A term from coaching
In coaching, resources are understood as the potential of a person, their talents, inclinations. Often people are not even aware of these. These resources can be used to solve problems. Solution-oriented coaching makes use of the resources of clients. When solving current problems, the coachee and coach fall back on successful solution strategies in the past in the same or similar situations. In this context, one speaks of a resource- or solution-oriented as opposed to a problem-oriented approach. Solution-oriented coaching is based on the principle that every person has the resources he or she needs to solve his or her problems. After all, the person was involved in the creation of his or her problems. In contrast to other consulting approaches, there is never the one and only solution that fits all people. The solution always comes from the clients, using their resources and accompanied by the coach.
Resources as personal style
As we have seen, we use our resources to solve problems. Now let’s take a broader view and call it our personal style of doing things. This brings us to another concept from career design – strengths. These are also known as behavioral preferences. They are the behavior to which we have the easiest access in order to accomplish tasks. So, one salesperson is successful because he perceives the needs of his customers through empathy. Another salesperson convinces customers through her self-confidence and rhetoric. Both are successful by applying their specific strengths. I work with the Gallup Institute’s definition that strengths are habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour. According to this view, people differentiate between disposition and behaviour. Hardly anyone would dispute that. And yet we emotionally assume that people behave the same way in the same situations. We therefore take our strengths for granted.
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