The Strength Paradox: More isn’t always better.
Considering the long term consequences of our actions today.
Hello and Welcome to Leadership Campfire! A newsletter by ARC.
Every 15 days, we’ll be in your inbox sharing stories, ideas and frameworks related to the vast concept of Leadership- and how you can apply them to become better leaders in your workspace and your life!
Here is an idea that might help you to Pause and Reflect.
One Idea. Every 15 Days.
Use the right strength at the right time.
Recently, we worked on a project where we observed a common trend across the organisation. It was a team of passionate individuals, driven by an innate commitment to the larger vision. With a fire in their belly, they always went above and beyond to accomplish every task, often pushing themselves to the limit.
However, over time, the fire subdued. Employees complained about not having enough time off, and their work-life balance suffered, which, in turn, affected their performance.
(Before you think that this is yet another write-up that is promoting work-life balance, it isn’t.)
After further inquiry it emerged that the organisation was misusing their biggest strength which was resulting in a lack of planning and foresight from the managers, resulting in burnout and decreased effectiveness.
An overuse of a particular strength led to the downfall of the other.
Strengths are like muscles: If you focus only on your triceps, your biceps will suffer.
If working hard is your strength, then it is important to also check what is that you are working hard on.
If you are good at making quick decisions then also step back and see if there are people that are depending on you to make decisions on their behalf.
If you are naturally assertive as a person, watch out for times when others hold back their opinions because of that.
As leaders, it’s our responsibility to recognise not just our own strengths, but also those of our teams. Great leadership isn’t just about leveraging strengths; it’s about considering the long-term impact of a particular action or strength.
Summing this up by a quote by Adam Grant:
Confidence comes from recognising your strengths. But true power depends on knowing when and how to use those strengths.
PS: We are running out of chairs- ARC is growing :)
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