Invest in Your Talents

Over the past several weeks I've done a number of faculty workshops that have been focused on taking a strengths-based approach to learning. As I've interacted with faculty on this topic, it has become clearer to me how important the issue of talent development is. By this I mean that any strengths-based approach within education cannot simply focus on identifying strengths (or, to be more precise, identifying areas of greatest talent!).

The areas of students' greatest talent are simply the beginning of the journey. They point to what energizes the student naturally, what will connect most easily with the curiosities and passions already within him or her. They are a huge clue to motivation, for they are a way of validating what the student brings to the table--a message that too often higher education has neglected completely. We tend to focus on what the student is lacking--all those areas where they are not well prepared or do not yet have the abilities they need. But what a difference it can make to identify what that student brings to us -- how we as fellow learners are all enriched by their contribution to the learning environment.

But it can't stop with that. The rest of the story is just as important, if not more so! I like the way Tom Rath has started to talk about strengths as "talent multipled by investment." If there's no investment, then all the talent in the world won't produce strength (that consistently near-perfect performance). Even the most talented chess players, musicians, and basketball players spend a LOT of their time practicing. They invest effort that multiplies their talent into an amazing strength.

The importance of investing effort is confirmed in some of the research that is coming out of ACT. One of the best predictors of student learning and success is the quality of effort that students invest in the learning process. Dr. Eileen Hulme, one of our faculty at Azusa Pacific, just completed a grounded theory study of high achieving students at multiple universities and found that the central phenomenon, the core that all the students had in common, was their belief that high levels of achievement were most of all about effort -- just plain hard work.

So that's the message we need to send to our students as we start this new year -- how are you going to invest your time and energy so that your talents are developed and honed? Your best opportunity for growth is in your areas of talent, but the growth will only happen when you invest your energy to acquire the knowledge and skills. Talent x Investment = Strength!