Embracing Strengths & Managing Weaknesses

There’s a common fallacy about CliftonStrengths: that it naïvely turns a blind eye to weaknesses. The assumption is that the heavy focus on strengths is actually detrimental to interpersonal growth and professional advancement.

Now, it’s certainly true that Strengths places a huge spotlight on all the good stuff. Rooted in positive psychology, the strengths assessment aims to flip the script on traditional ways of addressing talent development. These conversations typically start by looking at areas of improvement. “What skills are underdeveloped? Where have you not been pulling your weight and why? In what ways are you lagging behind your peers, and how can you catch up?”

There’s no question that these are important conversations, but with the CliftonStrengths approach, you don’t start by looking at where people are lacking. You start by focusing on where people are excelling. “Where are you naturally talented? What unique strengths are you bringing to the table? How are those strengths showing up in your work, projects, the way you lead?” Step one is not looking at all the places you’re not performing top-notch, step one is all about leaning into where people naturally shine.

But that’s only part of the equation. An important part.

With a solid understanding of their unique talents and contributions, people are given the confidence to then turn to the other critical piece of CliftonStrengths, understanding weaknesses. Because the conversation kicked-off in a positive place, it’s much easier to address those areas of opportunity without becoming defensive or deflecting accountability. The tone has been set as one that celebrates first and foremost, then, and only then, aims to identify and find ways to bolster weaker skills.

For Gallup, weakness is defined as "anything that gets in the way of your success."

My whole mission is to empower organizations and individuals to succeed. In order to do that properly, it’s critical to for my clients to understand the weaknesses that are roadblocks to maximizing their potential. So, unlike what that common misconception might have people believe, Strengths does not put up blinders to areas that need work. It just frames the conversation in a different way. The play-by-play for addressing weaknesses with a Strengths-based approach might look something like this:

Step 1 - develop language to name and understand your unique strengths

Step 2 - gain self-awareness around your weaknesses

Step 3 - take ownership of those weaknesses

Step 4 - use strengths to better navigate and compensate for weaknesses 

These steps, and the language of strengths, can help illuminate the actions that might be taken to manage weaknesses. Those actions can include pairing up with someone who has a strength that you’re lacking in. It could include finding mentors to improve skills that aren’t quite where they should be. It can also be as simple as having open, candid conversations about what you might need to change within your role.

Far from ignoring or avoiding any discussion of weaknesses, by starting first with strengths, then examining weaknesses, CliftonStrengths helps people define a clear plan of action to manage weak spots so they can perform at their fullest potential.