Distinguishing Strengths From Skills

Strengths and skills are often confused.

 

A strength is defined as a good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing. A skill is defined as the ability to do something well; expertise. A talent (which is germane to this topic) is defined as a natural aptitude or skill.

 

We can best distinguish strengths from skills by recognizing that strengths don't require development. They just get stronger with use. Usually, that use is intrinsically motivated and puts that person in a state of flow.

 

Skills on the other hand have to almost always be acquired and developed. A computer genius may be born with a high aptitude for learning computer programming, but he/she has to acquire and develop the skill to do so.

Most people acquire skills at work because the execution of their jobs depend on certain skills, and most work domains function in relation to the skill sets of their workforce, not their strengths.

Below researcher Marcus Buckingham with more on strengths.