What are strengths and weaknesses?

There are several books that one can read on the above subject that list the techniques on improving strengths and getting rid of weaknesses. But do we really know what exactly are Strengths and Weaknesses and how to handle them? Whenever we possess a quality that is in excess of a normal range then that quality is construed as either a strength or a weakness. For example, when a person possesses a high level of Intelligence Quotient (IQ), then “high IQ” is construed to be his or her strength. Likewise, if a person is short-tempered and gets provoked by even minor issues, then “excessive anger” is considered as his or her weakness. Physical qualities are normally inborn and may not be always changeable but psychological qualities, though mentored and shaped over a period of time by many factors, are definitely malleable. Also, some qualities like IQ are easy to measure but qualities like endurance are hard to measure and are only known over a period of time.

Pair of Opposites

For survival purposes we have been bestowed with all necessary qualities and we must consciously manage them to lead a good life. All the qualities are present in varying proportions and it is up to us to realize how much we possess. Like the Universe which is filled with matter and antimatter, these qualities always exist in opposite pairs in us, for example Anger & Composure, Intelligence & Stupidity and so on. That is why we find the same person behaving differently in different situations. That means a quality becomes a strength or a weakness based on a situation and hence, no quality can be assessed in absoluteness. “Time” was long believed to be absolute until Einstein proved it to be relative. Likewise, Strength and Weakness are also relative. For example, though being small in size, a grass survives a cyclone whereas a tree which is much bigger gets easily uprooted. Hence, “being big” is not always a strength and “being small”, not always a weakness.

Right Qualities for the Right Role

Whenever we do not possess a quality, it only means that we possess the opposite quality in excess. The pair of opposite qualities is always complementary and hence many times we need to suppress a quality to give way to its opposite pair to better manage personal and official life. For example, let us say, “Getting in to the details” is a quality. An Analyst must possess more of this quality than a Manager for effective functioning. A Manager on the other hand must look more in to the broader picture than going in to the details to better manage. Hence it is the role that determines which quality is to be possessed and at what level. It is certainly not a weakness of the Manager if he does not go in to the details as he is not expected to.

What should we do?

We must choose a career that best suits our qualities to really excel in it. It is imperative that we spend some time pondering over our inner self and list all the qualities that we think we possess. The feedback received from others should also be considered in this exercise. Depending on the role that we play (in family, workplace, society etc.), we must analyze the qualities and decide which one to improve and which one to keep under control. It is quite easy for strengths to deteriorate into weaknesses but it really requires a lot of discipline, hard work and endurance to transform weaknesses into strengths. Success cannot delude us once we know what to achieve and where we are with respect to the desired set of qualities and when we earnestly carry on with the steps to fill the gaps. In this fast changing world we need to constantly improve upon our strengths without giving room for complacence. As long as we realize that we do not possess the desired level of some qualities and take adequate measures to improve upon, we need not be repentant, as we are already on the road to success.

What should we not do?

A skill acquired by a person over a period of time translates to “strength”, but only if the person continues to get a platform to exhibit the skill will it make sense to possess it. So it is foolishness to brag on one’s strengths at any point of time, as life keeps throwing tricky situations every now and then, which may call for a new quality altogether or an improved version of an existing quality. Sometimes excessive possession of a quality does not prove to be beneficial and that is why we find many over-confident and brilliant people losing out. Their assumptions and preconceived notions take them nowhere. We should not compare ourselves with others and worry about others’ strengths because we all have different goals to achieve and after all success and happiness are defined by us.

A short story………

In a story popularized by Sri Ramakrishna, a learned scholar shows his pride and strength of being “a learned man” to a boatman, on a ride across the river. The boat man realizes his weakness for being illiterate and feels sorry for it. Soon after, there is a disturbance in the river leading to the capsizing of the boat. The boatman’s swimming skills help him to swim across to safety, whereas the learned man drowns as he could not swim.