Being uncontrolled is one of the biggest risks for our strengths. This is why we need a complementing characteristic to generate a balance so that our strengths don’t become our weaknesses.
For example:
- Impatience, coupled with assertiveness, can overemphasise the effect
- Empathy, coupled with goal-orientation, can lead to inner conflicts
- Perfectionism, for a pilot, is a must, but for a manager, and his/her team, it can be a burden
- And humour atthe wrong moment can create more frowns than smiles
Being conscious of our strengths – especially those that can turn into weaknesses – gives us stability and (self-)confidence.
My strengths and those that turn into weaknesses (situation – intensity)
- Think of challenges that you mastered.
- What strengths supported you in this situation?
In which situations did the known strengths not lead to the desired effect?
Were you, maybe, too goal-oriented, understanding or analytical?
What complementing strengths can balance imbalances?
Charisma can be perceived as self-importance. Here, down-to-earth modesty, as the complementary strength, can have a helping effect. Goal-orientation can turn into tunnel vision. What strength could help here?
- What complementary strengths can protect your strengths?
Renate Pasch-Donohoe - Das Gelbe Haus