Handling Kryptonite
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.?- Thomas A. Edison
When we were younger, we all loved superheroes.? I was forever a Justice League kid growing up.? That’s not to say that I do not enjoy The Avengers, but coming home, there was Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman on my TV.? As I got older, I would watch movies of these same superheroes.? Even though I have to say the Batman trilogy with Christian Bale may very well be the best of all, Superman was by far the most fascinating to me.? It was easy to understand why.? He was the strongest, fastest, and seemingly invincible.? I said seemingly because if you knew anything about his story, you know his weakness was an element from his home planet called ‘kryptonite.’? Every time we saw it, we knew Superman was in trouble.? But somehow, whether it be by assistance or sheer will, he figured out a way to overcome it.
We all have weaknesses.? These are not things that even the best and greatest avoid having.? However, greatness does not come from avoiding them.? It comes from managing and overcoming them.? Weakness does not mean it is something you can never be effective at.? It is something that no matter how much energy you put into it your best will only be ‘sufficient.’? A philosophy by Marcus Buckingham is you must learn to focus on your strengths and manage your weakness.? How do you understand and manage your weaknesses?? Here are some key things to be aware of and use to do just that:
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Be Honest
A weakness is not something that you cannot do.? It is something that takes more work for you than most others.? Is there something where you seemingly do not do as well as other things?? Are they things others do exceptionally well that no matter how much you work at you can never be better than ‘good enough.’? Those are signs of a weakness.? It does not mean the end of the world.? It does mean it is something you have to manage.? Maybe you do not come across as someone who can relate to others.? Perhaps you struggle analyzing situations or pushing others to achieve their goals.? However, like an addict the first step is to acknowledge that you have a problem.? There is no shame in having the problem.? The problem is not acknowledging its existence and failing to do something about it because while you at times can work around it, you will eventually fail if you do not acknowledge and plan to deal with it.? Awareness is critical.? Know when it pops up and what is happening when it occurs.? Understand why you struggle with it.? This is critical in helping to ultimately manage it.
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Educate Yourself
Most weaknesses are easily identifiable once you understand it and when, where, and why it shows up.? This leads to the second part of managing your weakness.? There are classes, seminars, and mentors who can provide you with information that aids in your path to improvement.? This is not to say that if you struggle with finances to get a degree in Finance.? However, taking a seminar on keeping up with your checkbook might be a great start.? The goal is to manage a weakness.? Not master it.? Why?? A weakness is something that is a struggle or challenge for you to do, and you will never have the combination of the passion, ability, and/or talent to excel at it.? Furthermore, you are far better off focusing on what you are gifted at.? Keep in mind that educating yourself is not limited to just one class.? It is a process of continuous learning because the key to overcoming a weakness is gathering enough information to know how to best handle it.
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Find a System
So now that we have identified the weakness and educated ourselves through various resources, we are ready to find a system that works.? An addict knows what their triggers are.? A person struggling with time management knows the signs they are not as organized.? Commit to a process that helps you manage your weakness.? This can come in numerous ways.? However, here is a pretty fundamental framework your system should encompass:
Most systems that encompass these four things are successful.?? If something is consistently failing, usually the system is lacking one or more of these four. What if you find you are consistently failing despite following these four?? It means that it is probably not the right system for attacking your weakness.? Find a different system that best fits your way of doing things.? No two pathways to success are the same.? Don’t get frustrated.? Keep working at it.
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Seek Help from Someone Strong
One of my weaknesses is dealing with enormous amounts of data.? It is not that I could not analyze it.? However, it takes tons of time for me to deal with it.? When I was locked into doing it, I worked with someone who was incredibly gifted in dealing with data.? She showed me ways to analyze things that I would not have even imagined, and through her, I became exponentially better at it.? Even at my best though, I was well short of her ability to do it, but in my role, I did not need to be gifted at it.? I needed to be good enough.? That is what seeking help can do.? Asking for help from others is the hardest thing but what the best leaders do consistently.? Learn to lean on someone who is gifted in an area of your weakness. Seek feedback from them to see if you might be missing something in your management of it. Have a mentor give you guidance in that area. All of these will not only ensure the handling of your weakness better but also ensure you maintain consistency in working at it.
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Dealing with weakness does not have to be an ordeal. It can take time, and it will require effort. However, it can also reveal some strengths as well. In fact, utilizing your strengths will aid you in managing them. Superman still managed to deal with it.? You can too.? Don’t be afraid of handling ‘kryptonite.’