I was having a conversation today with three of my former college professors, and the topic on hand was how do each employee’s strengths and weaknesses play into the work environment in an organization. The conversation centered on how to get the best out of your strengths. You may ask: but what about my weaknesses, do I ignore them? Their answer was Yes.

I remembered last month I was watching the Australian Open, and the sixteen Grand Slam title holder Roger Federer -who also happens to be one of the best players in the history of the sport-, was being interviewed by ESPN’s commentators. They asked him about his training methodology and how do his practice sessions look like nowadays to fix his weaknesses, especially since he is perceived as a veteran in the tour, which means that he may not be focused on improving a certain aspect of his game like his backhand, which has always been considered his weakness. Roger’s answer was an eye opener:

“I don’t really focus on my backhand. I don’t practice much of it in my sessions. I kind of concentrate more on my forehand.” -which many consider not only Roger’s greatest strength, but one of the greatest shots in tennis history-. Roger also added: “I want to practice my forehand because it is my strength, so I want to work on it because it is my greatest weapon. The backhand, I just deal with it during a match.” I found interesting that one of the greatest tennis players of all time had such a surprising approach to his training.

I guess it makes sense when thinking you can exploit your talents when you develop them, and dedicate all your efforts to make yourself a better professional and a better person. Whether if it’s that you are a terrific competitor, you are a relator, an analytical, communicative, responsible, or any other characteristic, the bottom line is that you have a talent inside which is your strength. It is a quality that can make you become a difference in your organization, and can make you achieve that progress and professional growth you have always been looking for. Regarding Roger’s answer about his weakness, I am not sure if I completely agree with dealing with your weaknesses, although I can understand his reasoning.

In the meantime, take your time and get yourself an appointment for an assessment test, so you can find out what strengths do you possess and how can you take advantage of them.

HR