Developing leadership by recognizing strengths in ourselves and others

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this workshop is: 1) to engage participants in the discussion of important concepts of positive psychology with emphasis on identifying their own personal strengths. 2) to review approaches for assessment of individual strengths and implementation of these qualities for productive teamwork in education. TEACHING METHODS: The group will be given a list of qualities which can be identified as examples of strengths. Each individual will be asked to select particular qualities which, in their opinion, are key features of their personality. We will discuss the value of different items from the list as the basis for creating a working team. CONTENT OVERVIEW: As health professions educators, one of the significant challenges we face on a daily basis is dealing with different personality types. Creating a working team is the key to success in any organization or endeavor. As part of their training, we encourage our students to engage in studies with their classmates. To achieve this goal, an effective leader should be able to identify strengths in themselves and others. Various categories of individual traits can be distinguished as assets. It is crucial to develop awareness of our own strengths and the ability to evaluate their spectrum in other people. This knowledge can be instrumental in utilizing individual strengths most effectively for productive work. PROJECT IMPACT: Recognition of strengths in ourselves and others is fundamental in developing effective healthcare teams. A good example is the story described by Jessica Wapner, author of The Philadelphia Chromosome, who said “It is a miracle what a group of committed people can do.” Furthermore, current trends in education, such as interprofessional communication and cooperation currently emphasized at Nova Southeastern University, create an additional avenue where determination of the strengths of each person will contribute to the success of our mission. Finally, this workshop will help us in an ability to maximize our potential as health professions educators and will also help to foster leadership qualities in our students