Play to Your Strengths or Die
What are your strengths, not just as a leader but as a person, too?
Perhaps the most dreaded of all questions in a job interview is, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” After all, listing too many positives can sound like bragging, and who wants to admit they even have areas that need improvement? The thing is, even if you’re not currently looking for a career change, a periodic self-assessment can be a great tool for self-improvement, greater success, and yes – increased happiness.
The best way to accomplish this is to use pen and paper and to take some time for an honest evaluation of yourself as a leader, and as a person. Break your self-assessment down into three columns where you can list your skills based on experience and education, portability, and personal traits. Your hand-written assessment might look something like this:
| Previous Experience | Portable Skills | Personal Traits |
| Marketing knowledge | Customer focus | Self-starter |
| Communications skills | Communications | Independent |
| Vendor management | Writing skills | Friendly |
| Press and industry relations | Very organized | Well-organized |
| Web channel marketing | Good at coordinating | Quick learner |
| Product development | Team leader | Good judgment |
| Computer skills | Problem solving | Good attitude |
| Project management | Creative | |
| Excellent follow-through | Analytical | |
| Good with budgets and numbers | Flexible | |
| Time management | Good sense of humor | |
| Goal-directed |
Once you’ve developed your list, you can begin to rate each of your skills, looking for areas that need improvement that will make you a better leader – and a better person. Doing this will lead to a realistic evaluation of your skills and talents, which will surely lead to increased success – and happiness.
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