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Crazy, right? How can this be?
For starters, nobody is great at everything--we all have strengths and weaknesses. It only makes sense to play to our strengths, but most of us tend to rely too heavily on these strengths to the detriment of the other skills we need to be successful leaders.
I offer final-vetting, pre-hire assessments of leaders, and I'm proud to say we've hired successful leaders over 90% of the time over the last 30 years. In this process we've found that folks who are especially strong in a skill tend to be weak in the complimentary skill.
Of course you can be good at two complimentary skills, but it's nearly impossible to be exceptional at both: Here are some examples:
Sales skills vs. Organizational skills: Leaders who are great salespeople tend to be weak in organizational skills. The very flexibility that allows them to excel in sales and relationship development can be an obstacles to staying organized.
Analytical skills vs. People skills: Leaders who are great analysts who are numbers-focused tend to be weak in emotional intelligence/people skills. This task vs. people orientation is a common theme among style assessment instruments.
Creative skills vs. Implementation skills: Leaders who are very creative and innovative tend to be weak in focus and implementation. They enjoy the creative process much more than the less exciting process of implementing ideas.
There are two main ways to address this imbalance, and the path you choose should be determined by the time and money required to implement each.
Surround yourself with people who possess the complimentary skills you lack.
Learn the complimentary skills yourself.
So, what's your greatest strength, and do you rely on it too heavily?
Don't be a stranger: (770) 993-1129, tdockery@TheResolveFirm.com
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