Wharton psychologist Adam Grant recommends this exercise as one of his favorites for self-understanding.

According to organizational psychologist Adam Grant, the best way to determine your strengths is by seeking feedback from others.

Gather stories from 15 to 20 people about your best moments, then identify common themes and patterns.

Grant, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, stated that the product is a reflection of one's "best-self portrait" or a snapshot of one's strengths, in an episode of Sinek's podcast, "A Bit of Optimism," earlier this month.

The researchers from Harvard Business School and the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business developed an activity that allows you to perceive yourself as others do.

"One of my favorite exercises is one that I enjoy equally with undergrads and CEOs," Grant said. "Through my experience with it, I've found that people often underestimate their own strengths in others' eyes, leading to positive blind spots rather than just negative ones."

Self-awareness is 'useless' without situational awareness

By recognizing your strengths, you can better utilize them and take advantage of opportunities.

According to Grant, being aware of your capabilities allows you to determine when they are useful and when they are not. He gave the example of charismatic leaders who rely on their charm to control conversations when they lack preparation.

"Grant said, "They possess self-awareness but lack situational awareness to recognize when to tone down their charisma and actively listen." He added, "I believe that self-awareness can be detrimental without situational awareness.""

Numerous experts suggest that cultivating a mindful approach to self-awareness can enhance your decision-making abilities, improve communication, foster stronger relationships, stimulate creativity, and increase productivity, according to research.

Contemplating your strengths and mapping them onto your goals is more than just being self-aware, according to Juliette Han, a neuroscientist and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.

Last year, she asked CNBC Make It, "Can you tell me a specific instance when I was helpful to your work, and how?" The responses you receive may reveal a skill you don't frequently employ that you should.

"You may not recognize your own strengths until they are pointed out by someone else," Han remarked.

Grant's sharp memory was noted by many of his respondents when he performed the reflected best-self exercise. He used the feedback to intentionally deploy his reliable recollections around others.

To alleviate his anxiety about establishing connections with his initial group of MBA students, Grant pre-learned their names prior to the start of the class.

""If I hadn't received this strength feedback, I would never have taken the students by surprise and started getting to know them," he said on the podcast."

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