Insight #125
I think I’m old and wise enough to appreciate the well-rounded ones. (Created with Microsoft Copilot). . .
Take a look at pebbles in a stream. Which ones do you like, the smooth, round ones, or the sharp, rough ones?
Now look at your colleagues at work. Which one stands out? The well-rounded one or the sharp-edged one?
Yes, things get done really well when people use their “sharp-edged” strengths. So it makes some sense to focus on your strengths and to ignore your weaknesses. Which is why we might agree that it is best not to aim to be a ballet star if you are built to play rugby.
(Time out. I once watched a beefy rugby player attempt to pick up a ballerina, the way dancers do on stage. Well, he struggled. Along came a slim ballerino (the male version of a ballerina) and made the ballerina soar. My point? Don’t judge a strength by its body type.)
Where was I? Oh yes, focus on strengths, ignore weaknesses. That reasoning applies mostly at work. Consider accountants and salespeople. There is a reason they behave differently. They are different on purpose for a purpose. (I would not like my accountant to be flexible with financials.)
But remember this. Your strengths might make you a superstar in one special area. Yet, those same strengths might make you a dysfunctional manager, parent, or spouse.
So, if your boss likes the results you get with your sharp edges, don’t let that embolden you. In the long run, your real boss is Life. And Life will always find a way to knock off your sharp edges. Until you become a bit more rounded.
Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.
. . .