How to Find Your Match…Professionally Speaking

“If I could just clone myself…”

“It’s a perfect match because she is just like me.”

Do these thoughts sound familiar?  It’s great when you can find a business partner, assistant or collaborator who is similar to you.  When personality, work ethic, sense of urgency and commitment to excellence are a good match, who could ask for anything else?  But what about the differences, aren’t they just as important?

Let me explain.  For most of our years of education and experience, we have attempted to become experts in our weaknesses and tried to fix our flaws.  This has not always served me well, how about you?

Rather than focus on your limitations and work on your weaknesses, you are better served to focus on your strengths.  This requires a bit of self-discovery.  It takes time to become aware of your natural talents so that you can best find those people who play at what you have to work at. 

Start by considering this:

1.       What do I find tedious or that I procrastinate?  Those things are likely not a natural talent for us.

2.       What do you enjoy doing and come easily to you that others find difficult?

3.       When you see certain things on your project plan that you can’t wait to jump on they usually represent your strengths.  What are they?

4.       What skills have co-workers and managers complimented you on?

Your best match is not your clone, but a hybrid of you and your weaknesses. 

There are many personality profiles you can take to pinpoint your true talents and help you manage and collaborate with others. 

One of my favorite tools (I have been recommending it for almost a decade!) is the book, Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D.  The authors conducted a Gallup survey of two million people and came up with 34 personality themes.  Most people exhibit strengths and weaknesses in these themes that together create a very accurate professional and personal profile.  Through awareness and understanding of our strengths we become better able to maximize our own talents as well as connect with those people who best compliment us. 

As the authors describe, “Most of us have little sense of our talents and strengths, much less the ability to build our lives around them.”  How true!  Imagine how much easier things will be once you gain this knowledge about yourself.   When you know what areas (themes) are not your strengths, you can make better decisions about with who you should collaborate in order to make up for those areas you don’t like or do well. 

 If you haven’t already done so, buy the book and use the individual code provided in the sealed envelope in the back to take the 20-minute analysis before you read the book. 

Another great resource for becoming aware of your strengths, and those of your colleagues, is Stephen Shapiro’s Innovation Personality Poker program.   Stephen was one of the speakers at my Viral Explosions book launch event and his personality activity was a huge hit with the audience.  For more information, visit www.steveshapiro.com.

I am excited to hear what your themes are and what you learned about yourself that surprised you.  Share your comments below.

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