Your Strengths Make You Unique

Most annual job performance reviews I've heard about ended up focused on a persons weaknesses. If your strengths are what makes you unique, your energy is better spent making your strengths stronger instead of shoring up shortcomings. Chances are good that you enjoy things you're good at, and you're not good at things you don't like. Seems simple enough.

Great teams are well rounded because they have players who are specialists, not utilitarian. If you don't know what your strengths are, you should find out. I like the Kolbe A Index because it helps to articulate your strengths in a way that is easy to understand.

As an example, Kolbe says I:

• "am terrific at juggling rapidly changing priorities, which makes you flexible with a practical bent. That's because you temper your trial-and-error approach by calculating probabilities"
• prevent getting boxed in by staying open to alternatives"
• have the ability to adapt my plans to take advantage of opportunities

My MO is 6-3-8-3, which means I:

• Get essential facts rather than just the overview or as many specifics as possible
• Develop shortcuts and multitask rather than detect discrepancies and adjust procedures
• Experiment to see what will happen rather than check things out before trying them
• Picture how things could work rather than keep things going as they are

If you give yourself permission to focus on your strengths, know how to promote your strengths to others. Reports like the Kolbe Index are integral parts of self management, because you can't lead others until you manage yourself.

// Kyle Sexton is a marketing strategist and international speaker. His innovations have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and his book ReMembership: New Thinking for Tomorrow's Membership Organization is fueling transformations in membership organizations throughout North America. He can be reached at 888.899.8374 or get his free resources at KyleSexton.com.