We each have talents or strengths, things we are naturally good at. Likewise, we also have a number of areas where we are not as strong; they are our areas of opportunity or weaknesses. In many ways, the world we live in is more focused on the negative than the positive. Just turn on the TV or read the newspaper to again hear or read about the bad taking place. We know that to succeed, we must concentrate on the positive, as that is what will take us forward towards accomplishing our goals. So how are we as imperfect human beings to emphasize our strengths and manage our weaknesses to achieve success?

We are most productive when working in the areas of our strengths. We will accomplish the most in terms of volume with the highest level of quality doing something we are naturally good at, or something in which we have a high level of interest. Since we know it takes a certain amount of effort to complete a task or goal, we will want to focus most of our energy and attention on tasks using our strengths in a positive manner. In doing so we will accomplish the most for our employer or for ourselves.

We are less productive, and tend to struggle with other tasks in which we have no interest or are lacking certain talents. A non-talent is a behavior at which we perpetually struggle. If we continue to focus our effort on this type of tasks, we will have minimal accomplishments, take a great deal of time when we do accomplish a task, or generate feelings of frustration in our attempt for success.

Our first step is to acknowledge our non-talents. Recognizing them is a big step in understanding how we handle them. Our non-talent may be that we simply don’t possess the skills or the knowledge to have a level of proficiency in that area. We then have the option of seeking a means of improving our skills or increasing our knowledge – a night class might accomplish both. In some cases we can rely on other tools or individuals to assist with the situation. If spelling is a weakness, we can use spell-check. If we work in a team environment and are not good at planning and organization, perhaps we can rely on a team member to offset our non-talent. In these cases, we have utilized a support system or found a complimentary partner to manage our weakness. Consider the non-talents you have – what are the steps you can take to offset your area of weaknesses?

Should you find yourself spending a good deal of time trying to manage a weakness, then stop and evaluate the situation. Perhaps the effort you are spending on additional training, working with a support system, or searching for or working with a partner is just too much. If your weakness is critical for your job, your best decision may be to search for an alternative role. We all have strengths and are naturally talented. Find a role where you can emphasize your strengths and achieve a level of success, one where you can feel a level of satisfaction each day with your accomplishments or how you have provided inspiration or assistance to others.