Team Strengths: Unlocking Collective Magic 

There’s something powerful about pressing pause on the day-to-day to look inward – and more importantly, to look across. 

Last week, our team carved out time for a session that I believe every team should prioritise at least once a year: a deep-dive into our individual strengths, weaknesses, and how we show up for each other. 

It wasn’t just a tick-the-box team bonding exercise. It was a moment to sit in the discomfort of vulnerability (which I’ve been sitting in a bit lately for those who haven’t read my recent reflections!), celebrate each other’s unique value, and make conscious choices about how we grow together. These conversations unlock real connection and potential. 

As a leader, I’ve run these kinds of strengths and self-awareness sessions for senior leadership teams across the country. And every single time, something magic happens. People open up. They see themselves more clearly. They see each other more generously. Walls come down, collaboration steps up, and the culture strengthens. 

Why now?

According to Gallup’s just-released 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report, the global percentage of engaged employees fell from 23% to 21% in 2024, and from 24 to 23% in Australia & New Zealand.  

These are more than statistics. They’re a wake-up call. 

In a world where people are feeling more disconnected and disillusioned at work, leaders must actively create the conditions for trust, alignment, and purpose to flourish. And that starts with real conversations. 

As we head towards the new financial year, this kind of reflection couldn’t be more timely. At Performance Advisory Group, our 2025 strategy is all about playing to our collective superpowers—and that starts with knowing what they are. 

We designed our session with four core outcomes in mind: 

• Enhanced collaboration: Knowing who shines where helps us partner better, faster, and more meaningfully. 

• Support and mentoring: Awareness of growth edges helps me (and each other) offer coaching where it’s needed most. 

• Team cohesion: These moments bring us closer. They build trust. And trust builds performance. 

• Problem-solving power: When we each know our zone of genius, and who to turn to for what, things really do move with greater ease and insight. 

 What we covered 

We began by sharing our individual reflections—our greatest strengths, the areas we’d love to grow in, and what we need from each other to thrive. Each of us brought incredible insight and honesty to the table (which was so great to witness!), and from there, we explored how to harness those strengths as a team. 

We then moved into a collective action planning phase: identifying what we’ll each take ownership of, who needs what kind of support, and what we can do together to keep the momentum going. 

It reminded me: no one person has to be everything. That’s not leadership. Real leadership is knowing how to lift each other up, how to lean in where you’re strong, and how to ask for help where you’re not. 

How leaders can do this too 

If you lead a team, now is the perfect time to schedule this kind of session. Before the financial year resets and the goalposts shift again, give your people a chance to reflect and reconnect. 

 Here’s how to make it powerful: 

• Create psychological safety: Make it clear this is a space for honesty, not performance. 

• Encourage depth: Ask for examples and context, not just surface-level traits. 

• Balance strengths with stretch: What are they brilliant at? Where do they want to grow? 

• Make it actionable: Don’t stop at reflection—build a support plan. 

And of course, if you’d love support facilitating something like this, then we’d love to bring the magic into your team! 

Ready to amplify your team’s potential?

Let’s set you up for a stronger, more connected, high-performing financial year. 
 
Let’s lean into your team’s superpowers. 

Chat to us about a facilitated team strengths session as part of our strategy development workshops solutions.