Strengths Exploration: A Journey Through The Self, With Others
Alexa Uy, Content Writer Intern
When I asked Hafizah about Bold’s Strengths Exploration workshop, she said with conviction, “I believe in it.”
Hafizah recently delivered the workshop to a group of 14 youths on their Immersive+ programme with Hatch, a digital skills training company. Like the little engine that breaks a rocket out of the stratosphere and falls away, she hoped that this one-time programme would provide that small push towards the trajectory of their lives.
“I wish that I had had this when I was younger, before entering the working world,” she mused.
“At work, we often think of strengths as technical skills or competencies,” Hafizah reflected. However, she said, “You forget that strengths are more than just technical skills. They can also be soft skills, or natural strengths that are a part of you.”
How does she think it would have made a difference, if she had encountered the Strengths Exploration workshop earlier in her youth?
“I’ve always been quite reflective and self-aware.” Here, she paused and recalled the proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go further, go together.”
What she missed was the opportunity to explore her strengths in the company of others. Perhaps, if she’d had others to reflect her strengths and journey with her in her discoveries, she could have gone further than she could on her own, she thought.
Hafizah in action!
So what were some of these conversations that transpired among the youths?
Hafizah kicked off the session with a sensing exercise, having the youths answer the question of: How much do I know about my strengths and how to apply them? With that, they also took Bold’s Archetypes Test to figure out what their strengths were.
It proved challenging for some to share about their own strengths. In fact, many were hesitant to “toot their own horn”.
But when Hafizah redirected the conversation, inviting the students to talk to their peers about their desired strengths, the atmosphere shifted. With open hearts and curious minds, the participants stayed on the lookout for tips on how they could cultivate the strengths that they wanted.
One student said he wanted to be more caring towards others. But in approaching his peers who possessed that strength, he discovered that it may be something that he already did have! A peer pointed out the good deeds that she had observed this student doing. “Yeah, you are really caring. Remember when you did…” With that, he had an “aha” moment, as it dawned upon him that yes, indeed he was!
As Hafizah said, it’s possible to go further with others by your side. She recounted, “It was in that kind of sharing where I saw: you may not recognise your own strength, but other people can see what you yourself don’t.”
At the end of the programme, participants were again faced with the question of how much they knew about their strengths. She hoped to show that, no matter where they were in their journey, there was always room for them to grow further.
“What I hoped they would take away was that they are always moving. They are never stagnant,” she shared. “Today I might be at this point, tomorrow I may still be here, but then the next day, one day…I could be somewhere further along.”
She paused, then said, “The journey of self-exploration is not linear.”
Oftentimes, being a facilitator means listening and learning too.
Looking back on her facilitation experiences, Hafizah always loved to tap on her innate empathy (one of her top strengths!) to connect with participants’ stories. After all, she said, “No one else can tell your story better than you, right?” I could feel this same sincerity radiating from her when she said, “You need to make them feel seen, heard, and not judged.”
Empathy is always appreciated but she reckons that youths, in particular, may need more affirmation and support during their self-exploration stage.
Yet, facilitating isn’t a one-way street. Sharing her own personal experiences, she could feel herself becoming a part of that community of youths—learning and growing along with them. “I remember their faces lit up when they were listening to what I personally shared,” she said. “I used to think, ‘this is just for myself.’”
She recalled how heartening it felt to see the youths taking in her words intently. “You're not just there as someone who's delivering the session, but you're also a person.” To her, sharing made it feel real. And it made all the difference.
And unsurprisingly, Story of Self is Hafizah’s favourite workshop to run. She’s always eager to encourage those who are hesitant to tell their story. For her, to share something is to own it, and besides—you’ll never know if it might make someone feel less alone.
What tip does she have for fellow career counsellors or educators in guiding youths through their career exploration journey? “Be yourself and share of yourself, your story—because if not, they will really see through you,” she said, smiling.
“Wherever you can, do inject your personal experiences. As youths, even for myself, we always look up to someone else. We want to see how other people have done it and see whether we can follow or learn from that.”
Tying all of her facilitation experiences together revealed one common thread: connection. The takeaways: Stay open, stay true to yourself, and stay on the ground. When you’re part of the community, that’s when the youths you are guiding can make the most out of your presence!
Strengths Exploration and Story of Self are just two of the exciting youth programmes that Bold has to offer. Keen on finding out more? Sign up for the Bold At Work Info Session happening June 19, 2023, or take a look at our many programmes for youths!