Author: Mark S. Brown

It seems almost natural for people to avoid their weaknesses. None of us want to fail, or do we very often knowingly walk into a situation that will fail. Most recent leadership and developmental literature will recommend that you focus on your strengths. Do you know your strengths?

If you don’t know your strengths, I recommend you get the book, Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath. You will get a code that will let you take an online survey, and provide you the top 5 strength categories that fit your profile.

Why is that important? Not only can you focus on your strengths, but you can learn a lot about situations to avoid. Let me give you an example.

One of my top 5 strengths is “Learner”. Basically this is a category of people that love to learn. We love the process of learning, not just the knowledge we gain. Learners thrive in an environment where we are continually challenged with new information, new challenges, new processes, or new situations. For a learner, the learning journey s more important than “getting there” or becoming the subject expert.

So from knowing my strength area, what can I learn about my weaknesses or situations I need to avoid? Here is some of things I have concluded:

1. Avoid stagnant environments. Learners are avid about change. Change is not a barrier to a learner. Learners enjoy the challenge. But learners also hate situations that do not change. Routine without challenge will drive learners crazy.

2. Avoid situations where we force change upon others at the fast rate that we enjoy. We are not all learners. Change is accepted at a different pace by different people. It is easy for learners to get frustrated when people drag their feet on a change for no apparent reason.

3. Avoid situations where learning is not supported. Some organizations are learning organizations, other are not. Learners should avoid organizations that do not see value in education.

4. Keep the goal in front of you. Since learners love the educational journey, sometime they lose site of the objective of the organization. Learners should keep the goal in mind and must force themselves to continue to deliver results in spite of the research.

This is not an exhaustive list of potential weaknesses for learners. I am sure there are more. But the process of examining your strengths in depth to understand how your strengths also create weaknesses, can give you opportunity to really understand how best to leverage your strengths.

 

People hate change. We love habits and routine. Even people that are spontaneous, and enjoy new things are trapped within their habits. Change is how we grow and improve. So let’s get started driving change.

How can we transform our daily lives into something more? We need change in our life, but seldom to we push ourselves to change. Here are three ways to approach change.

1. Change the little things. Make yourself more open to change by doing small things differently. Pick some of your daily habits and do them different. Every day can be a day of change when you select one thing to do differently each day. For example, take a different route to work, brush your teeth using the opposite hand, do a new exercise routine, and so forth. If you look to the little things, you can challenge yourself everyday. Get use to change.

2. Change in an area of growth. What is your growth goal for this year? Is it defined in terms of an accomplishment or completion of something? If so, think about your growth in terms of change. How will your grow change and transform you? Challenge yourself to embrace the change that will be needed to achieve the goal, and work on it everyday.

3. Change the way you think. Routines are more than actions. We all have routines in the way we think and make decisions. Try to define how you make decisions. Challenge yourself to change and grow in the area of thinking. Some ways to think differently include: look at the bigger picture, dig deeper, research more, get advice, get opinions, participate in group thinking, increase the use of reflective thinking, and increase your strategic thinking. Those are just a few ways that you can change and grow your thinking.

Rachel Naomi Remen said, “Life is known only by those who have found a way to be comfortable with change and the unknown. Given the nature of life, there may be no security, but only adventure.”

Life will be full of change, and full of adventure. So let’s get comfortable with it.

2012 can be the best year yet! How are you going to set your goals? If you followed along for the last couple of weeks, you should have completed a good review and reflection of 2011. Now you need to take those thoughts and turn them into action in 2012.

Setting goals can take many forms. I would like to share with you three tips that can help you.

1. Think Big. Goals need to be big. You will be amazed at what you can achieve with the right plan, and a big goal. Dr. David Schwartz said this the best, “Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier — certainly no more difficult — than small ideas and small plans.”

2. Set Targets. Most of the time people will tell you to set target dates. Some people are not helped by target dates. Target dates can sometimes pass, and if you did not meet your objective you can feel depressed, and with the lack of action to get back on track, you may give up your action.

So if target dates work for you, use them. But if they don’t, find another method to stay on track. For example you can use a counter. If you want to read 20 books this year, put a sticky note with your remaining count of books in front of you. You can put it on your desk, or wherever you can see it everyday. Another option is to find a picture of what achieving the goal will mean to you. Keep it in front of you, and make it a part of your reflection process.

Don’t get hung up on target dates.  Spend more time on defining your big goals, and the actions required to achieve them, which is tip #3.

3. Take Action. Everyday. Plan your work, and work your plan. If your goal was to chop down by hand a large tree in your yard, and everyday you went outside and took two swings with your axe, what would happen? At some point in time, that tree would fall. The same is true with those big goals. Take some action everyday, and you will achieve them.

I hope those three simple tips can help you get off to a great start this year. It will be a great year!

Last week we started looking at a year end reflection process based on the book, Today Matters, by John C. Maxwell. The book examines twelve areas of life that can be used to allow you to make every day count towards your success.

This week let’s finish the review and learn about the last six areas of focus.

Finances: Finance issues are a great source of stress for many. O. Donald Olson has said, “The average American is busy buying things he doesn’t want with money he doesn’t have to impress people he doesn’t like.” Money won’t make you happy, but money gives you options. What financial issues created stressful situations for you in 2011? What are your financial goals for 2012?

Faith: Your faith can provide you values which you can embrace. Is your strength stronger now than it was last year? What can you do to explore and deepen your faith in 2012?

Relationships: Life’s greatest experiences involve other people. Enjoyment from life comes from interactions and relationships with others. Reflect on the past year. Have you given time to your most important relationships? Are you carrying around emotional baggage that is weighing you down? What goal do you have in regards to relationships in 2012?

Generosity: Giving has nothing to do with your level of income. There are many ways to give. Being generous will turn your focus outward. It adds value to others, and giving is always returned in some form at some time. How generous were you in 2011? What is your goal for giving in 2012?

Values: Your values are important because they are the underlying current that provides you direction. Too many people lose touch with their values and end up heading down the wrong path. Do you have a list of the values you hold dear? How have you lived those values in 2011? What is your goal to reflect your values in your actions in 2012?

Growth: Most people never become who they want to be. Everyone has the potential to grow. Growth is not automatic. Growth is not based solely on gaining information. Growth is not only about experience. Growth happens through intentional planning and action. Did you meet your growth goals in 2011? What is your goal for 2012? How can you stretch yourself to reach a higher capability?

For me, 2011 was mixed. Some of my goals were achieved. In some areas I made great progress, but in other areas I did not have make my planned impact. But without reflection or goals, 2011 would not have been the great year it was. Overall, my 2011 was a great year. My 2012 will be even better.

Set your plan now to complete your reflection on 2011. Challenge yourself to set goals that will allow you to become the person you want to become.