Leveraging Individual Strengths for Team Success

Cathie Leimbach • November 13, 2021

Win/Win/Win situations are the reality in healthy workplaces. Individuals, teams, and the organization are all successful. Individuals are engaged and morale is high. Trust within the team is strong and team goals are achieved. The organization is serving its mission and reaching its targets.


However, such success isn’t magic. It requires clarity and collaboration on everyone’s part. The organization needs to set growth-oriented yet realistic goals and allocate adequate resources. Each team requires clear goals that support the organization’s success and appropriate resources.  Then, team leaders have the task of determining how to engage their people and apply their resources to achieve the expected results.  Also, individual employees have the responsibility to fulfill their role. To achieve individual, team, and organizational success, good communication and strong collaboration are essential at all levels.


First, let’s look at the benefits of leveraging employee strengths to achieve team and organizational goals. Recent global research by Gallup found that when employees are regularly using their strengths at work, the organization experiences:

  • an increase in engaged employees by 9%-15%
  • a decrease in turnover by 6% to 16% in low-turnover organizations and 26% to 72% in high-turnover organizations
  • an increase in profit by 14% to 29%

 

Second, let’s look at the challenges of leveraging employee strengths:

  • Some employees may not be particularly strong in the skills required to complete the work of their current team or the organization as a whole. Or, their strengths may only add value a few hours per day or week.
  • The organization or team leader may not be interested in knowing and considering the strengths of each employee.
  • Most jobs include essential tasks that everyone must do, regardless of their strengths or interests. Seldom is it practical for employees to be using their strengths every hour of the day. 
  • When an employee’s strengths don’t contribute to achieving their employer’s long-term results or current priorities, it is necessary for them to complete whatever tasks are assigned to them.
  • If the employee’s strengths and preferences don’t match the needs of their current team, they are likely in a wrong-fit position. It’s time to explore if there are right-fit opportunities elsewhere within the organization. If not, then leveraging their strengths likely requires a job search to find a better-fit position.


Third, when the team leader wishes to leverage the strengths and preferences within his team, effectively redistributing the work requires a focus on achieving team results as well as buy-in from all team members. During a collaborative team meeting, discuss the team’s tasks, understand each member’s strengths and preferences, and match strengths to tasks as much as possible. This usually results in everyone’s strengths being better utilized, increased morale, greater job satisfaction. 


Leveraging individual strengths for team success is both desirable and achievable. How strong is your organization in this area? What step could you take this week towards leveraging workplace strengths? 

Take a Moment for Joy

By Cathie Leimbach • December 23, 2025
As the year comes to a close, it’s worth pausing to ask a simple question: What brought you joy this year at work and in life? Joy doesn’t always arrive in big, headline moments. Often, it shows up quietly—in meaningful conversations, shared laughter, progress made, lessons learned, or the steady presence of people who support us. Sometimes joy is found in growth, sometimes in rest, and sometimes in simply getting through a challenging season with resilience and grace. Take a few minutes to reflect. What moments made you smile? When did you feel most connected? For what are you grateful? This reflection isn’t about ignoring the hard parts of the year. It’s about honoring the bright spots that sustained you through them. Recognizing joy helps us close the year with perspective and open the next one with hope. As the holidays approach, give yourself permission to slow down, savor meaningful moments, and share joy with others—through kindness, gratitude, and presence.  May this season be filled with moments that lift your spirit, and may you carry that joy with you into the year ahead. 👉 Take a moment to pause this season—view the Reflecting on Joy one-pager and reflect on what brought meaning to your work and life this year. Wishing you a truly joy-filled Christmas season .

Wrapping Up Your Year – Celebrate Your Wins

By Cathie Leimbach • December 16, 2025
As you’re wrapping presents this season, it’s also a great time to wrap up your year with intention. The end of the year offers a natural pause—a chance to reflect, appreciate, and celebrate the people who made a difference along the way. At work, we often move from one deadline to the next without stopping to say thank you. Take a moment to recognize your teammates. Maybe it’s the coworker who always had your back, or the leader who helped you stretch and grow. A sincere “thank you” or a short handwritten note can go a long way. It doesn’t need to be elaborate—just genuine. The same holds true in your personal life. When was the last time you told a friend or family member how much they mean to you? Between holiday plans and to-do lists, it’s easy to forget that our presence often matters more than any present. Every year brings both highs and lows. As this one comes to a close, choose to focus on what went right. Celebrate the small wins and acknowledge the people who supported you through the challenging moments. So, while you’re taping up gift boxes, take a little time to wrap up your year with gratitude. Send the text. Write the card. Let people know they’re valued. After all, the most meaningful gift you can give is helping someone feel truly appreciated. Want more simple, meaningful ways to express appreciation—without overspending?  👉 View Sharing Joy at Work Without Breaking the Bank for practical ideas you can use right away.