analytical" can be turned into "Analytical Programmer." Let's take a look:

Adaption

Administration

Advising

Bookkeeping

Budgeting

Checking

Communication

Compilation

Coordination

Counseling

Creativity

Data analysis

Delegation

Detail-oriented

Direction

Editing

Empathy

Empowerment

Evaluation

Explanation

Finalization

Formulation

Guidance

Hosting

Ideation

Imagination

Implementation

Influence

Initiation

Innovation

Instruction

Interviewing

Judgment

Leader

Learning

Listening

Managing

Marketing

Motivation

Navigation

Negotiation

Observation

Organization

Oversight

Persuasion

Planning

Preparation

Presentation

Prioritization

Product development

Proofreading

Qualification

Questioning

Recording

Reparation

Reporting

Research

Resolution

Reviewing

Sales

Scheduling

Simplification

Speech

Strategy

Succinct communication

Supervision

Support

Teaching

Team-building

Tracking

Training

Troubleshooting

Understanding

Uniting

Updating

Upgrading

Verbalization

Verification

Volunteer

Writing

For more, here are the Best Skills to list on a Resume.

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General Strengths of Leaders and Managers

As you move up the proverbial food chain, there are certain indicators that mark a strong leader. Surely, communication skills are important, but there are other indicators, relating to your ability to guide and motivate a team. Let's take a look at some of the core skills required by a member of the managerial team.

Communication Strengths

Being able to verbalize clear instructions and feedback to your team members is of utmost importance. Here are some general strengths relating to communication skills:

  • Verbalizes ideas clearly and concisely
  • Allows effective communication
  • Listens to ideas actively
  • Provides constructive criticism
  • Takes time to make a personal connection
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Strengths for Providing Direction

Once you have an idea in mind, it needs to be translated to your team in a coherent manner. Here are some key strengths relating to direction and advice:

  • Creates specific objectives and outcomes
  • Communicates objectives and outcomes clearly
  • Explains tasks fully and delegates them efficiently
  • Develops checks and controls
  • Oversees staff to keep them on task

Strengths for Supporting Staff

Staff members want to feel like they matter and their ideas are being heard. Here are some examples of key strengths pertaining to staff support:

  • Understands talents of workers in order to delegate effectively
  • Provides staff training and development
  • Empowers workers by delegating some responsibilities
  • Evaluates staff performance on a regular basis
  • Recognizes efforts of workers
  • Supports staff to increase efficiency
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Strengths for Decision Making and Judgment

A leader is able to make quick decisions and stick by them. Here are some examples of strengths as they relate to sound judgment:

  • Gathers important information
  • Makes decisions regarding the best action to take
  • Implements the course of action
  • Communicates and explains decisions
  • Follows up on progress of actions
  • Learns from previous mistakes

Organizing and Planning Strengths

Of course, organization is key when running a large team. Here are key strengths as they relate to organization and planning:

  • Defines concrete goals
  • Explains goals in detail
  • Creates a plan to achieve goals
  • Gathers and assigns resources
  • Motivates the staff to achieve the highest level of performance
  • Evaluates progress and provides feedback
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Problem Solving Strengths

Similar to an ability to make quick decisions, sound problem-solving skills are integral in a team leader. Here are some examples of problem-solving strengths:

  • Recognizes the problem
  • Analyzes relevant information
  • Understands cause and effect relationships
  • Develops possible solutions
  • Chooses the best solution and implements it

Personal and Professional Strength-Building

The key to succeeding in various situations, personal or professional, is to identify your strengths and ensure they fit the situation or task you're undertaking. Focus on what you're good at rather than what you're capable of. Then, you'll then be more engaged in the task and able to perform at a higher level. For more tips on resume-building, check out these action words to use in resumes.