Let’s Be Clear …

Whenever I go out to eat, I always ask the individual who is serving our table his/her name. It’s a way of creating some connection (one of my top values). And I’m often amazed at what happens with one simple question.

When dining with some friends recently, an engaging person greeted us when we sat down. To make a long story short, our conversation unearthed information about her hometown in California, what led her move to Georgia, her major in college and what she was going to be studying in her upcoming Masters program … Organic Chemistry!

As my eyes opened in awe and admiration of this complex subject matter, she said “Oh, it’s easy. Just don’t ask me to spell ‘banana’.” The funny thing is, we don’t always acknowledge that certain things are strengths for us because they are easy; and that’s because if it’s easy for us it must be easy for everyone else, so what’s the big deal?

In the May blog – Clarity is the Core of Your Strength – I shared the importance of truly getting connected with your values. Well, identifying your strengths is another critical component of getting clear on who you are as a leader in your life and business.

And, there are lots of ways to do this: formal assessments (e.g. StrengthsFinder); fun quizzes on websites and magazines; asking those closest to you what they believe you are “good” at; working with a coach; or a combination of these.

Playing to your strengths and working in your “genius zone” is not only fun and rewarding, it’s a way of prioritizing how you use your precious time. Our waitperson knows who she is and who she isn’t. She doesn’t beat herself up over her spelling challenges; instead, she chooses to focus her time on diving deep into carbon compounds. Her core is strong!

This Week: Make a list of everything that you are good at and/or enjoy. It may range from being a math wizard to simply asking good questions. Share it with others and see if they have more to add. How do your strengths play a role in where you spend your time? What do you want to change? It’s time to focus on your strengths.

In Next Week’s Post: Did you know that you can create different pathways in your brain to think differently?