Strength Hunt

What it is

Strengths, spotted from four sides. Your mentee finds strengths in their own view, others’ view, best moments and hard times.

When to send it

Send it when confidence runs low. It suits a start, a setback or a career choice.

• Early in the programmeto see what they bring
• After a setbackto recall what got them through
• Before a career choiceto build on what they do best

Filling it in

Fifteen minutes, one step at a time. Play four short rounds, crown three strengths, then pick where to use one.

1. Play four roundsWrite short answers, then pick the strengths behind them.
2. Crown your top threeThe bigger the bubble, the more often you picked it.
3. Pick where to use oneSay which strength, where and how, this week.

Reading the answers

Start with the crowned three. The summary shows the crowned strengths, the most frequent one and the hard-times ones.

• Crowned strengthstheir top three, in order
• Showed up mostthe strength picked in most rounds
• Only in hard timesstrengths that appear under pressure

Questions to ask

One question, then a follow-up. People who ask follow-up questions are liked more (Huang and others, 2017).

• Which crowned strength surprised you the most?then: why did it surprise you?
• Which strength showed up in hard times? What does that say about you?then: where else could it help?
• Where could you use one of these more, starting this week?then: how will you know it went well?

Why it works

People who see and use their strengths more feel better and reach their goals more often (Govindji & Linley 2007). Asking how others see you and recalling your best moments brings out strengths you take for granted (Roberts et al. 2005). Using a top strength in a new way for a week raised happiness for months in one study (Seligman et al. 2005).

Sources

• Roberts, L. M., Spreitzer, G., Dutton, J., Quinn, R., Heaphy, E. & Barker, B. (2005). How to play to your strengths. Harvard Business Review, 83(1), 74–80.
• Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson (2005). Positive psychology progress: empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421.
• Govindji, R. & Linley, P. A. (2007). Strengths use, self-concordance and well-being: Implications for strengths coaching and coaching psychologists. International Coaching Psychology Review, 2(2), 143–153.

How a tool works on Mentornity

1. 1The mentor picks a tool from the library and sends it with a short message.
2. 2The mentee fills it in step by step; the answers are saved as they go.
3. 3Both see the answers, comment on any part and agree the next steps.
4. 4Only the two of them see the answers, not the program admins.

Guides for both sides

• Strength Hunt for MentorsFor mentors and coaches: when to send the Strength Hunt, how to read the answers, which questions to ask and how to agree a next step.
• Strength Hunt for MenteesFor mentees and coachees: what the Strength Hunt is, how to fill it in, where to find it and what your mentor does with it.

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• Balance Wheel10 min

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• Best Possible Self20 min

  Imagine your life after everything went as well as it could. Write about it for 15 minutes, then pick steps that bring it closer.

• Possible Selves15 min

  Write who you hope to be next year and who you fear becoming. Next to each, write what you do about it.

• Three Good Things10 min

  Write three things that went well today and why each one happened. A short evening habit.

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