In this episode of Lead to Soar, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern are joined by Charlotte Blair, a Gallup-certified strengths coach, to talk about what it really means to play to your strengths at work and why this is a strategic career decision, not a feel-good exercise.
Charlotte shares her transition from a senior corporate role into strengths-based coaching and explains why self-awareness is a critical leadership skill, particularly for women navigating complex organisations. The conversation moves beyond personality labels to examine how understanding strengths supports better judgement, clearer role fit, and more effective leadership.
Michelle and Mel also explore how strengths-based approaches can shift team performance when leaders stop expecting everyone to lead, think, and contribute in the same way. The discussion highlights the responsibility leaders have to create environments where different strengths are recognised, used well, and rewarded appropriately.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why strengths awareness is a strategic capability, not personal branding
How misalignment between strengths and role design limits performance
What leaders get wrong when they treat strengths as “nice to have”
How strengths-based leadership improves decision-making and team outcomes
Why self-awareness matters more as leadership responsibility increases
Charlotte also discusses the practical application of Gallup’s StrengthsFinder framework and how it’s used in leadership development and coaching.
Resources mentioned:
Career Unstuckby Charlotte Blair
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