Your greatest strengths come effortlessly.
It takes work to develop skills, but your strengths came with you from birth.
4 problems with strengths:
#1. You devalue your value.
Your greatest contribution comes easy to you. Because it’s easy, you forget how much it matters.
#2. You may judge others harshly.
Your strengths are a way of seeing. You can’t understand why others struggle with things that are so easy.
Our strengths blind us to the value of others. We think others should be more like us.
#3. You don’t understand your impact on others.
Have you ever been surprised at people’s response to something you did?
When you’re in your strength, you move quickly and effortlessly. You may seem rude or impatient to others. Why don’t they get it?
Doers want visionary leaders to slow down and celebrate successes. On the other hand, if your strength is analyzing, others may get tired of waiting for decisions.
When you’re in your strength-zone, you may forget common courtesies.
Your greatest strength is your hammer. Sadly, everyone isn’t a nail.
#4. You see solutions through the lens of your strengths.
If you’re great with organization, structure is the solution. If you’re a doer, just go do something.
Your strengths make you lopsided, like a bodybuilder with huge biceps and skinny legs.
4 suggestions:
- See your strengths in the way you impact others.
- Expand your strengths by leveraging the strengths of others.
- Evaluate others through the lens of their strengths, not yours.
- Seek alternatives from those with contrasting strengths.
How might leaders address the down side of their strengths?