When Strengths Become Weaknesses

I’ve been posting a bit on LinkedIn lately and I have noticed that there are certain types of people who you often encounter on the site. Some of these stereotypes are examples of people overusing a strength to the point where it becomes a weakness. So, for my final post of 2023 I thought I would have some fun and use the LinkedIn Zoo and the multiple (and yes, horribly generic) types of people you might encounter on the site to demonstrate what happens when a strength is overused and becomes a weakness, as well as describing what happens if they can use these attributes as strengths. See how many stereotypes you recognise . . . ?(Oh, and if you want to know more about your strengths just follow Martin Seligman, read his books, and go and complete the VIA Character strengths test).

THE MOTIVATIONAL MAESTRO

The ever-optimistic fox, the Motivational Maestro, who posts inspirational quotes like they're going out of style. They have catchphrases like "Rise and Grind!", “YOLO!’, “Create Your Reality”, or anything with a four letter swear word to prove they aren’t part of the masses. They've never met a mountain they couldn't metaphorically climb or a Monday they couldn't motivate. You can spot them often by their incredibly unique back story (just like so many other unique back stories) which involves surmounting incredible obstacles that only they could, and now with the help of cliches and slogans they want to sell you something guaranteed to make your work easier, life better, and social circle bigger – but it’s definitely NOT mainstream (even though it actually is).

But When Used as a Strength:

1.??????????? Their posts often serve as morale boosters, especially appreciated by those going through challenging times in their careers.

2.??????????? The comments section of their posts often turns into a mini-forum of shared experiences, advice, and encouragement, fostering a sense of community.

3.??????????? They remind us that no matter how challenging our professional journey gets, a positive mindset and a dose of motivation can go a long way.

THE SELF-PROMOTION SPECIALIST

Behold, the peacock, the Self-Promotion Specialist - no, seriously, BEHOLD!!!! CHECK ME OUT!!!. ARE YOU WATCHING ME!!! ?Every post is a subtle (or not-so-subtle) brag about their achievements, skills, or just how incredibly humble they are. They have turned self-promotion into an art form. Every post, comment, or share somehow loops back to their achievements, skills, or services, some stretching way back in time. Whatever you post they will find a way to make it about them and their experience. They will often use their self-proclaimed superiority to justify why their opinion is the only right opinion and everyone else is completely wrong.?

But When Used as a Strength:

1.??????????? Their relentless self-promotion can be effective in generating business leads, job opportunities, or collaborations.

2.??????????? To the budding entrepreneur or freelancer, they can be a source of inspiration, showcasing the power of personal branding and inspire them to do something similar.

3.??????????? They understand the value of a strong personal brand and are proof of its power in advancing careers and business interests.

THE CONTRARIAN COMMENTATOR:

And then there's the goat, the Contrarian Commentator - you know the type - no matter what you post, they have a counterpoint. They thrive on generating controversy and playing the devil's advocate. No comment goes unchallenged, no opinion is respected except their own, there’s only way to do things (and yes, it’s their way). Some have even escalated their righteousness to becoming personal attacks and it’s even been enough to get them blocked from LinkedIn permanently (IYKYK). ?

You could put a simple statement like “All roads lead to Rome” up on LinkedIn, and before you know I they are questioning what you mean by “roads”, do you even know what a road is? And what do you mean by Rome – did you mean to say Roam instead, seriously can you even spell?. Then they want proof that all roads lead to Rome, and this proof must be empirical, and peer reviewed – but only by people they trust. They will then tell you that when they build roads that they are the best and you don’t really know anything about roads anyway. I recently had one of them go through my entire LinkedIn profile and then in the comments sections point out that he had been doing longer than me so he knows more than me. I’ve started blocking them and deleting their comments as soon as they appear in the comments section of an article because you know exactly what they are going to say because they’ve been saying the same old thing for years.

But When Used as a Strength:

1.??????????? While they can be seen as argumentative, their comments can provoke deeper thinking and can add value to a discussion by presenting an alternative viewpoint.

2.??????????? A comment by a Contrarian Commenter can sometimes turn a mundane post into a hotbed of discussion, attracting other LinkedIn users to chime in with their thoughts.

3.??????????? For those willing to engage with an open mind, interactions with the Contrarian Commenter can be quite educational, exposing them to different perspectives they might not have considered.

THE INFLUENTIAL INFLUENCING INFLUENCER:

The monkey of LinkedIn, the Influential Influencing Influencer are the people trying to milk the LinkedIn algorithm to increase their follower count.

You know their posts ?? ??

A few words per line ??

Always including emojis ?? ????

That actually tell you very little ?? ?? ??

About what they are actually saying

But you better pay attention ??????

Because there might be a little pearl of wisdom

Somewhere in amongst the text ????

And invariably they will mention themselves

And the message includes an invitation to DM ?? ?? ??

And of course an invitation to follow them and press the notification symbol ??????

But When Used as a Strength:

1.??????????? They can communicate ideas to people very quickly in this easy to digest format

2.??????????? They can show you how to use the LinkedIn algorithm to your advantage to build your network

3.??????????? They are often very happy to you to connect with them and share ideas

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So, if you do have a set of strengths it pays to know how to use them so they remain strengths and you don’t overuse them and they become weaknesses.

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Now in addition to these stereotypes you will also meet the following type of person on LinkedIn who has already figured out how to leverage their strengths entirely for good.

THE SAGE SHARER:

This person is the wise owl of the LinkedIn ecosystem, always ready to impart valuable knowledge and guidance without expecting anything in return. The Sage Sharer is known for their insightful comments and posts that are rich in valuable advice and industry wisdom. They are the Yoda of LinkedIn, offering nuggets of wisdom drawn from years of experience. They often take on a mentorship role, freely sharing lessons from their own career journey to help others navigate the professional landscape. Their posts are often resources in themselves - think links to helpful articles, free tools, webinars, or even personal templates they've created over the years. Unlike the Self-Promotion Specialist or the Motivational Maestro, the Sage Sharer engages with the community without a hint of self-promotion. Their focus is on adding value to others rather than highlighting their own achievements.

Their advice often empowers others, giving them the tools and confidence needed to tackle professional challenges.

Though they may not seek it, the Sage Sharer often earns a great deal of respect and gratitude from the LinkedIn community. They are the unsung heroes of networking, the mentors you never knew you needed. I actively hunt these people out, and this demonstrates some of the real power and benefit of being on LinkedIn - please go ahead and name your favourite Sage Shearer in the comments section – they deserve the recognition.

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The key point I’ve tried to make in this article is that we all have strengths but it is possible to overuse them to the point that they become weaknesses. Now go and do the VIA character strengths test.

Thanks for a great 2023, see you next year!