The Strengths Exercise is a powerful tool.

Strengths Exercise is a powerful tool for self-esteem and helps people develop their motivation and self-confidence.

When you hear about your strengths from others and acknowledge them to yourself, this builds your motivation and self-confidence. If you do this at the end of a workshop, you go away feeling good about yourself and your colleagues too.

This version works best in groups of six to twelve; outside these limits you will probably want to adapt it, perhaps by breaking into smaller groups.

Have people sit in a close circle, including the facilitator(s). Explain the value of feedback about strengths.

Give everyone a sheet of A4 paper, including the facilitators. Ask them to write their own name on the bottom of the paper clearly.

Pass paper to the person on the left. That person writes a phrase or two or a few words, at the top of the page, to describe what she or he has most valued about the person whose name is on the bottom of the sheet.

Fold the paper neatly so the comments are covered. Pass the paper on to the next person and repeat the previous step of writing a few phrases or words about what you value about the person.

Continue this dynamic of writing and passing the paper until everyone has the paper with their own name at the bottom. Everyone reads their own comments quietly.

Ask each person to mark the phrase or word that they like the most. Then, ask people to stand up in a close circle, and ask everyone to say the strength she or he liked using positive words like “I am….” or “I have….”

Remind people to take their pieces of paper home and treasure them.

Moment of Reflection

• Was it difficult to share the strengths? Why?
• Do you see yourself reading the strengths you received daily? Why or why not?
• Do you think your strengths can inspire more self-love and confidence?
• What did you like the most about this activity?
• Why do you think this exercise is useful in the life of our group?

The topics of this publication: reflection, trust, honesty, self, empathy, strengths, feedback, integration, interactions, foster relationships