Often times your success hinges on the ability to correctly perceive opportunities, understand your core talents, and persevere in the face of adversity. We'll be exploring these intersections in the coming weeks. Here are our working definitions and previous post.
Awareness: The ability to perceive your surroundings correctly.
Talents: A skill set you've been given and hone over years of practice.
Grit: Your resolve and strength of character to persevere in the face of resistance.
As you become aware of opportunities, you must then ask, "Is this opportunity for me? Is this my work to do?" One of the key components to answering these questions is clarity on your unique talents. This allows you to identify your unique areas of contribution. In addition, when talents go unused they stagnate and wither. So, in order to live with focus rather than frenzy and keep your talents alive and active, you must clearly articulate what you do well.
Here are two sets of questions that will help move you toward a greater understanding of your core talents.
In Your Personal Life:
- Thinking back through your life story, what are three responsibilities and successes you have had that stand out?
- What is something you absolutely love to do?
- When your friends describe you, what are some of the key words they use?
What trends or patterns begin to emerge? Are there any overlapping concepts or ideas that could be written as actions or skills?
In Your Organization:
- How is your organization known? In every field there are core competencies. Beyond these, what abilities make your team stand out?
- Where has your team seen success? How can you focus on these and leverage them to a greater degree?
- Who on your team, if given the chance, do you believe could rise to a new level of contribution? Identify a specific responsibility and offer them the opportunity to grow?