Play to your strengths, be aware of your weak spots
"Many leadership problems are driven by low self-awareness" Bill Hybels
I was coaching a young, energetic leader once whose role was about to change. He was a leader in the sales department and his new role would have him interacting and collaborating with the other departments in the company. I’ll call him Eddie. Eddie asked for advice as he began his new role and I stated, “play to your strengths, be aware of your weak spots.”
As a coach, I focus mostly on strengths. For instance, nonconformity is a strength. Non-conformists don’t subscribe to a hard set of rules. I generalize in this description but they are without boundary when thinking through solutions, ready to invent better ways to accomplish missions. Nonconformists are not detailed people. They may operate very comfortably understanding only ‘wave tops’ of information. In a period where rigid rules are needed and details and processes are vital to success, a nonconformist will find weak spots overlooking rules and avoiding details. Again, I generalize.
Along with all the strengths a leader possesses, he or she must understand where they may be challenged in communicating with and influencing others. Let’s call these challenges weak spots. Eddie was an extrovert. Because of his social strengths, he thrived at building relationships. He was a master at sales because of his relationship-building acumen. Customer accolades poured in praising Eddie. Everyone loved him. He enjoyed a well-deserved great reputation. Eddie was a man of strong convictions. It is fair to say that he fell in love with his plans and wanted things to be a certain way. This worked well when trying to sell but it could backfire in his new role. He would now have to 'let go' a bit and find common ground. He would win some battles and lose some and that was ok.
I coached him to leverage his strengths, building and fostering relationships with other stakeholders in the company but be keenly aware of his convictions. We played out a few scenarios and I watched how well he listened and controlled his emotions. He was then ready to assume his new role with confidence. What are your strengths and what of your characteristics would pose a challenge (weakness) in the roles you have to fill? Ask the question Eddie asked. You’ll be a better leader for it.
Rob Campbell Leadership now delivers the Forté Institute’s® Communication Intelligence Lifetime Survey and Assessment as a benchmark to help leaders ‘see’ themselves, how they are adapting to their environment and how others see them. The awakening which comes from Forté coupled with coaching is a game-changer for leaders and organizations. Contact me today and I’ll tell you all about it!
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Rob
Rob Campbell