The Vision and Challenges Behind Strengths School
Jason Ho co-founded Strengths School with a vision to shift societal focus from weaknesses and gaps to recognizing and nurturing individual strengths. Observing that society often fixates on what people lack rather than celebrating their inherent talents, Jason was inspired to create a platform dedicated to helping individuals discover their innate strengths and use them for success and excellence.
From the outset, one of Jason’s major challenges was establishing credibility quickly. Building trust with clients and demonstrating the effectiveness of the strengths-based framework in a short period was crucial. Despite these hurdles, Jason remained steadfast in his commitment to empowering people through their strengths.
Mastering Strengths – The K.A.L.P. Framework and Team Dynamics
At the core of Strengths School’s approach is the K.A.L.P. Strengths Framework™, which guides participants through a transformative journey to harness their unique strengths. The framework consists of four phases: Know Strengths, Apply Strengths, Leverage Strengths, and Peak.
The journey begins with Know Strengths, where individuals reflect on their past experiences to identify and validate their strengths. In the Apply Strengths phase, participants focus on practical application, discovering environments where they can thrive and creatively leveraging their strengths for optimal results.
Leverage Strengths turns team differences into strategic advantages by emphasising how unique strengths can enhance partnerships, resolve conflicts, and boost team synergy. Finally, Peak helps participants identify tasks where they perform at their best, ensuring they operate at full capacity and achieve their highest potential.
Jason’s commitment to the K.A.L.P. Framework extends beyond his clients to his own team. By using an online assessment to uncover each team member’s unique “innate wiring,” he gains insights into their working styles and strengths. This understanding is essential for creating effective partnerships, resolving conflicts, and enhancing team synergy.
Cultivating Excellence – Selecting and Training the Strengths School Team
At Strengths School, Jason emphasises that while competency can be developed, it’s crucial for team members to exhibit a glimpse of excellence and a positive attitude. When selecting team members, he looks for individuals who are not only skilled but also demonstrate potential for exceptional performance. Jason values a mindset of perseverance and resourcefulness, seeking team members who approach challenges with an attitude of “I don’t know, but I can try.”
Training focuses on nurturing this blend of skill and attitude, ensuring team members meet the high standards of service that Strengths School is known for. Jason also addresses common client issues, such as personality conflicts within teams. By providing leaders with tools to understand and manage these conflicts, Strengths School helps shift interactions from initial hesitancy to acceptance and ultimately to appreciation.
Bridging Cultures – Tailoring Team-Building Workshops for Multinational Corporations
When tailoring team-building workshops for multinational corporations (MNCs), Strengths School transcends nationalities, roles, and organisational hierarchies by focusing on individual personalities. Rather than concentrating on cultural or role-based differences, Jason’s approach explores what drives each person’s behaviour and how their personality influences interactions.
By focusing on core personality traits—such as preferences for deep thinking versus immediate action or verbal versus reserved communication—Jason’s workshops align diverse team members quickly. This method allows Strengths School to efficiently address and reconcile differences within multinational teams, achieving cohesion and understanding in just one day.
Transformative Moments – From Conflict to Connection at Strengths School
A memorable moment for Jason and Strengths School involved a team-building session with a group of directors. During a break, one director expressed a strong dislike for a colleague, stating that they did not work well together. Despite the tension, the director participated in a half-day workshop focused on understanding and leveraging each team member’s strengths.
Years later, Jason received a call from the same director, who was now leading another team and wanted to organise another session. She shared that the initial workshop had a profound impact, transforming her perspective on her former colleague. What was once seen as a difficult working relationship had evolved into a close alliance.
Jason highlights that while he doesn’t promise instant friendships or resolutions, he guarantees a fresh perspective on colleagues. The true value of the workshop lies in transforming misunderstandings into opportunities for connection and collaboration. This experience demonstrates how even a brief session can significantly alter corporate dynamics, turning conflicts into opportunities for growth and deeper understanding.
Advice from Jason Ho for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Jason Ho
Co-Founder of Strengths School
The Market is always right
Let the market teach you how to pivot your business. When the market tells you that you are on the wrong track (failure), use that as a data point to improve and change your course of direction.