What If You’re Stronger Than You Think: The Power of Knowing What You’re Really Good At

What If You’re Stronger Than You Think?
How Understanding Your Strengths Can Elevate Your Work, Your Team, and Your Life

I woke up this morning, like many Mondays, staring at a blank page, wondering what I could possibly share to encourage someone else. Then I spotted a book I’d just finished—StrengthsFinder 2.0—still sitting on my desk. And that blank page suddenly wasn’t so blank anymore.

The book outlines 34 unique strengths and helps you identify your top five. But it’s not just a personality quiz—it’s a road map. It helps you name the gifts you’ve had all along, sometimes buried beneath the weight of comparison or self-doubt. It’s a tool I now reference in my keynote The ART of Making a Difference, where I help organizations tap into the unique talents of their people to create meaningful change.

When I took the assessment, one strength made me laugh out loud: Relator. I read it as Realtor and immediately thought, “I better send this to my friend Melissa Greer!” But then the meaning clicked. I’ve always valued deep, genuine relationships—I just didn’t realize it had a title.

Here were my five:

• Learner – Drawn to growth, exploration, and new ideas.

• Achiever – Motivated by goals and progress.

• Maximizer – Always refining, improving, raising the bar.

• Relator – Seeks authentic, lasting connections.

• Activator – Turns ideas into action—while others are still thinking.

These aren’t just qualities I try to embody—they’ve become cornerstones in how I build my programs, partner with communities, and inspire audiences to take meaningful action.

Even the pink weights I lift at the gym remind me: strength shows up in all kinds of ways.

Three Takeaways for Meeting Planners & Teams

1. Strengths Create Cultural Momentum
In my speaking engagements, I encourage leaders to move beyond job titles and ask: What do our people do best? That awareness creates buy-in, reduces burnout, and drives performance from a place of authenticity.

2. Strengths Foster Team Cohesion
When we understand the strengths of those around us—coworkers, volunteers, board members—we begin to value one another not just for what we do, but for how we do it. Collaboration deepens, and impact multiplies.

3. Strengths Build Personal Resilience
One of the most transformative aspects of my keynote is the realization that making a difference doesn’t always require big change. Sometimes, it starts by acknowledging your own unique wiring—and acting on it.

Why This Matters for Your Next Event

If you’re planning a conference, leadership retreat, or association gathering, this kind of message resonates deeply. The ART of Making a Difference connects the dots between personal strengths, professional purpose, and community impact. It’s not just a talk—it’s a call to action.

If you’d like to spark that kind of clarity and encouragement in your group, let’s talk. I’d love to help your audience discover they’re stronger—and more impactful—than they think.

Here’s the book if you’d like to dive deeper: StrengthsFinder 2.0 on Amazon

And if you’d like to connect about speaking opportunities, visit: williammangumspeaker.com