Why the best researchers don’t just fix weaknesses - they double down on strengths

You've just received your latest peer review comments, and once again, they're filled with suggestions for improvement, corrections, and areas needing work. Sound familiar? If you're a researcher, whether a postgraduate student or academic, this scenario probably feels all too real. In academia, we've become so accustomed to focusing on what needs fixing that we've forgotten to celebrate and leverage what we already do brilliantly.

While addressing weaknesses remains important, research shows that identifying and actively using your strengths can dramatically improve your academic confidence, retention rates, and overall research success. However, and this is crucial, the most effective approach is to find the right balance between addressing our strengths and weaknesses.

The academic culture of constant improvement

Let's be honest about our academic culture for a moment. When was the last time you received a first-round peer review stating, "no changes needed"? It's practically unheard of, isn't it? We've created an environment where constructive criticism is mandatory, and finding room for improvement is not just expected, it's demanded.

This isn't necessarily wrong. Rigorous peer review drives quality and innovation. However, it has created an unintended consequence: we've become experts at identifying our flaws whilst remaining surprisingly blind to our talents. For researchers, academics and postgraduate students, this can be particularly damaging, leading to impostor syndrome, decreased motivation, and even academic burnout.

What the research reveals about strengths-based approaches

Recent studies provide compelling evidence that focusing on strengths isn't just feel-good psychology; it's scientifically proven to enhance academic and professional outcomes.

However, before we delve into the research, you may wonder what strengths we are referring to here. The CliftonStrengths Profile identified 34 strengths, while other assessments may have a different list.

Here are 10 of the 34 strengths included in the CliftonStrengths Profile, to give you an idea of what type of thing I’m referring to:

• Goal-oriented focus – You zero in on priorities with clarity and determination.
• High productivity (Achiever) – You thrive on accomplishment and consistent effort.
• Love of learning – You’re energised by gaining new knowledge and skills.
• Forward-thinking (Futuristic) – You envision and inspire others with future possibilities.
• Deep connections (Relator) – You build meaningful, trust-based relationships.
• Critical thinking (Intellection) – You enjoy reflecting on ideas and analysing deeply.
• Organisational skill (Arranger) – You excel at coordinating and optimising workflows.
• Dependability (Responsibility) – You take ownership and follow through reliably.
• Competitive drive – You’re motivated by challenges and comparisons to push harder.
• Excellence-seeking (Maximiser) – You focus on transforming good into great.

Boosting confidence and retention

Ferguson et al. conducted groundbreaking research with 40 biomedical and health sciences PhD students at West Virginia University. After implementing a strengths-based professional development programme, the results were remarkable:

• 68% of participants felt more confident in graduate school (up from just 36% before the programme)
• 96% believed they had natural talents to be good scientists (compared to 57% initially)
• 93% saw themselves as valuable team members (versus 64% at the start)

One participant captured the transformation perfectly: "Once I realized that leadership and individualization were my strengths, it helped me be more confident in doing the things I naturally already did. I had always helped to bring people together and encouraged them to do what they were good at, but now I am more confident when I do so, knowing that it is a strength of mine.”

Knowing your strengths definitely improves one’s confidence – I can personally attest to that!

I recently completed a CliftonStrengths Profile, and my top five strengths were:

1. Focus
2. Achiever
3. Learner
4. Futuristic
5. Relator

With Focus and Achiever as top strengths, I’m driven by clear goals and a relentless work ethic. My Learner passion keeps me growing, while Futuristic vision inspires me and others with what’s ahead. As a Relator, I build deep, trusting relationships, making your impact both meaningful and personal.

These strengths are like my talent DNA. Knowing what I am good at gave me a lot of confidence and motivation. I know that when I contribute to a project, I bring these strengths with me, which makes me feel like a valuable contributor. Others may bring a different set of strengths of equal value, which, in turn, further contributes to the project, yet in a different way.

Real impact on academic success

But does this confidence that we gain from knowing our strengths actually translate into tangible outcomes? Absolutely.

Soria et al. studied over 1,200 first-year college students and found that those who discussed their strengths with advisers over the course of the academic year were:

• 1.5 times more likely to return for their second year
• 1.9 times more likely to graduate in four years
• Reported higher engagement and academic confidence

These game-changing statistics are worth taking seriously by every research supervisor and postgraduate programme. Imagine we facilitated strength-based discussions with our students!

Workplace performance and wellbeing

The benefits extend beyond academic settings. Gradito Dubord et al. surveyed over 700 employees and found that strengths-based approaches significantly increased motivation, performance, and well-being by satisfying fundamental psychological needs, such as autonomy and competence. Meanwhile, deficit-correction approaches often increased frustration and reduced motivation.

The balanced approach: Why both strengths and weaknesses matter

Before you rush off to ignore all your weaknesses, let's examine what happens when we take a more nuanced approach. Rust et al. conducted a fascinating study with 131 undergraduate students, comparing three groups: those who worked only on strengths, those who worked on both strengths and weaknesses, and a control group. Over 12 weeks, the first two groups wrote weekly logs about applying their assigned traits, while the control group simply completed surveys.

The surprising finding? Participants who worked on both strengths and weaknesses experienced similar gains in life satisfaction as those who focused solely on strengths. This challenges the popular notion that addressing weaknesses necessarily undermines happiness or motivation.

The practical takeaway here is that focusing on weaknesses doesn't have to be detrimental, provided it's balanced with strengths recognition and development.

Practical strategies for identifying your strengths

Now that you know it is vital to know your strengths, your next question may be, 'But how do I discover what my strengths are?'. You can conduct a formal assessment, request anonymous feedback from your team, or engage in self-reflection.

Formal assessments

These are some examples of validated tools that can help you identify your strengths:

• VIA Character Strengths Survey: Focuses on 24 character strengths like creativity, perseverance, and teamwork (free)
• Strengths Profile: Distinguishes between strengths, learned behaviours, and weaknesses (free)
• CliftonStrengths® (StrengthsFinder): Identifies your top five talent themes (paid)

The 360-degree feedback approach

For a more comprehensive view, consider gathering anonymous feedback via 360-degree feedback from:

• Research supervisors and colleagues
• Peer researchers and collaborators
• Students you've taught or mentored
• Industry contacts and conference connections

Key tip: Use anonymous digital surveys to ensure honest feedback. Include questions about both strengths and areas for development.

Here are some step-by-step instructions for getting the 360-degree feedback:

Identify feedback sources - Select 5-8 people from different contexts: supervisors, peers, collaborators, junior students you mentor, and administrative staff you work with

Choose your method - Use anonymous online surveys (Google Forms, SurveyMonkey) or structured interviews.

Set timeline - Allow 2 weeks for responses and schedule follow-up discussions

Send clear instructions - Explain the purpose, emphasise honesty, and assure confidentiality

Collect responses - Send reminders halfway through your timeline

Analyse patterns - Look for common themes across different feedback sources

Create action plan - Identify 2-3 key areas for development based on the feedback

Here are some sample 360-degree feedback questions ideal for the academic/research context:

Rating scale questions (1-5):

• Demonstrates strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Works effectively as part of a team
• Takes initiative in learning new skills or knowledge
• Seeks and responds well to constructive feedback

Behavioural  question:

• Can you provide a specific example of when this person demonstrated exceptional skill or made a valuable contribution?

Strengths-focused question:

• What do you see as their top 3 strengths that they should continue to develop?

Development-oriented questions:

• What 1-2 areas would benefit from focused development or improvement?
• What specific skills or behaviours should they work on to enhance their effectiveness?

Career-focused question:

• If you were advising this person on their career development, what would you recommend they focus on next?

Self-reflection techniques

You can reflect on situations where you felt strong and confident, and others where you were really scared and wanted to shy away from. These will reveal your strengths and weaknesses.

Find some self-reflection guidance here:

• Reflect on your most successful research projects. What personal qualities contributed to that success?
• Notice when you feel most energised during research and other life and work activities. These often align with your strengths, while the opposite is most probably a sign of a weakness rising its head.
• What activities do colleagues frequently ask for your help with?

Additionally, consider turning these questions around to explore your weaknesses. Don’t dwell on these for too long, as we as humans are inclined to do. Remember to balance out the thoughts related to your weaknesses with reminders of your amazing strengths.

Implementing your strengths in research contexts

Seeing that we seem to be good at identifying and “fixing” our weaknesses, let’s shine the light on our strengths. How can we use our strengths in the research context?

Leveraging strengths for research productivity

Once you've identified your strengths, you can use them to your advantage. Here are examples of how to apply them strategically:

If your strength is analytical thinking:

• Volunteer for systematic review projects
• Lead data analysis components of collaborative research
• Develop frameworks for complex research problems

If your strength is communication:

• Take the lead on writing grant applications
• Volunteer for conference presentations
• Mentor other researchers in academic writing

If your strength is relationship building:

• Spearhead collaborative research projects
• Network actively at conferences
• Build partnerships with industry or community organisations

Creating impact beyond publications

Research isn't just about publishing papers. We so often fall into the trap of “doing research for the sake of doing research”. Research is about creating meaningful change. Your strengths can help you to:

• Develop knowledge translation strategies that suit your communication style
• Build research partnerships that leverage your networking abilities
• Design innovative methodologies that play to your creative problem-solving strengths

Convincing our minds to focus on our strengths

The research by Dolev-Amit et al. provides valuable insights into managing weaknesses without losing motivation. Their study with first-year university students showed that regular reflection on strengths served as a buffer against stress and promoted well-being during challenging periods.

Van Woerkom and Meyers found that strengths interventions were particularly effective for individuals with lower initial confidence. This suggests that self-awareness of strengths can be especially powerful for researchers experiencing self-doubt or impostor syndrome, a common phenomenon in academia.

To build resilience through strengths awareness. Try journaling weekly about how you’ve used a strength (i.e., celebrating it!) and how you’re improving a weaker trait.

Here’s a suggested weekly practice to boost your strengths:

• Document three ways you used your strengths in your research this week
• Identify one challenge where your strengths helped you persevere
• Document a situation where you were reminded of a weakness, how you dealt with it, and if relevant, how you will deal with it in the future
• Note one area where partnering with someone else's strengths could benefit your work

Common pitfalls to avoid

The "strengths only" trap

While strengths are important, completely ignoring weaknesses can limit your growth as an impactful researcher. Some skills, such as effective communication, may be essential regardless of one's natural inclinations.

The comparison game

Remember that strengths are personal. Your analytical mind may work differently from that of your colleagues, but both can produce excellent research.

Waiting for perfect conditions

Don't postpone using your strengths until you've "fixed" all your weaknesses. Start leveraging your talents immediately whilst gradually addressing areas for improvement.

FAQ: Common questions about strengths-based research approaches

Q: What if my strengths don't seem relevant to my research field?

A: Most strengths are more transferable than they initially appear. For example, if your strength is empathy, this could enhance qualitative research, participant recruitment, or stakeholder engagement. Look for creative ways to apply your talents rather than assuming they're irrelevant.

Q: Can focusing on strengths make me complacent about improvement?

A: Research suggests the opposite. Mason et al. found that participants in strengths-based programmes actually developed a growth mindset and became more motivated to overcome difficulties. Strengths awareness often increases rather than decreases motivation for development.

Q: How often should I reassess my strengths?

A: Your core strengths typically remain stable, but how you apply them can evolve. Consider formal reassessment every 2-3 years, with informal reflection quarterly. Pay attention to feedback from new collaborators or roles that might reveal different aspects of your abilities.

Q: What if I'm in a research environment that only focuses on deficits?

A: Start small by incorporating strengths awareness into your personal development planning. Consider joining or creating informal peer support groups that focus on positive development approaches. Share relevant research (like the studies mentioned in this post) with the group.

Your action plan: Implementing a balanced approach

Week 1-2: Assessment phase

• Complete a formal strengths assessment
• Gather 360-degree feedback from 5-7 colleagues
• Reflect on peak research experiences

Week 3-4: Integration phase

• Identify 2-3 key strengths to leverage in current projects
• Pinpoint 1-2 critical weaknesses that impact your research goals
• Develop specific strategies for both strengths utilisation and weakness improvement

Week 5 onwards: Implementation and review

• Weekly reflection through journaling on strengths usage and how you dealt with your weaknesses
• Monthly review of progress on targeted weaknesses and strengths
• Quarterly assessment of overall research effectiveness and wellbeing

Conclusion

The evidence is clear: whilst addressing weaknesses remains important for research success, identifying and actively using your strengths can transform your confidence, productivity, and impact as a researcher. The most effective approach is to find the optimal balance for your unique research journey.

As you continue your research career, remember that every peer review comment pointing out areas for improvement is also an opportunity to reflect on the strengths that got your work to that stage in the first place. You're not just a collection of problems to be fixed; you're a researcher with unique talents that can contribute meaningfully to your field.

Your challenge: This week, identify one strength you haven't been fully utilising in your research and one specific way you'll apply it to your current projects. Then, observe how this subtle shift in perspective can lead to substantial improvements in your research effectiveness and satisfaction.

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Looking for ongoing support throughout your research journey? The Research Masterminds Success Academy offers live workshops, helpful resources, and a supportive community of fellow PhD students. It's a space designed to help you develop academic skills, maintain motivation, and complete your research while still enjoying life beyond your studies.

Tell me more!

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This blog post was created through a collaborative process. I provided the initial ideas, draft content and related research, and AI (Claude.ai) assisted in restructuring and refining the material. Final edits and insights are entirely my own.

Thank you for the cover photo by Victor Freitas.