Strengths, One Side of a Multifaceted Story

Most of my coaching and consulting career has been working with small business owners and solo entrepreneurs. These businesses do not always have the resources to outsource, delegate, or hire someone who possess a strength to offset one of their weaknesses.

As I look back, the single greatest contribution to my business succeeding was figuring out (by trial and error) how to help my clients overcome a weakness that had grown into a problem.

Rosa Asked Me To Share My Story

Yesterday, Rosa and I were discussing the Go! Learn to Lead with Your Strengths Project and I told her that I had no interest whatsoever in the JJL Strengths project. It has nothing to do with Mr. Buckingham, and I have not I read his book.

The reason I was not going to participate in this project is that I am aware of my strengths. It is my weaknesses that became stumbling blocks, slowed my progress, and created 'noise' in my life and work.

Perhaps it's my tendency to mismatch and see the discrepancies in life, business, and relationships or just about anything. Let me clarify, when I look at a partially filled glass of water I first see that the 'glass is half empty'. I can also see it as half full, I first see that it is half empty.

A Kaizen Transformation

Every since I can remember I have always focused on transforming any identified weakness to ensure that I would not be hindered in achieving my goals. The Japanese have a word for it, Kaizen.

Kaizen uses a combination of problem solving and analysis techniques to facilitate continuous incremental improvement of an activity to eliminate waste. As I mentioned earlier, I had to become adept at 'identifying gaps and solving them' because my future and my family's well being depended on it.

My personal business coaching experience proves that identifying gaps and developing solutions transforms wasted time, effort, and energy into increased effectiveness which translates into additional profits.

Before I go much further, I think it would be helpful to share some of the distinctions and learnings I have in this area so you can have the same context I do.

Strengths

We have many more strengths than we know than we realize, which I call a 'strength in waiting' because we have not been trained how to recognize it as a strength. Have you ever had the experience of watching someone do something like public speaking or acting as an example, and thought, "I could do that!"? This is what I would call a 'strength in waiting'. Waiting to be tried, developed, or accessed.

Weakness

I see a weakness as a disadvantage or a fault. I know it is a weakness because of the feeling of helplessness and powerlessness revealed by my inability to act. In fact, I know what I need to do, yet I do not do it. So knowledge is not power, doing something with that knowledge makes "Action is omnipotent."

Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.  - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Overcoming a Weaknesses Is In Everyones DNA

Any habit excessively used becomes a problem and reveals an underlying weakness. When the weakness becomes a major problem, it must be dealt with otherwise a crisis is just around the corner.

Babies are weak and helpless when born. Gradually they learn, develop, and grow. Eventually, what was once impossible for them becomes as effortless as breathing.  This is the natural, inborn evolutionary process that each and every one of us have experienced. By habit we learn to succeed.

"The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the mighty force of habit and must understand that practices are what create habits. We must be quick to break those old habits that break us and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that will help us achieve the success we desire." - J. Paul Getty

Which is easier? Leading with strengths or overcoming weaknesses? Seems self-apparent that leading with a strength is easier. Overcoming weaknesses develops character, fortitude, and endurance - which is what I think we miss when we only focus on our strengths.

What has been your greatest obstacle overcoming your weaknesses?

How has "Go! Learn to Lead with Your Strengths" helped?

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Greg Balanko-Dickson is a licensed professional business coach that helps entrepreneurs start a second act business, buy or sell a business, groom a successor, and help them structure their life and business on their own terms.

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Thank you for sharing your view with us Greg. I love that J.Paul Getty quote, and it's very timely for me right now, as I've been reminding myself about the power of best possible habit creation.

The section of GPYSTW we are working on right now is about those strategies for dealing with one's weaknesses, and so I thought your additions would be helpful for us - I enjoyed our conversation about it!

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

I just remembered that I have a seminar I used to do on this subject, when I get home I will have to look it up and review to see if there are any other distinctions that I might have missed.

[Carolyn Manning]

"Knowledge is not power . . . action is omnipotent"

That sentence puts me in mind of people who are always "gonna" but never "do". Those who are "gonna" have a weakness; those who "do" have identified and are victorious over that weakness.

Also, Greg, I must say that I admire your ability to say "no" and politely and creatively explain.

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Thanks Carol, great observation "those who "do" have identified and are victorious over that weakness."

I have learned to follow my heart so when I say no to something that is in alignment with my values there is no tension and I can communicate without taking a blaming stance.