Not all weaknesses need to be addressed.

I recently unpacked the results of an employee engagement survey with a client and was impressed to hear the General Manager tell his team that he wanted them to double-down on strengths.

The process of surveying employees tends to be useless if it does not involve some form of action planning and follow-through. Unfortunately, most action planning takes place around blind spots [weaknesses], in reaction to low scores. This particular General Manager, however, understood what other great leaders understand, that an hour invested in honing strengths will reap a greater reward than an hour invested trying to improve weaknesses.

It seems to be human nature to downplay strengths, or take them for granted, while obsessing over weaknesses. 

Great leaders understand that everybody has strengths and everybody has weaknesses. Often the two are actually linked, making it difficult to lessen a weakness without at the same time lessening a strength. That is why the best teams are those where one person’s strength fills in the gap of another person’s weakness. Together the team is not only more balanced, but stronger.

That is also why great leaders patiently tolerate certain weaknesses—those that do not take way from a strength—while doubling-down on strengths, knowing that the ultimate effect is a net-positive gain.

For additional insights into a strengths-based approach refer to HERBISM #23

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