When you create your annual development plan and help your direct reports/colleagues with theirs, do you only focus on the areas that you perceive as weak? Too often we overlook key strengths, and they too need to be honed to keep their edge and remain the person’s “magic dust”™. Don Clifton, psychologist and creator of the CliftonStrengths assessment shared: Sincerely,There is no alchemy for weakness. They can be removed but they cannot be transformed into strengths. The goal, therefore, is to manage weaknesses so the strengths can be freed to develop and become so powerful they make the weaknesses irrelevant. Interesting perspective! We’re certainly not saying to ignore growth needs. Many of us are keenly aware of our skill and behavior “opportunities” and commit to making continual improvement, but we can also work on making our strengths even stronger. For those of you that are Leadership Journey© alumni or have taken personality assessments, pull out your results. What do the reports say about your strengths and your challenges? Perhaps you excel at relationships and others find your input invaluable. Maybe it’s your technical expertise or the ability to drive results. It’s about the need to continually grow and develop. Don’t ignore the things you don’t care for, find draining or are difficult to execute, but also invest time in your “magic dust”™ and grow your strengths! |
