Building on Strength

I was challenged yesterday at the Women of Faith Conference about what I'm doing to play to my strengths. The speaker - a man (at a women's conference!!) - is Marcus Buckingham, the author of several books and an expert in the subject of helping people to be all they can be. And what a big subject that is.

His premise - or one of them - is that we spend more energy on trying to build up what we consider our weaknesses than we do improving on our strengths. He says there are three reasons we don't play to our strengths:

1. We think we're supposed to sacrifice for the good of others.
2. We're more afraid of our strengths than we are our weaknesses.
3. We may not see our strengths as anything special.

You can take an on-line test to see what your strengths are at http://www.stronglifetest.com/

There are nine "roles" - and most of us will have a primary and a secondary role. They include advisor, caretaker, creator, equalizer, influencer, motivator, pioneer, teacher and weaver. And, of course, those role labels aren't all that clear - at least not to me.

A big point is that developing your strength is NOT about self-esteem. It IS about taking responsibility for making a contribution.

Definition of strength: something that invigorates you.

Definition of weakness: an activity that depletes you - even if you are great at it.

A sign of strength: S - you feel successful and effective; I - instinct - you positively look forward to it; G - growth - when you're in the zone, time speeds up, your brain is growing; N - needs are met - at the end of the activity you are invigorated.

When you figure out what activities are draining you, depleting you, there are four coping strategies to stop: S - stop doing this activity and see if anybody cares; T - team up with people who ARE invigorated by the activity; O - offer your strengths and steer your job toward them; and P - perceive your weakness from a different perspective.

I like the idea of thinking about what I love to do - and am glad - so very glad - I'm in the business I'm in.