As an undergrad, one of my favorite professors had us complete an assignment called “Me at my best.” It was designed to help us think about our strengths so that we’d be able to place ourselves in situations in which we excel. That assignment taught me one of the most important lessons of my undergraduate career, and I was reminded of it this week while reading a book called First, Break All the Rules. In one chapter, author Marcus Buckingham distills the wisdom of thousands of talented managers down to this great nugget:
People don’t change that much.
Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out.
Try to draw out what was left in.
That is hard enough.
Everyone has a different set of talents and weaknesses, and you’ll find the most success by taking advantage of that fact rather than fighting it. Great managers understand this about their people, and you should understand it about yourself. Continuous improvement is important, but too often we focus only on areas of weakness to improve upon.