Weakness Zapper

  • BACKGROUND: This coaching exercise was inspired by the book, "Now Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham who suggests the 5 strategies below for overcoming your weaknesses. And while we may grow more by boosting our strengths than by fixing our weaknesses, many of us still have to deal with performance reviews and our own inner critic. The exercise below helps you to more constructively 'Zap' your Weaknesses!

    INSTRUCTIONS:

    STEP 1: Choose 3 'Weaknesses' to work with. Ask, "What do I most dislike or find most frustrating about myself?"

    STEP 2: For each 'Weakness' ask, "How specifically does this get in the way of achieving my goals or doing my job?"

    - If you can't find a specific reason, it's not really a 'Weakness' - so drop it!

    - If it does get in the way somehow, proceed to STEP 3.

    STEP 3: Read the 5 Weakness-Zapping Strategies below, then complete the table identifying at least one Strategy AND one Action for each chosen 'Weakness'.

    Your 5 Weakness-Zapping Strategies:

    1. LOWER YOUR STANDARDS. Stop expecting so much of yourself. If you really need to, get a LITTLE better at it and choose to be happy with that.

    2. Design a SUPPORT SYSTEM. Simply create a personal process or system that helps you manage around your weakness.

    3. OVERWHELM the weakness. Be SO GOOD at something else that it simply doesn't matter.

    4. Find a PARTNER. Think of someone who loves doing what you don't and where you love doing something they don't - and SWAP. Another version is to pay someone to do it for you.

    5. STOP DOING IT! Why try so hard to be better at something you're not good at when you could spend your time using a strength, learning something new or simply having fun?

  • The 3 Weaknesses (or things about myself that) I DISLIKE THE MOST are:What strategies and actions could I apply here? Using the 5 strategies above, come up with at least one strategy and one action for each weakness.