Last week, I wrote an article Warning: You Might Be Good At This. It’s an article about how we tend to focus a lot of our time and energy on things we don’t do very well. I know this seems crazy but Marcus Buckingham’s research validates that it’s quite true.
This week I’d like to give you some simple tools and ideas to help you identify and track your strengths. Then I will ask you a few powerful questions that will help you figure out how to use them effectively at work and home.
First – Homework Can Be Fun
Find a small notebook that you can tote around with you. Draw a line straight down the center of a few pages. This creates a left and right side to the page. For this first activity, only write on the left side of that line. Starting this Monday, and for the next six days, your challenge is to develop some awareness of your natural talents. Maybe it’s speaking Spanish, negotiating with co-workers, closing a sales deal, working with your hands, solving puzzles, working with animals, cooking, rallying people for a good cause, writing articles, outwitting a 5 year old, whatever. As you find yourself enjoying feeling good and excelling in these areas, capture that moment by writing down those specific activities on the left side of the page. If it helps, put a little plus (+) symbol on the top left of your page.
On the right side of the page, I would like for you to do something similar with one exception, write down all of the stuff that drains you, makes you feel ineffective, in other words the things you don’t really enjoy. Make sure you are placing that on the right side of the page and if it helps put a little minus (-) on the top right of your page.
At the end of your week share the information you have collected with someone whose opinion you want and respect and see what they have to say. (This important because just because you love to do something doesn’t mean you are any good at it – however, the potential might be there.)
One Of The Best Conversations You Can Ever Have With Yourself
Now that you have all of this great information, let’s see what you can do with it. It is important to do this next activity while all of this is fresh in your head. Look at your calendar and set aside about an hour of uninterrupted time to work on a few of the following questions:
- What are the areas in my work and life that I love that I really want to devote time and resourses to develop?
- What on my list is essential for my success, I love to do it and I’m really good at it?
- What on my list is essential for my success, I don’t like it and I don’t do well?
- What can I delegate, reassign, get an intern to do or otherwise get off my plate?
- Who do I know that is naturally talented in the areas I am deficient? How could I potentially create a partnership with that person (Think team teaching, team selling, or project management)?
- What are other areas of my life outside of work that I would like to devote more time developing?
- What’s my plan to shift things around so I can focus my time and energy, developing, honing, and doing things that nurture my natural talent?
The Wrap Up
You might use your findings to make small fine-tune adjustments with your team or your job. Or you might make huge leaps of change with your life and your career like I did. Regardless of your revelations, just as it is with every choice or idea we have in life, these findings are yours to act upon or not to act upon.
My two cents: Stop focusing on the things that suck (or that you suck at) and start focusing on your talents. That’s what’s going to set you up for the most success AND happiness!
