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Use your strengths
I talk about focusing on strengths a lot.
In fact, if there is any secret formula for success… it is thousands of years old, and it is:
Really know yourself, know your strengths, and put yourself in a position to be doing what you are good at most of the time.
Tuning your job over time to really suit your core strengths will make you more successful and happier in your work.
When you are doing things you are good at, you will thrive, the crowds will cheer, it will seem easy, and the rewards will come.
But LEAP from your comfort zone
However, I also talk about the fact that a key factor for driving big success is to be willing to leap from your comfort zone — and to be willing to be uncomfortable (terrified) some of the time as you navigate the new, or bigger environment.
Is there a contradiction?
No. Let me explain…
Strengths not skills
One of the things that makes this do what you are good at such a fundamental truth is that it is not about skills — it is about core strengths.
It is not about the work skills you are currently practiced in, and therefore comfortable at. It is about the core strengths that define who you are and why you are good at what you are good at.
Your comfort zone is the familiar environment
Your comfort zone is largely defined by the people, places, and tasks of your work, the things that become familiar. That can be the trap.
Be willing to break free of the familiar. Be uncomfortable by taking on something in a new geography, bigger scope, or different market…
But then land squarely on your core strengths to get you through the new, scary, uncomfortable terrain.
For example, skills are things like being good at: consumer marketing, telecom, banking, information systems, retail supply chain, software development, public sector, pharmaceutical sales…
Your strengths are much more fundamental than your job
Strengths are things like decisiveness, empathy, ability to get to the core of a complex problem, working through conflict, taking action, being analytical, winning people over, competition, finding common ground, rationalizing lots of inputs, seeing the future, understanding how systems and organization work, thinking strategically, executing and implementing, connecting people.
These strengths could be applied to any of those jobs or skills.
If you jumped from consumer banking to retail supply chain, but were good at rationalizing lots of inputs, and understanding how complex systems and organizations work, you could leap from your comfort zone but still leverage your strengths to re-tool a newly competitive supply chain.
If you moved from telecom to information systems, but are great at finding common ground, seeing the future, and connecting people, you could establish a new business model really fast, and get a new plan executed quickly because that is your power alley.
Strengths, more than skills, drive advancement
If you were pursing a big promotion in your function, you won’t get it because of your functional skills, you will get it because you are gifted at helping people understand each-other, driven to compete, working through conflict, and thinking strategically. (Or whatever your unique combination of strengths are).
It’s a good time to think about your unique strengths
As we start the new year, it is a great time to be reflecting on your strengths and what makes you thrive in your work. Then build your plan to get more of THAT into your job description.
Many people are looking for new jobs either because they lost their job in this challenging time, or because they want to find a job that is more fulfilling and more fun.
The more you can learn about your strengths, the better you can define, go after, and position yourself to win a job that is going to put you in your power alley.
Get an advantage in the interveiw.
It is also worth noting that being clear about your strengths in an interview will make you stand head and shoulders above other candidates who are only talking about their skills and experience. See also Don’t be Boring.
Even if you plan to stay in your current job, the more you can focus on your strengths and tune your job without leaving it – renegotiate the contract of your job with your company to include more of the things you are naturally good at, the better you will do and the more satisfied you will be.
Some resources:
Strengths Profile
There is a book plus online strength profile I use in my work that you can get from Amazon. Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath.
Career Workshop
Building your Personal Brand by understanding your strengths is a big part the the Career Building workshop that I do. You can register for a live session if you are in the bay area, or get the workhop on DVD.
Both include the Strengthsfinder Profile and other tools to get to the essence of your strengths and help you understand why you are good at what you are good at so you can use that to your advantage in your career.
