Find my strengths: why you feel misunderstood at work

Have you ever felt like you’re constantly fighting against the grain of your own brain? Maybe you’ve spent years being told you’re too blunt, too quiet, or too distracted, only to find yourself nodding along while secretly wondering why everyone else seems to have the instruction manual for professional life that you missed.

It’s a heavy weight to carry. You show up every day, put in the effort, and yet there’s this nagging feeling that you’re being judged for the very things that make you, well, you. You might even start to believe that these traits are character flaws. You try to “fix” yourself by being more organized or less direct, but at the end of the day, you’re just exhausted. You aren’t broken, and you don’t need to be fixed. You just need to find your strengths by looking at your personality through a different lens.

The frustration of being told you’re too much

Most of us have heard it since we were kids. In school reports or performance reviews, someone has likely told you to "tone it down" or "speak up more." If you’re a natural Pioneer, you’ve probably been told you can’t focus or that you’re always chasing the next shiny thing. If you’re an Evaluator, you might have been labelled as too blunt or negative just because you see risks where others see rainbows.

This feedback hits like a tonne of bricks because it attacks your identity. When you try to find your strengths in a traditional corporate environment, you’re often measured against a generic standard of “the perfect employee.” This standard usually favours a very specific, middle-of-the-road personality. If you fall outside that narrow path, your natural brilliance gets dismissed as a problem to be managed.

At Hey Compono, we believe that your light shouldn’t be extinguished just to make others comfortable. Understanding why you do the things you do – even the things you sometimes hate about yourself – is the first step toward self-mastery. It’s about learning when to dial your natural traits up and when to dial them down, rather than trying to pretend they don't exist.

How to find my strengths through work personality

To truly find my strengths, you have to move past the superficial “skills” listed on your resume. Being good at Excel or public speaking is a capability, but it’s not a core strength. Real strengths are rooted in your work personality – the natural way your brain is wired to solve problems, communicate, and lead. Compono has spent over a decade researching organisational psychology to identify eight distinct work personalities that define high-performing teams.

When you understand which type you are, the things people have criticised you for suddenly look different. For example, a Coordinator might be told they are too rigid or controlling. But the flip side of that is a superpower for organisation and dependability. They are the plan-makers that everyone else relies on when things get chaotic. By identifying your type, you stop apologizing for your brain and start leveraging it.

Hey Compono uses a personality-adaptive approach to coaching. Instead of giving everyone the same generic advice, the AI coach understands your specific type. If you are a Helper, it won't push you to be aggressive; it will help you find your voice in a way that feels authentic to your values. You can find your work personality through a simple assessment that takes just a few minutes but offers a lifetime of clarity.

The eight ways we show up at work

Finding your strengths means recognizing which of the eight work actions you naturally gravitate toward. Everyone has a dominant preference, and when you aren't working in alignment with it, you feel misunderstood and undervalued. Here is how those “flaws” you’ve been told about are actually your greatest assets:

The Pioneer is often told they are unfocused, but their real strength is innovation. They see futures and angles that others miss entirely. The Auditor is told they move too slow, but they are actually the ones saving the team from disasters by focusing on the precise details. The Campaigner is told they talk too much, but they are the inspiring force that connects people to a vision.

When you say "I want to find my strengths," what you’re really saying is "I want to be seen for who I actually am." Each of these personalities – Doer, Evaluator, Advisor, Coordinator, and Helper – brings something essential to the table. The friction at work usually happens because people are speaking different personality languages. An Evaluator’s logical critique isn't a personal attack on a Helper; it’s just how they weigh options. When you understand this, the conflict starts to dissolve.

Managing your light instead of hiding it

Once you find your strengths, the goal isn't to just stay stuck in your ways. It’s about awareness. If you know you’re a Doer, you might recognise that your drive to get things done can sometimes come across as rushing others. You don’t stop being a Doer, but you learn to pause and check in with your team. You manage your light so it illuminates the path instead of blinding the people around you.

This is where personality-adaptive coaching makes a massive difference. Traditional coaching is often out of reach for most professionals because of the cost and scheduling. But you need support in the moment – like right before a difficult conversation or after a meeting where you felt ignored. Hey Compono acts as a mirror that talks back, helping you process these moments based on your unique wiring.

Imagine having a thinking partner that knows you’re an Advisor and understands that you need to investigate every angle before making a decision. It won't tell you to "just pick something," which is what you’ve probably heard from frustrated colleagues. Instead, it will help you navigate that decision-making process in a way that respects your need for wisdom while helping you stay decisive when it matters most.

Why we hate the things we do (and how to stop)

Have you ever done something and immediately thought, "Why did I say that?" or "Why did I let that happen?" Often, we hate the parts of our personality that feel out of control. A Helper might hate that they didn't speak up for themselves to keep the peace. A Pioneer might hate that they started five projects this week and finished none. These aren't character failures; they are your natural traits operating without a steering wheel.

To find my strengths, you have to embrace the “shadow” side of your personality too. When you’re under stress, your strengths can become weaknesses. The Doer becomes rigid. The Campaigner becomes scattered. The Evaluator becomes blunt. By understanding these patterns, you can catch yourself before the spiral begins. You start to see that your "faults" are just your strengths overextended.

Hey Compono helps you build this self-awareness through 24/7 on-demand conversations. Because the AI remembers your previous chats and understands your work personality, it can spot patterns you might be too close to see. It’s about moving from reactive behaviour to intentional action. You stop hating those parts of yourself and start guiding them.

Key takeaways for finding your strengths

• Your "flaws" are often strengths in disguise: Being "too much" usually means you have a superpower that isn't being used in the right context.
• Work personality is the foundation: Use the 8 personalities framework to understand your natural wiring and stop apologizing for how your brain works.
• Awareness leads to mastery: Finding your strengths allows you to dial your traits up or down depending on the situation.
• Personality-adaptive support is key: Generic advice doesn't work because it doesn't speak your language. Find a coach that actually knows you.
• Stop the fix-it mindset: You aren't a project to be completed; you are a person to be understood.

Ready to understand yourself better?

The journey to find my strengths doesn't have to be a lonely one. You've spent enough time feeling misunderstood and trying to fit into boxes that weren't built for you. It's time to stop extinguishing your light and start understanding exactly how it works.

Whether you're a Pioneer looking for focus, a Helper looking for a voice, or an Auditor looking for the big picture, there is a way to show up at work that feels like home. It starts with a single conversation with an AI coach that was built to get you.

• Get started: Start with 10 minutes free – no credit card required
• See how it works: Learn about personality-adaptive coaching