Noted author and speaker John Maxwell recently inspired me to pen these thoughts. Successful people understand and constantly improve their strengths. Successful leaders recognize the strengths of those around them. These leaders grow and integrate the strengths of others into one common mission. If we only work on improving our weaknesses, we will be average at best. When we examine our strengths and constantly help those around us to know their strengths and build on them, success will come our way.
Discovering your strengths
The Gallop Organization has a very insightful book designed to help you discover your strengths and the strengths of those around you. Dr. Donald Clifton coauthored the book Living your Strengths and helped to develop the online tool, The Clifton Strengths Finder (www.strengthsfinder.com). This tool helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of your firm's team members.
Beware of blind spots
All of us have blind spots that we are unaware of. For example, the Clifton Strenths Finder tool categorizes me with five strengths:
1) Futuristic; 2) Focused; 3) Belief; 4) Positive; 5) Activator.
However, with those strengths come some blind spots. I can see things in the future as developing trends in a focused and positive way. That's all good, but I begin to believe they can happen so strongly that I can get ahead of the present reality and try to activate too early. What I need is someone else on my team who is really good at implementing, following through and strategizing to give me input before I activate. In other words, I need to have others helping me make great decisions in a way that is profitable and realistic.
What are your strengths and apparent weaknesses? You may think you don't have any weaknesses. Maybe your weaknesses are huge blind spots that are hamstringing your growth and the advancement of your financial advisory and insurance firm. I am proposing that the Clifton Strenths Finder tool and the Living your Strengths book may help improve who you are. You may be the one who needs to change in order to experience explosive growth in your firm. Doug Carter says: "Businesses don't grow, people do."
Leadership insights
Successful leaders can see the strengths of others around them and help them become even stronger. Inspiring leaders are transparent with their own blind spots and they ask for help from those around them to make even better choices. Ethical leaders are personally growing and trying to build integrity by doing the right things even when other people aren't looking. Enthusiastic leaders thank the people around them and tell them that they are special. They personally thank them for their contribution and show appreciation. Insightful leaders listen to their team members and multiply their strengths by creating one unified and aligned firm out of many team members. As the 1776 motto for America says, E pluribus unum: out of many, ONE.
Hiring coaches
The best pro athletes have coaches to help with their conditioning, their individual skills and their sports psychology. Actors have coaches that help them with acting skills, voice skills and personal training. You should consider having a coach for improving your skills. Are you serious about becoming the type of leader your team needs and the financial advisor that your clients want and deserve? The book of Proverbs chapter 22 verse 29 says, "Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people."
Discover your strengths and the strengths of your team and work with a coach to become an even more successful leader.
Brent Welch, CFP, ChFC, CLU, is founder and managing member of Welshire Capital, LLC. Reach him at www.welshirecapital.com.
