Home » Opinion » Book review
Work on your strengths, not weaknesses
By Wu Jiayin |
December 19, 2009, Saturday
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ALMOST everyone wants a dream job, but few can realize it.
In fact, only two out of every 10 people are truly happy in their jobs, Marcus Buckingham asserts in his book "The Truth About You."
But the contentment level can be improved if one identifies his or her primary strengths and interests and finds a job that requires them and allows for their development, Buckingham says.
Although he does not address factors like poor compensation packages and difficult interpersonal relationships, he offers many sound suggestions for job hunters who want to realize their strengths.
Some of his ideas don't conform with the conventional wisdom.
It is commonly believed that strengths are what people are good at. However, Buckingham argues that if someone performs well at something but that task is draining, then it's a weakness rather than a strength and not worth developing.
Strengths are things that "make you feel strong," he says. In other words, you should not only be good at those things but also draw happiness from doing them.
That naturally reminds people of their interests.
"Your interests are a very good clue to your strengths," Buckingham notes, "to live a strong, successful life, your interests are the first thing you must take seriously."
While personally, I am inclined to agree with Buckingham that one should find a job in accordance with one's interests, I know many people who put priority on other issues such as pay, rather than their own interests. Most of them are doing a good job and seem relatively happy.
In any case, Buckingham's suggestions may be helpful to those who are in search of a job they take to but unfortunately end up in a job they dislike.
One reason for the mistake, according to Buckingham, is that when choosing jobs, they tend to have an elevated view of a potential job rather than considering the actual tasks of the job.
For example, some people take up stock trading as their career just because they want to earn a lot of money. But what they do not expect is that the job often involves a lot of tasks that they dislike, say, calling dozens of strangers daily to solicit business.
Buckingham suggests that when considering a job, one should collect information about the actual tasks and decide if that is what one would like to do every day.
There may never be a perfect job.
But people can "build" their ideal jobs brick by brick, Buckingham observes.
He recommends that people focus on work activities that represent their strengths and interests, and avoid activities that represent their weaknesses.
This again contradicts the convention wisdom that people should work hardest on their weaknesses.
Buckingham argues that while people grow the most by practicing their greatest strength, they simply get drained when working on their weaknesses.
There is some truth in it. For me, while I draw great happiness from spending hours on my hobbies, I feel bored when having to spare time on things I dislike.
If you feel the same way, Buckingham's advice is useful: either neutralize your weaknesses - stop engaging in activities that make you feel weak; or try to handle weaknesses by "partnering up" - cooperating with someone in your organization who has strengths in areas where you have weaknesses; or just focus more on your strengths to make some of your weaknesses less important.
"Your organization was not built to help you identify your strengths and show them off to the rest of the world," he observes.
You are responsible.
In fact, only two out of every 10 people are truly happy in their jobs, Marcus Buckingham asserts in his book "The Truth About You."
But the contentment level can be improved if one identifies his or her primary strengths and interests and finds a job that requires them and allows for their development, Buckingham says.
Although he does not address factors like poor compensation packages and difficult interpersonal relationships, he offers many sound suggestions for job hunters who want to realize their strengths.
Some of his ideas don't conform with the conventional wisdom.
It is commonly believed that strengths are what people are good at. However, Buckingham argues that if someone performs well at something but that task is draining, then it's a weakness rather than a strength and not worth developing.
Strengths are things that "make you feel strong," he says. In other words, you should not only be good at those things but also draw happiness from doing them.
That naturally reminds people of their interests.
"Your interests are a very good clue to your strengths," Buckingham notes, "to live a strong, successful life, your interests are the first thing you must take seriously."
While personally, I am inclined to agree with Buckingham that one should find a job in accordance with one's interests, I know many people who put priority on other issues such as pay, rather than their own interests. Most of them are doing a good job and seem relatively happy.
In any case, Buckingham's suggestions may be helpful to those who are in search of a job they take to but unfortunately end up in a job they dislike.
One reason for the mistake, according to Buckingham, is that when choosing jobs, they tend to have an elevated view of a potential job rather than considering the actual tasks of the job.
For example, some people take up stock trading as their career just because they want to earn a lot of money. But what they do not expect is that the job often involves a lot of tasks that they dislike, say, calling dozens of strangers daily to solicit business.
Buckingham suggests that when considering a job, one should collect information about the actual tasks and decide if that is what one would like to do every day.
There may never be a perfect job.
But people can "build" their ideal jobs brick by brick, Buckingham observes.
He recommends that people focus on work activities that represent their strengths and interests, and avoid activities that represent their weaknesses.
This again contradicts the convention wisdom that people should work hardest on their weaknesses.
Buckingham argues that while people grow the most by practicing their greatest strength, they simply get drained when working on their weaknesses.
There is some truth in it. For me, while I draw great happiness from spending hours on my hobbies, I feel bored when having to spare time on things I dislike.
If you feel the same way, Buckingham's advice is useful: either neutralize your weaknesses - stop engaging in activities that make you feel weak; or try to handle weaknesses by "partnering up" - cooperating with someone in your organization who has strengths in areas where you have weaknesses; or just focus more on your strengths to make some of your weaknesses less important.
"Your organization was not built to help you identify your strengths and show them off to the rest of the world," he observes.
You are responsible.
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