Harnessing Strengths: How University of Plymouth’s Finance Team Built Collaboration and Confidence

A strengths-based workshop fostering self-reflection, teamwork, and productivity.

Empowering Teams Through A Strengths-Based Approach

The Finance Team at the University of Plymouth faced the challenge of aligning individual talents with team objectives. With members managing diverse responsibilities, understanding personal strengths and their application in a team setting was critical to enhancing collaboration and confidence.

To support this, Strengthify delivered a Team Workshop. Using CliftonStrengths® assessments completed beforehand and our strengths-based discovery framework, the session focused on self-reflection, understanding how strengths fit within the wider team, and exploring how colleagues could lean on each other’s strengths to work more effectively.

This one-day session provided participants with practical tools to build stronger connections, foster collaboration, and grow both individually and as a team.

Creating Cohesion and Building Confidence

The University of Plymouth’s Finance Team recognised the need to:

• Foster self-reflection and individual confidence in team members.
• Align personal strengths with the team’s objectives.
• Develop strategies to leverage diverse strengths across the team for improved collaboration.

One participant explained the challenge:
“We needed a better way to reflect on our individual contributions and how these could fit into the bigger picture of our team’s success.”

The Team Workshop Experience

Strengthify’s tailored Team Workshop addressed these challenges head-on. The session helped team members understand their strengths through CliftonStrengths® assessments and provided actionable insights into applying these strengths within their roles and teams.

Aims of the Workshop:

• Promote self-reflection to help individuals grow in confidence.
• Explore how individual strengths align with team objectives.
• Encourage reflection on teamwork and how to lean on each other’s strengths.

What the Session Covered:

• Self-Reflection and Strengths Identification:
  Participants reviewed their assessment results to understand their unique talents and areas for growth.

  • “The session helped me identify my strengths and gave me tools to apply them in a meaningful way.”

• Strengths in the Team Context:
  Exercises focused on how strengths contribute to the team’s goals, fostering alignment and mutual support.

  • “Seeing how our strengths fit together gave us a clearer sense of purpose and collaboration.”

• Practical Collaboration Strategies:
  Activities encouraged participants to think about how they could support each other’s strengths to achieve shared success.

  • “We now have a better understanding of how to work together effectively by focusing on what each of us does best.”

Achieving Growth and Team Alignment

The workshop delivered tangible results, empowering team members to grow in confidence and fostering a more collaborative and aligned working environment.

Key Outcomes from the Workshop:
✅ Improved Self-Reflection and Confidence:

• “I feel more confident in my strengths and how they add value to our team.”
• “The session encouraged me to see my strengths as an asset, which has boosted my confidence at work.”

✅ Stronger Understanding of Team Dynamics:

• “100% of participants agreed they now better understand how to combine their strengths with those of their colleagues to improve team outcomes.”

✅ Practical Insights for Collaboration:

• “The exercises gave us tools to support one another’s strengths and work more effectively as a team.”
• “We now have a clear framework for leaning on each other’s strengths to achieve shared success.”

Feedback Highlights

Value of the Workshop:

• 80% of participants rated the workshop as extremely or very valuable.
• “The session was engaging and immediately applicable to our work environment.”

Understanding Team Strengths:

• 100% of participants agreed they now have a better understanding of how to combine their strengths for team success.
• “This workshop has helped us build a stronger, more connected team.”

Impact of CliftonStrengths Assessment:

• 4 out of 5 participants feel they will be able to use what they learnt to make positive changes in their work.
• “The CliftonStrengths assessment provided valuable insights that I can apply to both my role and team dynamics.”

Embedding Strengths for Continued Success

The University of Plymouth’s Finance Team is committed to building on the success of the Team Workshop. Moving forward, they plan to:

• Incorporate strengths-based discussions into regular team meetings.
• Use strengths insights to guide professional development.
• Apply learnings to improve collaboration across projects and functions.

One participant shared:
“The workshop has given us a shared language for discussing strengths and working together. It’s a great foundation for future growth.”

Start Your Team’s Strengths Journey Today

Discover how Strengthify can help your team achieve greater collaboration, confidence, and success:

• Speak to us: Visit our Get in Touch page →
• Join one of our Discovery Workshops: See our Events page →