This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 164.
Do you have a knack for articulating your co-workers' strengths?
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Hey, Michelle, what's going on? How you doing?
Hi, Lindsay. Hey, I'm good. How are you?
Excellent. What are we getting into on Business English today?
Well, guys, one thing that we do that's really interesting at All Ears English on our team is talk a lot about strength.
Um, and learning about strengths and how we can use our strengths.
Lindsay, why is this important? Oh my gosh.
It's so freeing. It's just so amazing when we find out there are certain things that we do and if we can gear our work days and the projects we take on more towards using our true strengths, it is so, it's so, um, empowering.
I think that's why we do it. Yeah, for sure.
So today we're going to talk about how to highlight someone else's strengths.
So this is huge for connection because it shows that you notice something special about someone else.
And it also might explain to them why an assignment might be well suited for someone specific.
So it's a nice way to compliment someone and to help assign tasks, all sorts of things.
Yeah. And this actually might be true. We might have to talk about this another day in a guest episode where I'll bring someone on from the corporate world.
But certain companies have platforms where if you feel that you're doing well, you may want to document that.
You may want to actually get a written document. piece of feedback from an employee, from a coworker, from a colleague, you work together on an intensive project for six months.
If there is a platform where that person can offer written feedback and review your work, it makes sense to ask for that strategically.
So when it comes to asking for a promotion, you can go back and point to that written feedback from a year ago.
Look at this, right? Really smart, savvy, strategic move. or when layoffs are happening.
Also very smart to go and make your case for keeping your job.
So being able to write that for someone else is a really valuable skill.
So this is real, like this really, like being able to do this can truly impact people's careers.
Guys, it's huge. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah, that's definitely a good point, Lindsay.
So we're going to be talking about how you can use certain expressions to highlight someone's strengths.
So before we do that, a couple of things.
Go ahead, listen. We have a fun episode we did about birthdays just a few episodes ago.
Episode 159 was It's Your Coworker's Birthday, English Skills to Celebrate.
So go ahead and listen to that one. Lindsay, what else do we want to tell our listeners? guys we want to invite you today if you love our style where we talk about career english business english but we do it in a way that focuses on human relationships and we know that relationships are what essentially create value in the business world that's how you that's how you get ahead that's how you have a successful career that's how you feel good at work and happy then go ahead and share this show.
If you know someone that is working in English, maybe they're living in an English speaking country, they have a career, or they just interact with people in English through conference calls or the New York office, for example, send it to them, right?
Hit the share button, open your text messages, send it to that person.
We would love that. Thank you guys. For sure.
Okay. Awesome. Thank you so much. So Lindsay, what would you say, what are some of your strengths? um i guess i am pretty funny on the spot yeah that's a good question i think i'm pretty positive like so in in strengths finder literally there are you get your top five strengths so mine were empathy positivity uh futurist developer meaning developing people so let's say that is one of my strengths developer i like to help people develop themselves Yes.
That is nice. Yeah, that is that is a strength.
Yeah, I agree. Yeah. So I um, let's talk though.
Like what about what about specific strengths of skills?
Yeah. Geez, I'm not sure. Well, you have a lot of skills.
You have a lot of skills. All right. This is not a job interview.
It feels like a job interview, Michelle.
Tell me. I think I'm just pretty good at um, pushing forward setting a vision for a company and you know like getting us all on board at getting excited about that vision and differentiating like we have we're clearly a different show a different company than any other esl podcast or website like we have deeper vision behind what we do it's all about human connection so i think i'm pretty good at seeing why that matters and also truly believing it first of all and setting that as our north star I love that.
Um, so, so we're going to give some examples.
So the first one is X is really strong when it comes to Y. So Lindsay, you'll notice in my examples, then I got a little bit more specific.
Yes. Okay. But, but, but, but yours, I hadn't, I, and yours, I was just using names.
So no, don't be offended when I explain everybody else's strengths specifically and yours is more general.
So the first one is Lindsay. Uh, Lindsay is really strong when it comes to communicating with customers.
Yeah, and I would say, okay, but yeah, sorry, go ahead.
No, no, no, you go. No, I was going to say, it's good that we're getting specific, right?
Because if someone asks you the example I used earlier with the written feedback request in some kind of a team document or something that goes online and goes into the archives, you're going to want to be very specific.
Say what you did, why, what is that specific skill that stands out?
You're not going broad about she is a blank, right?
It's more like she did this well and she created this value, right?
So this is good. Exactly. Yes, exactly. You want to do the next one?
Yeah. X has a knack for Y. So Aubrey has a knack for explaining tricky grammar questions.
And if you guys don't know what we're talking about, Aubrey is on this show.
She's also over on All Ears English explaining tricky grammar questions.
So go over and add All Ears English podcast to your queue.
Yep, absolutely. And the next one is X is really skilled in the Y department.
So Jessica is really skilled in the IELTS department.
Yes, and IELTS Energy podcast, our third podcast, guys, go over and add it if you're prepping for the IELTS and hear Jessica's voice over there.
I love this in the Y department, in the blank department.
That's kind of casual and fun, right? Yeah, yeah, that's true.
That's true. And it's used in different ways as well.
I bet we could do an episode on that. Yeah.
Yeah. So and then the last sorry, well, I was gonna say that I think this one x is really skilled and the white will actually most I say the knack and the department phrase.
These are better as spoken feedback, I think. right like right casual conversation i may not write it because it's a little too casual i think yeah yeah yeah whereas what do you think about the first one is really strong yeah i like that for writing a literally writing a review that someone has requested that's a good point yeah And the last one is X really shines when he or she whys.
So this is Ross. Ross really shines when he does design on projects.
So what do you think, Lindsay? I have a feeling you would say this is also good for speaking.
Yeah, but it could be both. I think spoken, it reminds me of something that a teacher might say reviewing a student more so than in the employee world.
But I don't know, maybe. Yeah, I think you could say it. it does feel a little bit more like what like my teacher might have said in middle school or high school or something you know you know what i might i might hear it in this way like oh like that's where she really shines right like in that kind of a way maybe like oh yeah you should see you should see if you think she's good at this just wait till you see her uh editing skills that's where she really shines I like it.
Yeah, I think it's very positive, right?
Yeah, that's for sure. There's never harm in being positive, right?
That's a key piece. Yeah. This episode is brought to you by Indeed.
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Terms and conditions apply. Okay, Michelle, so what else do we need to know here?
Well, this can be helpful when trying to decide who should take on a certain aspect of an assignment, right?
You're dividing up things by strengths. So we did a similar episode, I don't have the number, but about assigning tasks or seeing who would want to do something.
But this is really good for that. Like, choosing by someone's strengths so for example you might say something like heather really shines when she does group presentations so maybe she should take that on for this project yes i like that so you're predicting what they do well and then looking at a certain assignment coming up is a good idea exactly so guys that's just one way that you can kind of say who might be good at a certain aspect of a project but i think a good idea uh you know lindsay you were talking about being strategic overall um is to list your strengths to try and think or maybe take a quiz or learn a little bit about your strengths and know them and also take think about your co-workers what are their strengths or your employees and how can you use them to the best To get the, you know, best bang for your buck to work more efficiently, do better projects, all these sorts of things, just taking a moment to kind of think, even if it's not formal, just think, okay, this person is really good at this, this person's really good at this, you know, things like that.
Oh my gosh, totally. So I'm gonna be doing a guest appearance with Amy Whitney on her podcast, Real English Conversations.
I think it may have already happened by the time this episode comes out and she'll be on our show too.
And one of the big things I'm gonna be talking about is when you're applying for jobs, how to think like a business owner, how to think like a boss, you'll be more likely to be hired.
And one of my tips is know yourself. And that means literally you should have taken assessments on your own.
Not that anyone necessarily pays for you.
Go spend your own money. If you're looking for a job, do these assessments.
Come in with a certain level of self-awareness.
That is huge. Even just that will set you apart.
And then understand how to share what your strengths are.
Become very familiar with them. Come up with examples.
And then kind of tactfully insert those into the interview and also as you know you're always kind of selling yourself even when you have the job making sure you get the projects that fall within your strength so take it on yourself as an employee to have this self-awareness even if your company doesn't necessarily offer it because they don't all offer it right yeah yeah oh that's a good point well i'm excited for that episode and to have her on our show and everything but yeah that is a huge point so should we do a role play let's do it michelle so here we are making decisions on a group project so you ready okay so you have a knack for canva so do you want to do the editing oh thanks sure and you're really strong when it comes to making the workbooks would you want to take that on that sounds great Now, who should make the graphs?
Tracy really shines when she works on Excel spreadsheets.
That's true. And then I think Tom is really skilled in the public speaking department.
Yes, he should present. Totally. I love it.
Yeah. So this is very spoken. You know what I mean?
As we said earlier, guys, skilled in the X department, spoken, spoken English, right?
Good stuff. Yeah, for sure. All right. Let's go through it.
So. You said you have a knack for Canva.
Yes. So do you want to do the editing? So yeah, this is connection, guys.
You're showing that you recognize someone has a strength in an area and you think that they should continue with that.
Exactly. And I like it because the awkwardness level, just lower the awkwardness level of you sit there and you're in a group and you say, you're highly skilled at Canva.
You feel like a robot. right let's yes be a little less direct a little more fun playful hey you i've noticed you really have a knack for this do you want to take on this part of the project so much better for connection right right right yeah exactly and then lindsay what's the next one and then you said oh thanks sure and you're really strong when it comes to making the workbooks and i like this one because this is more of a written feedback and totally works in spoken english too yeah but it's a little more formal and i might see this more in something written reviewing right yeah right right could be for sure and then you said tracy really shines when she works on excel spreadsheets lindsay do you shine when you work on excel spreadsheets because i i don't I don't know.
This is one skill. We're kind of lacking on our team.
None of us are really XL wizards. No, that's okay.
But that's okay. Some people are, some people know.
So, I mean, there's so much to know about it.
Like crazy. There is so much to know. Yeah, that's not my thing, Michelle.
All right. And then we said, and then I think Tom is really skilled in the public speaking department.
This one would fall into the category of works great in spoken, but also works great in written feedback.
Yeah. yeah could be yep yep for sure so i said yes so sorry let me just clarify so is skilled in something could be written in the x department to me that feels more casual more spoken sorry just to clarify yeah so split those up yeah Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. So, I mean, the takeaway guys for today is this brings about connection, right?
This brings about connection in the business world, showing people you notice it's useful for talking about somebody else's strengths, perhaps yours.
And also it's just useful for knowing who should do what and how to talk about that.
So it's, it's, it's, we can really be efficient with these expressions as well as build those connections and strengthen those reports.
Oh, a hundred percent, Michelle. And just to go a little deeper here, there's nothing more important than being seen.
And that care as human beings, we want to be seen.
And that carries over even into our work lives because we're at work eight hours a day.
And so when you truly see someone and what they have done well, and then you can say, it looks like you have a strength in X. Do you want to take on this next project?
That is huge for connection. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Amazing. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
Thanks, Lindsay, for that. So guys, yeah, pay attention to others.
Pay attention to your strengths and a lot more will get done.
And we'll just feel happier in general at work.
Exactly. We're nice. It's friendly. And I think ultimately it's not even about like making more money or having a better career.
We just want to be happy in our lives. And we spend so much time at work.
So let's work to that point. Love it. Love it.
Love it. OK, let's leave our listeners with that.
And guys, we'll see you on the next episode.
Talk soon, Michelle. Take care. Bye. Thank you for listening to Business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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