January 16, 2009

Should You Just Focus On Your Strengths?

In This Issue:

Feature Article: "Should You Just Focus On Your Strengths?"

Quick Tips: "How To Wipe Away The Friction In Your Life"

Fast Facts: "The True Meaning of Decision"

* FEATURE ARTICLE *

“Should You Just Focus On Your Strengths?”

Some time ago, I wrote an article which encouraged readers to focus on building their strengths rather than their weaknesses. It was a view derived from current thinking about peak performance – the view that people perform better when they focus on their strengths, rather than focus on improving weaknesses.

But there's a crucial gap in that thinking...

Firstly, I still agree with the idea that we excel when we develop and enhance our strengths - those abilities that, whether through nature or nurture, come easy to us. Consequently, I would rather see you improve your talents, than improve your weaknesses.

For example, if you're a top mathematician with limited social skills, you'll likely be happier, fulfilled and successful if you develop a career in mathematics than if you tried, say, public speaking.

But there's another theory of the world which throws a wrench into this kind of thinking. It's the Theory of Constraints which I recently learned from Rich Schefren, and which was introduced to the world by Dr Eli Goldratt in his 1984 book The Goal.

Since then, the theory has evolved, been widely applied and has assumed a high level of rigor. Indeed, a pure application of the Theory involves creating a sequence of logical cause and effect maps.

Essentially, the Theory of Constraints holds that, at any given point in time, the ability of ANY system to work at its optimum - whether that system is a manufacturing plant, a business, or the human body - is LIMITED by its chief constraint. It’s similar to the idea that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Here's a true story that perfectly illustrates the Theory of Constraints...

Years ago I had dreams of being an elite distance runner. It turned out that I had some talent for distance running, based on my cardiovascular system and type of muscles. What's more, I was mentally suited to competitive running - I was willing to train hard and I could push myself in races.

But over time it became increasingly obvious that it didn't matter how strong my heart, lungs or muscles were, or how much I enhanced these 'strengths'. I had a critical weakness which undermined my ability to reach an elite level: weak hamstring tendons.

Basically, weak hamstring tendons meant that I acquired tears in those tendons, which inhibited me from doing the hard training necessary to compete at an elite level.

Which brings me to my point: while building on your strengths may be necessary in order to achieve a certain goal... it may not be sufficient. Moreover, while you should, indeed, focus on your strengths... there may be one or more critical weaknesses that are holding you back from what you want to achieve.

Take that mathematician who focuses on a career in math rather than a career that involves a lot of people interaction. If certain people skills are still necessary for that person to excel in their career (and, at some level, people skills are important in most careers) a failure to address a lack of social skills may be a critical weakness that, for example, holds that mathematician back from a promotion or new job.

Now, lacking social skills will only be a critical weakness if the mathematician WANTS something (e.g. a promotion or new job) that requires those skills... but if 'lack of social skills' is not the chief constraint, then something else is.

Again, the Theory of Constraints holds that in any goal-oriented system, the ability of the system to deliver the goal will ALWAYS depend on the chief constraint... whatever that constraint happens to be at that point in time. (If you think about it, you'll realise there will always be a chief constraint.)

The chief constraint in a given system may not necessarily be a personal weakness. But the purpose of this article is to highlight the fact that when it comes to focusing on strengths... we can't just ignore weaknesses.

If it turns out that we do have a critical weakness that is preventing us from reaching our goals, we need to address that critical weakness. That doesn't necessarily mean we will need to make drastic personal changes. There may be creative ways to address such weaknesses. Indeed it's ideal if we can use our strengths to address weaknesses (more on that in a future article).

But the main thing is that we deal with those weaknesses.

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* HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *

“Free: Your Own 'MBA in a Box'...”

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* QUICK TIPS *

“How To Wipe Away The Friction In Your Life”

If you’re like a lot of people, a certain amount of ‘friction’ is hindering you from getting the most out of your life.

Friction is any kind of drag on your ability to, at a minimum, get through your day with the least amount of stress, and, at a maximum, enjoy life to its fullest.

Friction could be anything from a squeaky hinge, to a messy desk, to a list of things weighing on your mind, to a poor relationship with someone at work.

It’s not so much an obstacle in your path to achieving your goals or solving problems; it’s more like wind in your face or a gravel ridden road that makes the task unnecessarily difficult or unenjoyable.

Because the friction in YOUR life may differ from the friction in MY life, there are no specific recommendations I can make to reduce your friction. But, let me encourage you to get rid of such friction by taking these four steps:

1. Become aware of the various things that annoy you.
2. Decide to get rid of them once and for all.
3. Work out how to get rid of those annoyances.
4. Take action to get rid of them.

And don’t stop, because friction has a nasty way of slipping back into our lives without us realizing it!

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* HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *

“62 Percent of Small Businesses Go Out of Business...”

That's right, according to the U.S. Small Business Association, 62.8 percent (to be exact) of businesses will fail.

Kind of depressing. Vegas has better odds.

And you do NOT want to join them.

And that's why, if you own a business, you'll want to watch this video...

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* FAST FACTS *

“The True Meaning of Decision”

Years ago I read a book by self-help guru, Anthony Robbins, where he discussed the power of making decisions. He made the point that, based on the true meaning of ‘decision’, when you decide on a course of action you literally cut yourself off from any other option.

Since, in the Quick Tips above, I suggest ‘deciding’ to get rid of annoyances that cause you friction, I thought I’d take the opportunity to emphasise what Anthony Robbins taught me those many years ago: decide to do something by cutting off the option of not doing it.

And a quick look at a website that provides the origins of words - the Online Etymology Dictionary at Etymonline.com confirms what Anthony Robbins said.

'Decide' is a French word that dates back to 1380 AD. Here's the entry given on the site:

c.1380, from O.Fr. decider, from L. decidere "to decide," lit. "to cut off," from de- "off" + cædere "to cut" (see cement).

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