Leading in Weakness
No one likes to admit their weaknesses. We want to appear strong, confident, in control, and decisive. Weakness makes us look, well, weak. If I show weakness, how can I be successful, lead others, get better grades, get promoted, be a great parent, etc.? After all, isn't that what leading is all about--projecting strength? If I let people see my weaknesses, then I'll be ineffective and risk failure.
That might be true. Your weakness might lead to failure. But for all of us, failure is inevitable. You're not going to avoid it altogether. But failure often has little to do with exposing a weakness. It shouldn't come as a surprise that you have plenty of weaknesses, as do I, and literally everyone else on the planet. Weakness equates to failure only when we choose to ignore them or try to cover them up. But when we admit our weakness and work within it, it can become our greatest strength.
It's about leading in weakness, and it does three things in us and the lives of those around us. First, it breeds humility. Take a minute and consider the person you'd like to become. Do you really want to be the kind of person who thinks they have it all figured out, the person who has no weakness, who thinks they are perfect? Do you really want to be the arrogant one in the room? Admitting weakness is not weak; it's humble. And it's absolutely required if you're going to truly succeed.
Second, knowing and recognizing weaknesses builds community. It forces a reliance on others, forming teams of people, collaborating, and allowing others to bring their best stuff to the table. If you genuinely want to do or create something great, make it a collaborative effort--relying on each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Finally, leading in weakness boasts the strength of others. The more we can build one another up, the better. When we highlight the skills, gifts, and strengths of those we are connected to, we produce better work and build stronger relationships. This is just one more way we can affirm others and who they are!
The simple trick is to be keenly aware of not just what you know but of what you don't know. You are uniquely gifted. You have skills others don't have. You have a perspective unlike any other. All of these hold incredible value in every part of your life. But the same is true of friends, spouses, classmates, and coworkers. Never be afraid to admit you have a weakness or lack knowledge in some area. Embrace it. Then find someone to fill that gap and begin to form the world's most outstanding team.
Challenges/Points:
Although a weakness might lead to failure, it can also pave the way to an untapped strength.
Admitting your weakness is not a sign of weakness but of humility.
When you accept your weaknesses, you become willing to tap into the strength of others, allowing us to create something truly remarkable.
Questions:
Think of just one weakness. How has that weakness led to failure?
Who is one person you know that is strong in an area or skill that you are weak in? How can that person help you?
When you collaborate with that person, what could you create with them?
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