A strengths-based approach to develop focuses on strengths and find ways to mitigate weaknesses. While many people agree (at least in part) with this approach, we can see what they really believe in based on where they actually spend their time on : Building Strengths or Fixing Weaknesses.
Unearthing the belief behind weakness-fixing
I was sharing StrengthsFind and strengths-based thinking with a friend, and one of his response was “I would like to be able to use my strengths at work, and find other platforms to address my weakness, such as communication.”
I thought about that response, and verified my hypothesis of where that statement came from, and the believe behind it. Behind a weakness-fixing mindset is actually the belief that “I have to be able to do it all (by myself)”. It’s the expectation of self to be able to do and accomplish everything by oneself. That’s one of the reasons why we focus on our weakness, because we of that belief that we MUST be able to do it ourselves.
Behind a weakness-fixing mindset is actually the belief that “I have to be able to do it all (by myself)”
What a confining belief to be in! In the book “Success Built to Last”, the author said that “Nothing worth doing, can be done alone.” If there is something significant we want to accomplish, it needs to be done with a team of people with a shared vision and mission.
Ask yourself: Who can I partner with, who has the necessary talents, skills and knowledge, to reach my goal?
Fix the goal, be flexible with the path
The other reason why people focus on weaknesses is because they believe there’s only ONE path to reach the goal. Sometimes, they aren’t even fully aware of what the goal is. That’s when a coaching conversation really comes in handy.
During our conversation with my friend later, we spoke about the “5 Whys” approach. It’s basically asking “Why?” 5 times so that we get to the root of the issue. Here’s how we can use it to determine what we really want to achieve.
I didn’t really ask “why” 5 times, but we got down to “Why” he wants to improve his communication: to ensure that things that are requested to be done, are done well and correctly. And then, I prompted him to think of how else he could accomplish that.
Here’s a really simple way of converting your weakness-fixing approach to a strengths-based one:
Application
Do you find yourself gravitating towards a weakness-fixing mindset? Here’re some questions you can ask yourself:
- Who does this better than me? How can I partner this person to accomplish the goal?
- What’s the real objective I’m trying to achieve (use the “5 Whys” approach)? How else can I accomplish this with my strengths?
Please share your thoughts and comments below! I’d love to hear how this worked for you.
Interested in learning how to apply your strengths in your personal life and at work? StrengthsFinder Coaching can help you! Ask me how now!
Get more information about StrengthsFinder by visiting http://gallupstrengthscenter.com
