Play to your Strengths (+ a Tool!)
Have you ever thought or been told that it’s best to focus on getting better at your weaknesses, to be well rounded? Maybe you’ve taken on the challenge of looking at your weaknesses straight on and addressing them. Raise your hand if in your attempt to shore up these weaknesses you’ve been frustrated, just a bit, you know, from time to time….
Turns out there is an entire school of thought, spearheaded by the Gallup organization, that says you should – as much as possible – eliminate your interaction with your weaknesses, or at least minimize the amount of time you spend engaged with them. For the past decade Gallup has polled people at work and discovered how powerful it is when people play to their strengths — those who do are significantly more engaged in what they do. What that means for you as an entrepreneur/small business owner is significant: if you spent the same amount of time focusing on your strengths, and getting better at what comes naturally to you, your productivity and satisfaction go up exponentially. Taking that same amount of time and energy and focusing on your weaknesses, while you may see some improvement, will never lead to the amount experienced when you work within your strengths.
Simply put, you get more return your investment when you focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. And as the owner of your own business, this means better use of your time, more fulfillment, and clearer priorities, all of which lead to more money and greater customer satisfaction. It makes a lot of sense that you want your time and efforts to pay off, and how nice that this can all be accomplished by a shift in perspective, and the help of an assessment to act as a guide.
Gallup developed an assessment based on their research, which was popularized in the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. You can now find the assessment online at https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253676/how-cliftonstrengths-works.aspx. I recommend you take the full 34 assessment (rather than just the top 5 ) if you’re able, as this will give you access to your top 10 and bottom 5 results, giving you a picture of what you’re naturally inclined toward, as well as what you may want to manage around. To take the assessment, set aside an hour to download the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book and read the introduction, then answer the questions, and review your results. The report you receive will have your personalized results + an in-depth analysis of what they mean and how to use them.
Taking time to discover what you’re inclined toward is a gift, paving the way for a way of being that’s filled with more clarity and ease. Your business will thank you, too, as you work more in alignment with what’s important. Life and work are just more fun when you’re doing what comes naturally, so discover your strengths and enjoy!
P.S. I’d love to hear what your strengths are, and how you’d like to use them more in your business and life. Contact me to share what you’ve learned, or to explore working together to dive into your strengths more deeply.
