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How to Use Strength Cards: Creative Activities for Personal and Team Growth

Looking to boost self-awareness and team dynamics? Strength Cards might be the perfect tool for your next team meeting, workshop or one-on-one. We use Strength Cards in our workshops to bring people together and change the focus from 'what is not working?' to 'what is working?'. It is from that moment, where we start seeing results and an increase in resilience, engagement and success.

Some simplify character as “grit” or “self-control,” we know that character is more than simply individual achievement or a person’s behaviour. It is a broad and complex family of thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Character is the sum total of who we are; it’s our unique DNA; who we are at our best.


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Strengths cards are used as a tool to influence and enhance the performance of people. But how?


Strength cards are a powerful tool grounded in positive psychology, a field focused on enhancing well-being by building on strengths rather than addressing weaknesses. These cards encourage individuals and teams to recognise, celebrate, and grow their unique abilities, fostering self-awareness, resilience, and meaningful connections.


Strength-Based Development

Helping individuals and teams identify what they do best, boosting confidence and motivation.

Self-Awareness

A Growth Mindset

Positive Reinforcement

Interpersonal Connection

Narrative Identity


By focusing on positive attributes and fostering meaningful conversations, strength cards are not just a tool—they are a catalyst for growth and collaboration. Whether used for personal development, team-building activities, or professional coaching, they create an engaging and interactive pathway to greater potential.


Who Are These Strength Cards for?

Our Strengths Cards are designed to be used by:


Therapists and Coaches

Use strength cards to guide clients in self-reflection, build resilience, and explore their unique strengths in therapy or coaching sessions.

Teachers and Educators

Leaders and Managers

Individuals

HR Professionals

Facilitators and Trainers (like us!)

Parents and Caregivers

Community Leaders



An Activity for Individuals

Whether you’re exploring the cards for personal growth or using them to support others as a therapist, educator, or leader, this is a great activity to get you started.


  1. Sort the deck of cards into 2 piles titled "Like Me" and "Not Like Me"

  2. Start with the ‘like me’ pile. Then, ask yourself the following questions:

    1.  Which one of these strengths has been most useful in the past?

    2. Can I think of specific times when I used this strength and things turned out well?

  3. Take the rest of the ‘like me’ pile. Then, ask yourself the following questions:

    1. Which of these strengths will be most helpful in the next stage in my life

    2. How do you plan to apply these strengths?

    3. What are practical things that you can start doing that use your strengths?

  4. Take the rest of the ‘like me’ pile. Then, ask yourself the following questions:

    1. Which strength would be most helpful to me right now?

    2. Think about where you might apply a strength in the immediate future.

    3. How might things turn out differently if you use this strength?

  5. Take the rest of the ‘like me’ pile. Then, ask yourself the following questions:

    1. Which strength do I think might be most helpful to me in the future?

    2. What long term challenges will you have where you will need to remember to use these strengths?

  6. Finish with a reflection. Ask yourself:

    1. What parts of my life am I currently not completely happy with. Where am not achieving my goals?

    2. Which current challenges can I apply my strengths to?

    3. What would my next steps be if I consciously used my strengths?

    4. Which of my strengths do I need to use a little more often?

    5. What am I not doing, that I COULD be doing better?

    6. Which strengths do I need to continue using, that I’m already using well?

    7. Where are my strengths currently working to my advantage.

    8. What opportunities can I seek out to use my strengths?”

    9. Remember the the last time you felt immensely proud. Which strengths were you demonstrating?



Activities for Employers / Leaders / Workplaces


Activity 1: Strengths Through Their Eyes

  1. Take all the cards to a core group of people around you

  2. Ask them “I’m interested in learning about my strengths. Can you help me identify my personal strengths?”. Then ask them to select them from the pile.

  3. Ask them for examples of why they selected the cards they selected. “Can you tell me about a time that you noticed me being X {e.g. Brave]”

Activity 2: Performance Review Exercise - Acknowledging and Appreciating Strengths

  1. At performance review, prepare the deck of cards by selecting the strengths displayed by your team member.

  2. Prepare examples of times they demonstrated those strengths to the company’s advantage.

  3. In the review, give them the cards that represent that strength and tell them stories about the times you noticed it. “I’d like to share with you the strengths I’ve noticed you demonstrate over the past x months [e.g. 6 months].” Tell them how this strength has led to success for the business.

  4. Then ask them “Can I get your commitment, that you will continue to use this strength in the next X months [e.g. 6 months].

  5. Prepare them for future success by saying “Your strength of X [e.g. Creativity] will be important in the upcoming challenge X [e.g to reduce costs of production].

Activity 3: Performance Review Exercise - Encouraging Performance

If you have a team member you know has potential but is not performing at the desired level, select the strength cards you know they possess.

  1. In the performance review, review each card, give them positive examples of times they have demonstrated the strength.

  2. Ask them to add their own examples of times they have displayed that strength “When else have you used these strengths in the past?” *Note: this creates a precedent, if they have the strength, if they have used it in the past, then they CAN use it again. The psychological technique used here is called attribution.

    • You could summarise by saying, “You’re the kind of team member that is curious, honest and demonstrates great team work”.

  3. Select an area you need them to work on. [e.g. customer service]. Ask them questions like:

    • “How might you apply your curious nature to customer service?”

    • “Are you curious about the challenges we are having in customer service?”

    • “Can you be honest with me about what you feel we can do to improve your customer service?”

    • “If you and I worked as a team, what would we do to solve our customer service issue?”

    • “How can we use honesty in a way that benefits the customer?”

      “What would it look like if you applied your team work skills to customer service challenges?”


Activity 4: Using Resilience Health Strength Cards in a Team Meeting or Toolbox Talks

  1. Spread the cards out on a flat surface and asking the team to “Identify one strength each that represents you?”

  2. Next the team take it in turns to talk about:

    1. “When was the last time they used their strength either at work or at home.”

    2. “How they will use their strength it in the next shift/week/period.”

    3. “In this Project [e.g. rollout of new technology] what strengths will be most important.”

    4. “What strengths are we missing as a team? Who can we engage to assist us with that?”

    5. “Here at our company [e.g. BlueScope Steel], which strengths do we traditionally value most?”

    6. “As we roll out this new technology, what strengths could we value a little more”.

The Possibilities Are Endless

There are an infinite number of ways you can use the strength cards, use your own creativity, perseverance and love of learning to find more ways.





Ready to Explore Your Strengths?

Discover the power of our beautifully designed Strength Cards—a versatile tool for personal growth, team-building, and meaningful conversations. Perfect for individuals, educators, leaders, and more.




Already Using Our Cards? Share Your Ideas With Us

We’d love to hear your feedback and creative ideas for using the strength cards! Your input helps us improve and inspire others.

Take our quick feedback survey - it only takes about a minute: Complete the survey here.


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Designed by Nic Lewis

Nic is a highly accomplished professional at the pinnacle of her field, holding a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Psychology and a Master's in Business Administration. 

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© 2024 Resilience Health and Safety 

Based in Wollongong, Australia

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