Do Your Strengths Hold You Back?

Reminder: I’m collecting your questions to answer during a series in February. I’ve received some great ones so far – keep them coming!

Cherish Your Strength

You have strengths that have allowed you to accomplish everything you’ve done up to now.

Perhaps you’re an achiever – always working for that next accomplishment. Maybe you’re a social connector whose ability to build relationships has propelled your career. Or possibly your obsession with detail has helped you gain trust and responsibility.

These are all wonderful strengths.

Does Your Strength Hold You Back?

Many accomplished and competent people experience difficulty leading. Oftentimes this difficulty is a byproduct of the very strengths that have always brought them success.

When it happens, it can look like this:

• As an achiever you have difficulty trusting others because you’re anxious to be directly responsible and move straight to results.
• As a connector, you hesitate to make difficult decisions for fear of damaging the relationships you’ve built.
• As a perfectionist, you are reluctant to take action when you are uncertain and fear being wrong.

These are just a few examples of the way your strengths can hold you back from being an effective leader.

Getting to the Fifth Step

Learning to lead is just like learning anything else.

Imagine a toddler refusing to take that first hesitant step for fear of falling. If they never risk that first step and everything that comes with it, they’ll never take a fifth step.

But falling down is part of the game. Giving yourself permission to not get it right, to learn, and to try again are critical to your growth.

If these hesitations and self-doubts sound familiar, don’t worry. The same strengths that helped you get this far can help you in your leadership development.

• If you’re an achiever, enjoy the far greater level of accomplishment of which teams are capable.
• If you’re a connector, build relationships with other leaders and people who can encourage you through the journey.
• If you’re a perfectionist, use your desire for certainty to learn everything you can.

Action

Once you’ve done those things, however, to grow your leadership, you have to take a risk.

The hesitations I described are real. The risks you fear are real.

But the consequences of those risks are not as bad as you fear. And I can guarantee that you won’t increase your influence by doing nothing.

It’s time to take action.

David M. Dye

Read More:

• Get Out of Your Way
• Strengths Based Leadership
• 15 Tips Every New Leader Needs

(Photo by Jhong Dizon)

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David shares twenty years experience teaching, coaching, leading, and managing in youth service, education advocacy, city governance, and faith-based nonprofits. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Colorado UpLift and enjoys helping others discover and realize their own potential.