There has been a long-standing debate regarding how one's time should be split between developing your strengths and weaknesses. For many years, I was of the opinion that I should spend a large amount, if not the majority, of time developing my weaknesses so that I could be more well-rounded. I liked the idea of being a "business renaissance man". Several years ago, I came across research, originally done by the Gallup organization, in conjunction with Marcus Buckingham, which very clearly set forth environmental and physiological factors which suggested that focusing almost exclusively on one's strengths is the path to greater success. I read as much as I could on the subject. I decided to put the research to the test. In a number of positions which I held (community, professional, personal), I focused on doing those things which I do best to achieve desired outcomes. The results: when I spent time developing those skills which come naturally, I constantly felt engaged, satisfied, and ready to make things happen. When I spent time attempting to work and "develop" my weaknesses, I quickly became frustrated and lost sight of my end goals. My interest waned, I became complacent, and willing to accept whatever results occurred.
From my anecdotal experience across several disciplines, I have concluded for myself that time spent becoming better at what you are already good at yields exponentially more, in terms of productivity, than time spent developing weaknesses.
Allow me to suggest work done by Marcus Buckingham (no, I am not receiving any type of benefits, monetary or otherwise, from his company). His website is http://tmbc.com/ Check it out!
No comments:
Post a Comment