I can’t always be in my strengths… can I?

By Chris Trout | July 20, 2008

I am always fascinated by people who live, intrisically and easefully, from their strengths. I recently talked with a woman who runs a dance studio for 100+ children. She clearly loves her work, is crystal clear (and absolutely unapologetic) about her noncompetitive philosophy, and knows what works for her. Imagine, if you were doing this, all the task that would be "required" to run a studio with a full schedule of classes, a huge annual recital, a two week summer camp and special events. You'd need to maintain a web site, a good database, online registration and credit card payments and everything else needed to organize it all.

As you can imagine, these are not likely to be her strengths. She's an artist for Pete's sake! (And you'd be right.)

So guess what? There's no website (the phone book works just as well, thank you), the database is names written in a notebook, registrations are paper and pencil, and payments are cash or check please. Going on a field trip? Better see one of the volunteers, who organize the transportation, money, etc. Don't look for the teacher before the recital. She's backstage with the dancers, not out front managing the crowd.

How audacious!  Who gave her permission to only do what she loves and leave the rest to others? Uh, she did. Yep, she just does it. Not very complicated. She simply focuses her attention on what she does best, does the minimum necessary on the rest, and if it must be done and it isn't her strength, she recruits folks who do it well.

Kinda ticks you off, doesn't it? Get over it. We've got a lot to learn from this remarkable woman.