It has been an ongoing debate as to whether one should focus more time on building strengths or overcoming weaknesses.

The challenge with focusing on weaknesses is that there are so many more weaknesses that our efforts get too spread out to be effective. Concentrating on our strengths, areas that we are naturally good at and areas that we enjoy working on, our efforts can truly make a difference.

Think about anybody who has achieved anything worthwhile in life. They are known for one or two things that they did really well, not all the things they did poorly.

Take Michael Jordan for example. He was a naturally talented basketball player and a less talented baseball player. Even though he was a talented athlete he had strengths when it came to basketball and weaknesses when it came to baseball. He could have spent the rest of his career trying to overcome his baseball weaknesses and we would have missed out on enjoying his strengths on the basketball court. The good news for us is that he chose to focus on his strengths and in the process became the best basketball player of all time.

But even Michael Jordan could not do it all alone. Even on the basketball court he was stronger in some areas more than others. Combined with other talented players focusing on their own strengths the Chicago Bulls became one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties, winning six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats.

Hence, I believe that greater things can be achieved when imbalanced people focus on their strengths and harmoniously combine with others as a balanced team where all necessary strengths are represented.

The goal is not to be a balanced individual, but to be the best you can be in the areas you have been given talent and to combine with others that have different talents that fill in the gaps of your areas of weakness.

That does not mean that you may simply ignore your weaknesses. The key is to focus on your strengths and only spend time on your weaknesses when they take away from your strengths.

The 80/20 rule is a good way to approach the effort. Focus 80% on strengths and 20% on weaknesses that interfere with your strengths.

Herb Mast is Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.