My father used to tell me all the time to “play to people’s strengths.” This is as true for delegating to employees as it is for yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of knowing your strengths and weaknesses and making sure you play to what you’re good at.
You’ll Be More Aware
Although I’m advocating you to play to your strongest skills, you never want to let your weakest ones out of your sight. Your successes are relative to your failings, and it will benefit you greatly to understand what they are.
Your weaknesses may be related to your business, your team, yourself, or some combination of those. It can be a difficult thing to do, but only after acknowledging what needs to change can you truly excel.
The last thing you want to do is let your ego take control. Nobody is perfect. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can become your best self and have the best version of your business.
You’ll Be More Competitive
In a competitive marketplace, you won’t get far unless you’re a master of something. It’s like the jack-of-all-trades dilemma: You can try to be competent at a bunch of things, but you’ll likely end up being — as the rest of the saying goes – a master of none.
Your time and energy are not infinite. It seems counter-intuitive, but by attempting to balance ourselves and do it all, we are only wasting potential. Find your niche and dominate it – if you don’t, somebody else probably will.
You’ll Be Happier
The most enjoyable way to become successful is by starting with something you’re already strong at.
For example, with me, I was creative from the time I was a child. My vision has always been to grow my business, but more importantly to make a difference in the way uniforms are perceived, and to use uniforms as an opportunity to further one’s brand. I’ve used my creativity to further my business. And although I have always been able to push myself creatively, my struggles have been in dealing with disingenuous and opportunistic people on the other side of the deal.
Over time, I have become significantly better at this. Business is business and it really isn’t important if you like the people you do business with. Think about the end result, and so long as you are not compromising to the point of it being a detriment to your business, move through what needs to be done to firm up a partnership and get a deal done.
You’ll Be A Team Player
The beauty of a team is that your weaknesses can be offset by someone else. You don’t have to be everything at once. By positioning people in the roles that best suit them, you can create a powerful – and balanced – team.
Of course, you’ll have to allow yourself to trust in them and cool it with micromanaging for the best results. And this is where a great, not good, team is essential. To trust others with your business is scary. But if you have the right people, and checks and balances are in place, then run with it. It’s rare, and it’s freeing.
You’ll Be Able To Adapt
Having done all this introspection and balancing, you won’t be blindsided when times and people change. What was once a strength might become a crutch. The market and industry you’re in may become displaced by new technology or trends. If this happens, you’ll be able to pivot much more efficiently and save time otherwise spent testing new waters you’re not equipped to swim in.
Success does not end when you get somewhere; you must maintain it and continue to climb. Your strengths may always lead you, but the understanding of your weaknesses will support you the rest of the way.
