Know Yourself, Be Yourself, Play to Your Strengths

In times of crisis—especially dual economic and public health crises like we have today—focus on your current assets, current resources, and current strengths.

If you are the proprietor of a small business, leader of a small nonprofit, or, especially, an independent worker, you are your number-one asset and number-one resource. Your success will depend heavily on getting as much as you possibly can out of your personal and professional strengths.

The most helpful starting point is to know thyself.

Simple, powerful questions

“Know Thyself” is the motto of Hamilton College, where I received my undergraduate education. It guides Hamilton students through a broad liberal-arts course of study to enable graduates to lead a life of meaning, purpose, and active citizenship. (The aphorism also predates Hamilton by almost three millennia. “Know thyself” was one of three maxims inscribed in the forecourt of the temple of Apollo at Delphi in ancient Greece.)

 More practically, knowing thyself can create a firm foundation for leadership in the real business and not-for-profit world.

 What are my values? Do I live them? Do I walk the talk? Do what I say I will do?

 What is my personal...and business...purpose? Are they compatible—mutually reinforcing?

 What are my strengths? My weaknesses?

 When am I at my best? Do I always try to do my best—understanding that my best may vary day to day, week to week?

 These are simple but powerful questions that focus our minds and guide our behaviors. And now is the time to focus on the very few things that really matter to us, our families, our businesses and organizations.

Playing your position

I was lucky. My personal values corresponded strongly with Procter & Gamble’s company values of integrity and trust, leadership and ownership, and passion for service and winning.

I was self-aware and in touch with myself. I tried hard to learn from my own and others’ relevant and important experiences. I understood, from a relatively early age, that there was so much more to learn from failures and mistakes than from success.

 I learned that EQ was often more effective and powerful than IQ when it came to helping a team or organization achieve important results. And while IQ is relatively fixed over a lifetime, emotional intelligence and the EQ skills of self-awareness, self-control, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills can be learned, developed, and improved.

 Finally, and very importantly, I am realistic about my very few capabilities and strengths that add value and acutely aware of my (many) deficiencies and weaknesses. As a result, I have trained and disciplined myself to stay focused on playing my position and doing my value-added part of the job.

I have learned that great teams combine individuals with complementary capabilities, skills, and strengths, and then trust each other to play their position and do their job. Every player included and engaged. Every player focused on what she does best, where she adds the most value. Every player and the team performing to their full potential.

 Now is the time to put your purpose, your values, and your strengths to work to win in an uncertain and volatile world. The eyes of your customers and your employees, your financial backers, your partners and suppliers, and your broader community will be first and foremost on you.

 Now is the time to be the best you can be.