Design For Strengths: Applying Design Thinking to Individual and Team Strengths

by John K. Coyle

Are you on the cusp of greatness? Do you have untapped potential and talents just waiting to be released? Read this book to learn the same creative problem-solving methodology (Design Thinking) used extensively at Stanford, Google, IDEO, and Apple. This guide will unlock your personal potential, and that of your team and your business. By exploring the intersection of Design Thinking and strengths-finding, innovation expert John K. Coyle demonstrates what most high achievers intuitively know–that each one of us possesses a unique combination of strengths, talents, skills and capabilities to achieve breakthrough performance–but may need a code to unlock them. Design for Strengths delivers the process, tools and mindsets required to find and maximize your hidden potential. Illuminated by a captivating narrative of Olympic training and competition, Coyle demonstrates how he used the Design Thinking process and mindset to hack the sport of speedskating and win an Olympic silver medal. This book contains real-life examples of how individuals and organizations can use Design Thinking to define the right problem, and to ask and answer a better question. Instead of "how do I fix my weaknesses?" ask "how can I design for my strengths?" More than a dozen leading experts contributed to this book, including Steven Kotler, David and Tom Kelley, David Eagleman, Daniel Coyle, Dave Evans and Chip Conley, as well as Olympic gold medalists Apolo Ohno and Meryl Davis. Read the book to expose a hidden-in-plain-sight secret. We all contain the capacity to do something extraordinary--if we design for it. ADVANCE PRAISE & REVIEWS “Design your life or someone will design it for you.... John has taken this idea and run with it—the result is this book on Design Thinking and human performance. What we design, designs us back. This notion is the holy grail because the implication rings so true—we can create ourselves, every moment, through our creative and linguistic choices.” – JASON SILVA, Emmy-nominated host of National Geographic’s hit TV series, Brain Games, seen in over 100 countries, and creator of Shots of Awe "Amazing to read about my sport through the lens of Design Thinking! A compelling narrative with practical lessons for business and life!" – APOLO OHNO, Eight-time Olympic medalist, serial entrepreneur, author of Zero Regrets and winner of season four of Dancing With the Stars "What if we were issued instructions at birth about how to design our lives to maximize happiness and success? I don't know about you, but that's not what I was instructed in my first few years--now we have a guidebook for how to design and curate our lives in a way that's in harmony with our strengths and purpose. A powerful and poignant read. Bravo!" -- CHIP CONLEY, author of Wisdom at Work and Peak, founder of Modern Elder Academy and Joie de Vivre, and former Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy at Airbnb "In Design for Strengths, John K. Coyle lights the wick of some inspired thinking around strengths—then brings it to a flashpoint with high octane insights and connections that allow readers—from elite athletes to mere mortals—to supercharge their own potential.” – NICOLE LOREY, Chief Communications Officer, Kaiser Permanente “Design For Strengths has brilliant insights on what it really takes to succeed—even for those of us who will never land on an Olympic podium.” – LAURA VANDERKAM, Author, Off the Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done “Get unstuck and potentialize your strengths and talents.

Genres: Design, Business, Adhd, Leadership, Nonfiction, Self Help

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2018

Reviews

[Ryan Barretto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am quite familiar with the strengthsfinder and strengths related methodology, hence my investment in the book. I was unclear about design thinking, and found that my understanding of design thinking has vastly improved after reading this book.

The application of strengths is shown through the author's experience as an Olympic Ice Skater. So the book is based on hindsight. It's great if you are into this sport, but not much use if you aren't. So in my view, some chapters could have been written differently, particularly chapter 8.

The author also doesn't show how a tool like Strengthsfinder (which he mentions in the book) can be used to apply strengths in a non-sports situation, which is where I have seen the need for people to actually use and lead with their strengths. So while some areas of the using strengths are mentioned, such as the flow zone, an application of strengths in daily routine behaviours would have made this book extremely strong.

One of the learning areas in the book are the short interviews or insights from other professionals who are extremely proficient in design thinking.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I've come across the idea that you should design for strengths and design around weaknesses. In other words, don't spend time fixing your weaknesses, because that's not where breakthrough performance comes from. Since it's told in the context of sports also it makes it much easier for me to understand.

Its also brings to question how much feedback in the business world might be pointed at the wrong problem. Instead of personal development being focused on our failures, we might be better off at focusing in on what we did that succeeded and then designing our jobs to steer away from our weaknesses.

[Lori Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but was disappointed half way through that it didn't dive into the topics I was hoping to see. There were many personal stories from the author on his experiences and change in perspective. I would have liked a little less of his story and a lot more of application to various situations/people.

[Jacek Migdal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The biography which was written by the motivational speaker.

The book inspires in an unconventional way with some practical tips.