What if I don't like my strengths?
When I did the StrengthsFinder test and got my list of strengths I was initially disappointed. Communication wasn't on the list.
I actually enjoy speaking in public, writing, telling stories, and using metaphors to make a point. And I believe that I do those things quite well. Of course those of you who have read my writing might disagree. So the thought that this wasn't one of my strengths bothered me.
Actually though, it isn't really strengths that StrengthsFinder measures but instead themes of talent - areas where I demonstrate inherent ability and where I should be able to excel. For example Ideation, my foremost talent, suggests that I am always looking for connections between ideas and that's true. I enjoy that more than anything else too.
My other talents are similar insofar as they are things I seem to be good at and to enjoy. Upon reading them my wife said that they were dead on.
But that doesn't mean that communication is not one of my talents. It just means that is somewhere below the top five.I can still be an excellent communicator. Especially if it is something that I already enjoy.
The truth is, I'm a much more effective communicator when I am talking about, or writing about, something that excites me. And more often than not, I've used my other talents to synthesize an idea, or to learn something, or to create a plan. That gets me enthused about the subject which I am then presenting.
Last night I moderated an All Candidates debate for candidates running in the October 10 Ontario provincial election. I was comfortable enough throughout the entire evening. However, given limited time, I was actually combining questions based on my knowledge of the subjects in order elicit the information a bit more effectively. It was then, when I was actually using my talents, that I felt that I was acting in the moment and enjoying myself the most.
I was a more effective communicator after I made use of my top five talents.
I'm an effective communicator, and I'll continue to enjoy and improve that talent.And that's great. But as great as that makes me feel, it's pretty amazing to know that there are things that I'm even better at.
So don't worry. Just because something isn't a top five talent doesn't mean you'll never be good at. It just means that there are things that you can do even more efficiently.
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