What if your weakness is someone else's strength

Subtitle: Building Strengths-Based Partnerships for Greater Effectiveness

The Energy Drain

"Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a task that is just draining the energy out of you? It makes you question your intelligence, your confidence, your time management, and even your choice of work?"

"I was grinding away at an online recertification process, drowning in the tedious details—sifting through diaries, checking up various accumulated points, filling out endless forms, searching for documents. I had far more important things to do, but this was essential, so I had no choice. But the more I slogged through it, the more I felt my irritation and frustration building. This thing was like a black hole sucking me in, and I could feel my anger building."

A Call from Heaven

"But then the phone rang. It was my wife, calling from another city. We started to talk about her day. When it came to my turn, I casually mentioned that I was in the middle of this frustrating task. ‘I’m really struggling,’ I admitted. I could hear her pause, and then she said something that shifted everything:

?‘Let me do that. It’s easy for me. I actually enjoy that. I love solving problems. I’m really good at that, and I know you hate that stuff.’

At first, I hesitated. ‘No, I can do it myself,’ I said. Like many of us, I was caught in the belief that I should be able to handle everything on my own. We’re often told to suck it up, grind it out, or just try harder. But my wife reminded me that her number one Gallup strength is Restorative (people exceptionally talented in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it). And that’s my number 34 strength—which is basically a weakness for me."

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The Relief of Good Collaboration

"In one swift move, she took all that stress and frustration off my shoulders. The relief was immediate. The tension lifted, and suddenly, I could refocus on what I do best—strategic, creative thinking. It was a powerful reminder: knowing your strengths is important, but knowing when to collaborate and leverage the strengths of others can be a game-changer."

Breaking the Myth of the Solo Hero

"This isn’t just about one frustrating task. We live in a world that often glorifies the solo hero—the person who pushes through challenges alone. But that’s a myth. From a young age, we’re told to grit our teeth and push through. We hear it from our teachers, our parents, and society at large: just try harder. But sometimes, the smarter and more effective approach is to recognize where we’re weak and get help, while sharing our strengths with others. If you look closely at successful businesses, sports teams, or any high-performing individuals, you’ll often find a network of partnerships and teams working behind the scenes, each member complementing the others' strengths."

The Benefits of Strengths-Based Collaboration

"One of the other really important things about working in our strengths is how it builds our confidence and helps us stay in a positive mindset. It also helps us access our energy, because negative emotions drain our energy, while positive emotions boost it. When we can get to that place where we’re sensitive to these energy-draining tasks and find positive, strengths-based solutions, it not only solves the problems, but it also makes us more energetic, more effective in our lives, and more joyful as well. It has multiple benefits."

So, What About Your Strength Partnerships?

"If this story resonates with you, think about how much more effective and energized you and your team could be by truly working in your strengths. At True Nature, we use the Gallup Strengths system and other psychometric tools to help teams and leaders understand each other better, build stronger partnerships, and leverage their differences as strengths, not problems. Whether you’re a leader looking to empower your team, or a team member aiming to understand your leader or maximize your contribution, our coaching and tools can transform the way you collaborate. Shift the narrative—from seeing differences as a challenge to recognizing them as an opportunity and the essential ingredients that blend together to make great teams.

“Let’s start a conversation. If you’re interested in exploring strengths-based partnerships for yourself or your team, contact us at TrueNature.”