We all have things we’re good at and it’s natural to gravitate toward activities or situations where our strengths will shine. But sometimes we find ourselves in a place where we just feel stuck, and that’s the time to look inward and draw on our inherent strengths to move us forward.
A couple of years ago I began coaching Louis, a senior partner and Management Committee member in a large accounting firm. He was a true micromanager; his job was his life and he seemed to work 24/7. Sadly, while his colleagues were in awe of (and in debt to) his rainmaking abilities, no one valued him as a leader and he knew it.
But even though Louis recognized he had alienated many of his followers, and he hated trying to lead them, he dug in his heels and refused to give up his leadership role. After nearly exhausting myself over several months, I was able to help Louis recognize the role wasn’t “his best and highest use”.
He ultimately agreed it would be beneficial to the firm, and his sanity, if he focused his energy on serving marque clients and mentoring junior partners, his true strengths, rather than continuing to ineffectively lead a group of partners who didn’t respect him.
I give Louis a lot of credit because in going through this process he not only stepped back from his leadership role, but from his ego as well. Looking back on it, the shift has been a true win-win. The firm identified a successor who has proven herself and Louis is much happier because he is playing to his strengths; serving his clients better than before and knowing he will leave a positive legacy when he retires from the firm.
One of the tenets of a growth mindset is that each learning experience is a building block that can be applied to create success in other areas of one’s life.
Here’s a quick exercise to try.
Divide a blank piece of paper into quadrants. In three of the four sections, write down something you are good at (playing piano, golfing, writing poetry, etc.) and in the fourth section write down something you don’t think you are good at but would like to be (we’ll use cooking as an example).
In the three “good at” sections, write three things you did to become proficient in each skill. In the fourth section, list five things you can do to become a better cook.
What strengths in the other three areas can you draw from?
How does it feel to articulate steps to help you achieve your goal?
The next time you face a challenge or think you aren’t equipped for a task, remember to start with the strengths you already possess and use those to build a solid foundation.
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