Lead In Your Strength Zone

Dear Leader,

I trust this meets you in pursuit of wisdom.

Have you ever wondered why people rush out of work by 5pm? They struggle to resume the office by 9am and can’t wait to clock out by 4:59pm.

Apart from trying to beat the traffic (for those who love and work in Lagos, Nigeria), I realise that people don’t rush out of work because they are tired, because I have seen people who rush out of work but stay longer hours, excited and optimistic discussing a topic they enjoy so well.

Research has actually shown that the number one reason people don’t like their jobs and can’t wait for closing time everyday is that they are not working in the area of their strength.

When employees are continually asked to work or perform in an area of weakness, they become demoralised, less productive and eventually burn out.

Successful leaders find their strength zones and work there, that is where leadership is easy.

What happens in our personal lives impacts our work life, so also our work impacts other aspects of our lives.

When you work in your strength zone, your job becomes more rewarding and fulfilling. This is often the difference between someone who hates Mondays and the one who loves his or her work. You are both helping yourself and the organisation you work when you work in your strength zone.

I write this letter today thinking of how to help you find your strength zone because I know most people do not discover their strength zone on their own. I was there too. It is easy to get fixated on your day to day living and simply get busy working.

Here are my few recommendations:

1. Self Awareness: One major secret to choosing your vocation is knowing yourself. Being aware of yourself helps in choosing the kind of work you do. Man, know thyself was the advice that Socrates gave centuries ago. Today, with the help of different tools that have been created to help you identify your strengths, you can predict where your strength lies.

Tools like, Strengthsfinder by Buckingham & Clifton. You can also take personality tests like DISC, Myers-Briggs, etc. You wonder why many top organisations today even use these tools during recruitment, because the results from these tests predict an individual’s strength and help know where an individual can easily excel on the job.

Personality tests helped me a lot when I was doing my NYSC to make the decision to work in Human Resources.

Lastly and most important here is to Ask God who created you and also gain insight from what people have observed about you while growing up. People around you know you to tell you certain things about you, maybe nor accurately, but it can be a pointer. In sociology, we say that society is the mirror of man.

2. Select the Right Job: With the insight from self awareness, choose the right vocation. Moving from job to job will not give you a fulfilled life but moving from a job you hate to the right job can change your life.

If you could be doing anything, what would it be? If money were not an issue, what would you rather be doing?

The answers will give you a clue about the right job for you.

3. Identify the skills you need, and then get world class training.

Every Job requires a particular set of skills that you must possess in order to be really successful. Make sure you acquire what you need to win. Just having a job you like won’t make you enjoy the job. At some point you may get frustrated because you are not competent and you get passed along from exciting opportunities. Don’t stay stale in an evolving world.

During my NYSC, I took a personality test and asked a few questions to help me ascertain what jobs I should be looking for when I was done with NYSC, and it really helped me. I chose Human Resources and started training myself and looking for only HR jobs. I remember how I would volunteer for free to work and learn how HR works. I understood my strength zone and I have not stopped innovating and iterating around my strength zone. Human Resources may not be my final bus stop but knowing my strength and playing in my strength zone has been a pointer to helping me realise my potential day by day.

Leaders find their strength zone, and excel there!

You are made for fulfilment, don’t manage life.

This week on The Great Owete Podcast, I had the privilege to interview Jim Carlough. Based in Dallas, Jim is the Chief Sales Officer of mPulse, a motivational speaker and the author of the Six Pillars of Effective Leadership. Listen to the podcast on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.

Until next time,

I’m rooting for you,
The Great Owete