Don’t Be A Jack of all Trades
I read a post by Dumb Little Man that encourages people to focus on their strengths versus their weaknesses. This advice seems counter-intuitive, since we all should be striving for improvement in our lives — and our businesses.
Their point is “you’ve got the potential to go further with your natural strengths than you do with your weaknesses.”
When we build on our strengths, we continue to set ourselves apart from others who do not share the same strengths. It contributes to our uniqueness that makes us memorable — either as a person or a business.
If we spend too much time trying to shore up our weaknesses, then we become exceptional at nothing — a “Jack of all trades, master of none”.
I agree, with a minor adjustment.
Where I think this statement needs further clarification is in the area of Character. Where we have weakness in our character, we need to work on that immediately. Character issues like integrity, trustworthiness, dependability etc. must all be aligned with our personal values and if we have identified any area where we need work — it should be a critical priority.
My Perspective: Strength of character must come first. Whether, personally, in business or when hiring — strong character is essential for success.
But once those essentials are in place, then work on your strengths in your areas of competence or skills. Make sure that you are leveraging these to create an unbeatable advantage over the competition and you will become known as the person or business who is the unrivaled expert in that area. A description that is never used to describe a Jack of All Trades.
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