Everyone has their Achilles heel – that thing they just aren’t good at, either because of lack of interest, lack of ability or lack of practice (or a combination of all three). In every career field, there are certain things that you’re going to have to do that aren’t exactly your strength. What you can do, instead of avoiding or slacking off on those weaknesses in the workplace, is actually make a point to become better at them. Here’s how:
You can’t improve on your weaknesses without first understanding what they are. Consult trusted colleagues, former bosses or supervisors and also spend some time thinking about it yourself. Make a list of things that you struggle with and then pick one that you feel most holds you back to improve on. Some examples could be public speaking, time management or lack of focus.
Talk to your friends and colleagues about how you want to improve and ask for their support. It’s amazing what a little encouragement from people who truly care about you can do when you’re feeling frustrated. They might even have tips, tricks, or tasks to help you overcome your workplace weakness and turn it into a workplace strength instead!
Do some research about how other people have overcome their workplace weaknesses. Try to understand why you’re struggling in a certain area and read about what could help you. Realize that there are people who struggle with similar things and have found ways to get better.
Commit time and effort towards improving on your weaknesses. Take a theater or communications class if you struggle with public speaking, for example. If networking makes you cringe, make a goal of going to 3 networking events in the next month and making at least 2 contacts at each event. Set small goals and deadlines for when you want them accomplished to help you get started. The smaller you start, the less daunting the task of professional self-improvement will feel later.
After you’ve made small challenges for yourself and met them, take time to celebrate. It’s important to be happy with your achievements, even if they seem minimal. Being good at something you’re already talented at is one thing – becoming better at something you struggle with is the real accomplishment.
For some reason we all remember the negative feedback much more than the positive. While focusing on improving your weaknesses, don’t forget to recognize all of the wonderful things that you bring to the table as an employee. Let the confidence you have gained from your strengths help you to tackle your weaknesses with even more gusto.
One of the great things about working in a team is that everyone brings something different to the workplace. We’re all working with certain advantages and disadvantages, so it’s good to find people who can compensate for areas where you may be lacking. Also, by interacting with people with different strengths you can also learn from them by observing and emulating their behavior.