Strengths.
We've all got 'em but few of us spend much time honing them. I suspect most of us spend our lives trying to achieve balance.
I've committed my life to doing the opposite.
I was reminded of this valuable insight from a sermon that Rick (HMC discipleship pastor) preached on Sunday. Why do we try so hard to shore up our weaknesses when God has given us areas of strength? We've been given unique abilities and gifts. Why spend the energy to build on our weaknesses when, at the end of the day, they will still be weaknesses. Wouldn't you rather work on your strengths?
But what about the rest of the stuff that needs to get done?
I'm naive enough to believe that someone else's strengths are my weaknesses. So, if you're looking for a detailed policy maker, I'm not your guy. If you want someone who likes dreaming about the future, leading people, and challenging the conventional "way we've always done it" mentality. Give me a call.
The catalyst for my "play to your strengths" ideological shift was a book by Marcus Buckingham called, "Now, Discover your Strengths." It included an online access code for a personality survey. At the end of the survey I was told my 5 areas of greatest strength (out of 34 possibilities). If you have some extra time I'd highly recommend this extensive, strengths-based survey.
2 comments:
Looks interesting. I'm curious was there any revelations to the survey or more just confirming what you already knew.
I definitely agree that we need to primarly serve in the area of our strengths. That being said I also think it's important that we don't allow our so called weaknesses to become excuses for not doing things that we don't like to do or feel incompetent at.
Some of my best experiences in life have resulted from being pulled out of my comfort zone.
Hi there Jason,
I just came across your post on Marcus Buckingham and wanted to tell you about a resource you absolutely will love as a teacher and parent.
Since you are interested in Marcus' work, I thought you might also be interested in the work of Jenifer Fox. It will touch both your professional practice as well as have personal resonance.
Jenifer wrote Your Child's Strengths, (Viking 2008) with an introduction by Marcus Buckingham. She traveled with Marcus on his Go Put Your Strengths to Work Tour in 2007 to show the results a strengths approach can yield in a high school setting. Then she wrote her own book. I think the book is worth mentioning to others because it helps parent and teachers help kids discover their strengths before they get into the workplace and find themselves in jobs they hate.
Since publication, Jenifer has been traveling the country and spreading her message to schools businesses and various organizations interested in strengths. I am reaching out to you because most adults interested in developing their own strengths know children who are also interested.
I hope you will look at this book and maybe talk about it on your website. Maybe you would like a copy. Let me know. Thanks and good luck with your work.
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