Strengths, Weaknesses and Humour

Often as a strengths coach, the challenge I face in my training and coaching sessions is to try and undo decades of conditioning and muscle memory that my participants bring to the room in terms of what they are taught to see as strengths and weaknesses.

It takes me quite a while to help them understand that a lesser talent is not the same as weakness.

Dr. Donald Clifton, the Father of Strengths Psychology defined talent as any naturally recurring pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviour that can be productively applied.

The 34 talent themes are then divided into signature themes, dominant themes, supporting themes and lesser themes.

Gallup defines weakness as a misapplication of a talent that causes problems for you or others and comes in the way of your success or derails you.

In a way, a talent theme that is in one’s top 10 dominant themes could also be a weakness if it is misapplied.

Sometimes, humour helps us to learn things better. I find numerous humorous stories in movies and comic books.

Often in my sessions, I quote this scene from the 2003 cult classic film Munnabhai MBBS to help people differentiate between a talent, strength and a misapplication of a talent that causes problems for oneself or others.

Along with the relevant images from that iconic scene, here is a link to that video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ5bATFrXOc

(All credits for the images and video clip belong to the film makers and Ultra India.)

#SimpleandProfound

#StrengthsMarine

Are you really keen to #succeed by differentiating between your lesser talents and weaknesses and build on your strengths through the #CliftonStrengths assessment and #coaching?