Why Strengths?
Unlocking Potential, Elevating Performance, Creating Lasting Impact and Living a BIGGER Life by Design.
My Strengths Journey: From Corporate to Coaching - James Wright,
In 2021, I found myself at a crossroads. After leaving a senior corporate role, I knew stepping into another big leadership position wasn’t right for me.
I wanted something more personal and impactful. Luckily, some friends running growing businesses offered me consulting work. After briefly dipping back into sales strategy and leadership, I knew it was time to move on and focus on unlocking some of my unrealised strengths! Soon, I found myself deep in talent recruitment and development.
Here, I rediscovered my love for helping people unlock their full potential—not just by filling roles but by shaping careers, guiding development, and giving people the tools to thrive. The tool that changed everything for me? Strengths Profile.
Interestingly, my first ‘proper’ job after University was in the people development space.
Fast forward to 2024, and coaching with Strengths Profile is now the heart of my work.
While HiR still undertakes talent acquisition projects, I focus on helping individuals and teams use their strengths to transform their work, leadership, and lives.
What Makes Strengths-Based Coaching So Powerful?
Unlike traditional approaches that fixate on weaknesses, strengths-based coaching amplifies what already makes you great. When people play to their strengths, they are happier, more engaged, and more productive.
The research backs it up:
Employees who use their strengths daily are 6x more engaged at work.
Strengths-based teams see a 25%+ boost in productivity.
People who know and use their strengths have higher job satisfaction and lower stress levels.
The Strengths Profile is my go-to because it’s not just another personality test. It’s a science-backed, highly dynamic tool that helps you understand what energises and drains you and where you have untapped potential.
My Strengths Journey: The Game-Changer in My Career
I’ve been around psychometric assessments for over 20 years.
First experience? Rejected by the UK Civil Service Graduate Program straight out of university. At first, I was devastated; as a Politics graduate committing all their time to the world of public policy and spin-doctoring, I thought this was the right path for me. Looking back, my high creativity and low adherence to rules would never be a fit!
Second experience? A surprise promotion based on a psychometric test that identified my leadership potential—before I had even seen it in myself. It was a bold move by my boss and paid off—the youngest area manager in the company with the fastest-growing business unit developing new service offerings.
Third? Moving to Australia and working for a strengths-based company that understood people’s natural talents were their most significant asset. The results? Exceptional team performance and a workplace culture made people want to stay, thrive, and have impressive growth—the award-winning RedBalloon.
These experiences stuck with me. When it was time to build my own coaching and consulting practice, integrating the Strengths Profile was the inevitable path.
Since then, I have used Strengths with sales teams, business owners, and individuals in my own businesses and supported HR teams to drive success.
Strengths work is powerful because it goes beyond identifying what you're good at—it helps you understand what truly energises and fulfils you. Most people spend years figuring out why some tasks drain them while others make them feel unstoppable. Strengths Profile provides clarity in a single session, pinpointing the natural talents that fuel your motivation and drive. When you align your work and life with these strengths, performance improves, confidence soars, and burnout decreases because you're working with your energy, not against it.
But strengths aren’t just a one-time discovery—they are the foundation for Ongoing coaching and personal growth. Coaching helps you unlock more profound potential, navigate challenges, and continually refine your path by regularly revisiting your strengths and adjusting how you apply them. Whether it’s career progression, leadership development, or overcoming obstacles, a strengths-based approach ensures long-term impact by focusing on what naturally drives and sustains you rather than forcing you to “fix” weaknesses that don’t serve you.
As one client, Josh from Canberra shared:
"Working with James is like having the best of your CEO's ear and the most incredible therapist in the world. His encouragement must be industry agnostic but felt absolutely catered to my exact job and work circumstances."
Another client, Sam from Sydney, experienced a transformative career shift:
"The Strengths Profile assessment was a total eye-opener – it helped me understand my strengths and what truly excites me. Within two weeks of applying for just 22 jobs, I had four interview offers! The new focus and energy I got from working with James made a huge difference."
Hannah, a business owner, found personalised guidance invaluable:
"James is such a kind and supportive coach. It was really useful to connect with him and get his perspective on my strengths profile. I’ve had invaluable bespoke direction, tasks, and experiments to conduct. I learned so much from these and he helped me to reflect and build on the outcomes."
Why Strengths Profile? A Smarter Way to Work and Grow
Whether you’re an individual looking for clarity, a leader developing your team, or a business hiring talent, Strengths Profile is a game-changer.
Here’s why:
It’s the Fastest Path to Unlocking Potential
Traditional coaching can take months to identify what drives and drains you. With Strengths Profile, we get deep insights in one session. Clients walk away with a personalised blueprint for success, knowing exactly where to focus their energy.
It Boosts Performance Without Burnout
Working against your natural strengths is exhausting. Strengths Profile helps people lean into what energises them, increasing productivity without added stress—particularly vital in high-pressure environments.
It Creates More Engaged and High-Performing Teams
For leaders and businesses, the Strengths Profile isn’t just a tool for individual growth—it’s a powerful way to build stronger, more effective teams. Employees who work on their strengths are more engaged, innovative, and committed. This is how you create a thriving workplace culture.
It Makes Hiring Smarter and Fairer
Hiring based on experience alone often leads to unconscious bias and missed potential.
Strengths-based recruitment:
Ensures objective, fair hiring based on real strengths
It helps match the right people to the right roles
Leads to higher retention, better performance, and more diverse teams
I use Strengths Profile to support businesses in hiring, developing, and retaining top talent, ensuring employees fit their roles and thrive in them.
How I Use Strengths Profile in My Work
One-on-One Coaching: Helping individuals get clarity, confidence, and a plan for success.
Leadership & Team Development: Empowering leaders and teams to communicate better, collaborate effectively, and drive business success.
Recruitment & Talent Strategy: Find and place talent in roles where they will excel—not just survive, but truly thrive.
What Happens When You Work in Your Strengths?
You stop wasting time on things that drain you.
You move faster toward your goals with less struggle.
You feel more confident, capable, and fulfilled in your work.
Your team or business performs at a higher level.
Strengths Profile isn’t just a tool—it’s a philosophy that changes your work and life.
If you’re ready to discover what’s possible when you work with your strengths, let’s talk. This is what I do best.
