Keys to Successful Business and Life
Success Key #5: Build On Your Strengths

So you've got weaknesses. But you've also got strengths. You may be good at working with your hands, working with people, thinking creatively, memorizing facts, working with numbers, completing long-term tasks, being funny, energizing those around you, learning new things, teaching others, etc. School lets us know what academic subjects we're good at, but unless we're going to study Geometry or Social Studies for a living, it doesn't tell us much about how good we'd be at the vast majority of jobs in the real world.  

When the Gallup organization polled over 80 managers and over 2,000,000 people, they discovered that only two out of 10 employees feel that their companies use their strengths every day. And the higher they rise in an organization, the more miscast they feel. (1) That's tragic! Imagine that you'd absolutely love designing the brochures, but you're stuck stuffing the envelopes. Boring. Frustrating. 

In our education, we tend to focus on our weaknesses. You get home with a report card that has an "A" in History, "B" in Health, "D" in Math. How do the parents and administrators respond? "What's wrong with you in Math? We've got to get that grade up!" And we understand why. Even if I want to eventually teach History, I've got to pass my Math along the way in order to get into college. 

But isn't it interesting that nobody sees that report card and says excitedly, 

"Look at that "A" in history! Are you excited about history? If so, I wonder how we could give you additional learning opportunities in that area? Do you have an exceptional memory for facts, like dates and names? That could benefit you as a  salesman, or in many other vocations."

After the Gallup organizations' massive survey, they concluded that our potential for greatest improvement lies in our strengths rather than our weaknesses.  We can improve our weaknesses a little bit, but our strengths a lot. 

The main outcome of this huge study? Try to discover your strengths and spend your main efforts building on those strengths. 

Today's Tips:

• Design a course of study around your interests and strengths. 

• Find those who share your strength and can show you how to develop it. 

• Discover what jobs and managers will allow you to use your strengths. 

• Read Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Buckingham & Clifton. Take the online strength assessment that comes free with purchasing a new book. 

End Notes

1) Buckingham and Clifton, Now, Discover Your Strengths, p. 6. See also Buckingham's earlier book for management: First, Break All the Rules.