Empowering Insights: How the BUFDG Team Embraced Strengths-Based Collaboration

A transformative workshop fostering self-awareness, teamwork, and actionable strategies.

Exploring Strengths to Drive Collaboration

The British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG) team, a central hub for university finance professionals, sought to experience firsthand the power of a strengths-based approach. With a focus on fostering self-awareness, improving collaboration, and identifying actionable takeaways, the team participated in a Strengthify Team Workshop designed to deepen their understanding of individual and collective strengths.

The workshop provided an engaging, reflective environment where participants explored their unique talents and how they could be harnessed for personal and team growth. The feedback highlights the workshop’s success in offering impactful insights and practical strategies for applying strengths in daily work.

Building Awareness and Collaboration

For the BUFDG team, the key objectives of the workshop were to:

• Experience strengths-based methodologies firsthand.
• Deepen self-awareness and understand how individual strengths complement team dynamics.
• Explore practical applications of strengths to improve collaboration and task distribution.

One participant shared:
“It is useful to me as an individual as another way of approaching my work, and as a team manager for looking at how the team can create its best work in the most efficient and aligned way.” 

A Strengthify Team Workshop

The Strengthify workshop offered a tailored session, combining CliftonStrengths assessment reports, reflective discussions, and actionable exercises. The session focused on helping team members explore their strengths and align these with team objectives.

Aims of the Workshop:

• Provide an engaging introduction to strengths-based methodologies.
• Highlight the value of self-awareness for personal and professional growth.
• Equip team members with practical tools to apply strengths in real-world scenarios.

What the Session Covered:

1. Exploring Individual Strengths:
   Participants reviewed their CliftonStrengths results, uncovering their unique talents and identifying areas for growth.

   • “There were genuine insights that I hadn’t had before, which I think will be useful in our workplace.” 

2. Building Team Collaboration:
   Discussions and activities highlighted how strengths could be combined for effective teamwork and task distribution.

   • “The team setting makes me feel more empowered to say what I am good at, and less good at, without feeling like I should be good at everything.”

3. Practical Applications:
   The session introduced actionable strategies for applying strengths to daily work and aligning tasks with individual capabilities.

   • “Hearing the team’s strengths helps us approach task delegation in a more efficient and aligned way.” 

Unlocking New Perspectives and Team Alignment

The workshop delivered significant outcomes, enabling the BUFDG team to better understand themselves and their colleagues while providing a framework for enhanced collaboration.

Key Outcomes from the Workshop:
✅ Improved Self-Awareness:

• “Strengthify has given me the confidence to own what I am good at and the freedom to focus on being better at what I do well instead of apologising for what I am not.” 

✅ Enhanced Team Collaboration:

• “It helps us see in which areas we thrive and lean on each other to make the most of the areas each of us excel in.” —Gill Birch

✅ Practical Strategies for Leadership:

• “It will enable us to play to our strengths more, distribute work appropriately, and find creative ways to achieve results.” 

Feedback Highlights

Overall Value of the Workshop:

• 4 out of 5 participants rated the workshop as very valuable or extremely valuable.

• “A refreshing and positive day with the team, giving us insights into ourselves and our colleagues.”

Understanding Team Strengths:

• All participants agreed the workshop helped them better understand how strengths combine within the team.
• “It was lovely to hear positive comments the team made about each other, that perhaps wouldn’t have come out if it wasn’t for this session.” 

Leadership and Practical Tools:

• “By using a strengths-based approach, we’ve already started seeing positive changes in how we collaborate and manage tasks.”

Embedding Strengths-Based Practices at BUFDG

Following the workshop’s success, the BUFDG team is committed to embedding strengths-based practices into their daily operations. Plans include:

• Incorporating strengths discussions into regular team meetings.
• Using strengths insights to guide professional development and task allocation.
• Exploring additional workshops and tools to deepen their strengths-based culture.

One of the team reflected:
“This workshop gave us insights into ourselves and our colleagues, and lots of ideas to explore for improving our individual working lives and team efficiency in the future.”

Empower Your Team with Strengthify

Discover how Strengthify’s Team Workshops can transform your team’s dynamics, motivation, and performance:

1️⃣ Speak to us: Visit our Get in Touch page →
2️⃣ Join one of our Team Workshops: See our Events page →
3️⃣ Find out more about our Management Development Programme Cohorts: Learn more here →