First things first, there is no perfect human being. All people are a blend of strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, in every human is also an innate desire to reach perfection. We are therefore too conscious of our shortcomings. This significantly hinders us from tapping into our strengths, and we consequently sabotage our efforts.
Preoccupation with your imperfections is hazardous to your business. Owning a business comes with its inherent share of challenges. You should, therefore, endeavor to minimise the stress in your life so that you can efficiently navigate the challenge of running a successful business.
Leveraging your strengths
Focusing on your strengths boosts your energy levels. It also has the added benefit of allowing you more time to deal with issues that matter. But you cannot leverage an asset that you do not know you possess, can you?
You first need to identify your strengths.
You may think that you know yourself, but research shows otherwise. Scientists say that there are certain traits that we cannot judge accurately concerning ourselves, for instance, intelligence, attractiveness, strengths and weaknesses and creativity. Indeed, they have pointed out that sometimes others know us better than we know ourselves.
A realisation of your strengths is, therefore, a deliberate exercise of studying yourself. It may further require soliciting for feedback from those who are around you since they see what you cannot and are likely to be more objective.
There are two ways of leveraging your strengths
Discover your strengths
You can have a better understanding of your strengths by:
- Examining the sort of things that you do well. Undertaking such activities always yields good results and you do not have to put too much effort. What is that one thing for whom you get the most compliments for?
- Identify your natural talents. These are the kind of activities that you are naturally inclined towards. These events also give you a lot of pleasure.
- Walk through your past successes. Carefully study the reason for the achievements. There in you will find something that you are good at.
- Think about the things you believe you could be good at if only you had the time to do them. You have probably thought about these things from time to time and wished that you had the opportunity to do them.
- Lastly, remember we said that your loved ones have valuable insights about you. What do they say about you? Are there some things that they believe you do well and they often ask you to do for them?
On the other hand!
Remember we said that there are two ways in which you can get introduced to your strengths. The second one is a road less traveled because of its nature, but it promises good results. This process calls for you to identify your strengths by analysing the sort of things that you do not do well. This option may hurt a little because it will bring you face to face with your past failures but I promise it is well worth it.
- Which is that activity that you have time and again tried to undertake, but the results were consistently disastrous?
- Which project has always left you feeling frustrated and dissatisfied?
- You can also once again turn to your loved ones. They have seen you try numerous things, and they can help you to identify certain activities to whom you have time and again given time and effort, but nothing came out of them.
Do things differently
You have earned valuable insights about yourself. It is time you put this knowledge to use for a more successful business.
- Be conscious of your limitations. If you have learned that there is something that you do not do well, make a point of delegating or outsourcing. Insistence on undertaking the activity has only one possible outcome: frustration on top of more frustration.
- Critically examine your efficiency in the various roles you are playing as a business owner. Are you performing all your responsibilities as well as you should? Is it probably time you delegated some of these responsibilities?
- Acknowledge that there is someone out there or on your team who has the strengths that you lack. Why not tap into their strength for a stellar outcome!
From now hence forth, set yourself up for success by focusing on and nurturing your strong points. Spend more time and effort in activities that you are good at. And remember, success begets success.
