My Weaknesses

 

None of us are strong in all areas of business: sales, management, organization, accounting, motivation, recruiting, marketing, leadership, etc., etc., etc.

 

I've had those times when I beat myself up about my weaknesses, usually after an embarrassing failure or an inconvenient defeat. I would swear to get better, never let it happen again, even if it killed me, only to find myself failing again in the same old familiar ways.

 

One extremely problematic weakness for me has been my tendency to rush through simple math. Strangely enough, it's the one thing I'm constantly on my son about in his school work today...and he's an "A" student.

 

It's not that big of a deal when you're off 8 squares on a 3-tab roof, a roof you measured yourself, but causes quite a few more problems when you're doing three story mansions with special-order materials with a two week delivery window. How do you screw that up?

 

Simple math. Forget to carry the "1" or add when you're supposed to multiply. Oh, and a calculator is only as good as the person pressing the buttons. Rush through the steps because you're excited about the sale, and you get the simple math wrong...even when you tell yourself to "Slow down and focus for one minute."

 

It's bad, real bad, when it works against me, but even worse when you have to explain to a homeowner why there's an extra pallet of shingles on the driveway after the job is finished...and, "No, they aren't your shingles. No, you can't get a refund. No, I'm not an idiot." 

 

Knowing I have weaknesses like this is humbling. What's the matter with me when I can't even get the basics right? It stabs at my pride and reminds me that, in spite of all my success, I'm capable of going down in flames yet again. Nobody else has this problem. Why me?

 

 

We all have strengths

 

I didn't get to where I am today because of my weaknesses.

 

Sure, I've messed up and missed out on many things in business because of my weaknesses, but the great thing about weaknesses is you can always find a way to work your way around them, compensate for them, or hire somebody to take care of them for you. 

 

Our strengths are much more powerful than our weaknesses. We could spend an entire lifetime trying to shore up where we are the worst, but the payoff wouldn't compare to investing half as much time doubling-down on where we are best.

 

 

What you do best is what gets you around what you do worst. It's how you pay the bills, even when everything doesn't go exactly right. It's how you get the job, even when you're up against "better" competition.

 

Your strengths are how you grow your business when you don't have a big credit line, a fancy truck, a strong marketing presence, or any of the other advantages we all would love to have in business.

 

Those things you do best are what pays for all your weaknesses...and we all have weaknesses, don't we?

 

 

If I were in your office this week, training your salespeople, we would get this point hammered home. The shame of what we do poorly is the sworn, mortal enemy of reaching our fullest potential. 

 

It is impossible to be all we can become when we're holding on to all we're doing wrong.

 

Some of the best salespeople on the planet have massive, gaping holes in their business abilities, usually related to organization, and yet they sell twice as much as the better organized salespeople in your office.

 

 

An often overlooked point is that the goal of sales is selling, not organizing.

 

Is organization important? YES!

 

Absolutely, organization is important, but it's cheaper to hire somebody to keep your star salesperson organized than to continually wear them out about what they're not doing right...even if it does make you feel better about your own weaknesses.

 

No salesperson ever wakes up in the morning and says, "It's a beautiful day for selling. I hope the office beats me down about my glaring weakness today. That would really help me get things rolling."

 

You can go out of business with all your i's dotted and your t's crossed. You'll close the doors while leaving everything clean and ready for the next occupants.

 

Anything that makes money at a rate faster than we spend it, or lose it, should be greatly rewarded, heavily nurtured, and purposely improved.

 

Do you have a great salesperson? Are you a great salesperson? Do everything in your power to accelerate that strength as quickly as possible. Don't kill it, torture it, beat it, make fun of it, or remind yourself about it constantly! Feed your strengths. Starve your weaknesses.

 

- Are you a great recruiter? 

 

- How are your negotiation skills?

 

- Do you get the best out of the people you manage?

 

- Can you help organize the disorganized people and systems in your office? 

 

- Is accounting your strength? What about motivation, marketing, or leadership? 

 

Wherever you find yourself, with whatever strengths you have, double-down and go all-in. It is your responsibility to reach the heights of your maximum potential...

 

...and you won't get there holding on to your weaknesses.

 

✌ Mike