I’ve recently posted about the importance of envisioning a new you and adopting a courageous and considerate (win-win) attitude. While on this journey, recall that successful people have learned to exploit their strengths while remaining wary of weaknesses. Strengths, skills, and character traits are both innate and learned. Our deepest passions are the foundations of our personalities, which are part of who we are when we are born. Dr. Taylor Hartman asserts that one of four primary motivations (aka passions) drives each of our personalities and subsequent behaviors. Some of us also have a secondary motivation.

These Motivations Are:

1. Power—the motivation to get things done,
2. Intimacy—the motivation to cultivate deep relationships,
3. Peace—the motivation to live in harmony, and
4. Fun—the motivation to enjoy many adventures and relationships to the fullest.

Motivations fuel our deepest desires and thus our behavior. Our most sincere desires (motivations), when combined with unique physical and mental gifts, comprise the “instincts” that position each of us to succeed as we respond to our true callings—exploiting our strengths and managing our weaknesses.

Make Your Vision a Reality

Utilizing strengths and working with others to minimize our weaknesses is key to reaching our personal and team visions. Recall our vision of a successful person from VerAegis Relationships:

“A real (effective and balanced) man or woman is someone who values relationships; accepts responsibility; rejects passivity; contributes; leads courageously with consideration, passion, and integrity; and believes in grace and mercy.”

What Does This Look Like?

• Value Relationships—High achievers synergize with others. They understand the need to bolster their shortcomings by deferring to the strength of others, and they know that only by exploiting differences can they achieve the best possible outcome.
• Accept Responsibility—People who accomplish a lot in life work hard. They do not necessarily possess the most skills or talents, but talent combined with hard work and diligence prepares the successful to make the most of every opportunity
• Reject Passivity—People who are habitually successful combine their natural talent with a strong determination to use it. They consistently reject temptations to be lazy and rest on their laurels.
• Contribute—Those who consistently deliver results, have high aspirations for themselves and others. They share successes, remain curious, and continuously search for new ways to exploit their talents. They are students of life, always learning and teaching.
• Lead Courageously with Consideration, Passion, and Integrity—Those who thrive are pragmatically optimistic; they face the brutal facts but don’t become trapped by them. When bitten by a viper, they take the antidote but don’t languish in sorrow and woes. They model the behaviors they wish to see in others. These successful people understand that moving with consistency in the correct direction is more important than speeding off down the wrong path. Effective leaders understand the law of the harvest—the law of consequences.
• Believe in Grace and Mercy— Winners strive to make others become winners. When mistakes arise, pragmatists question what they could have done differently to prevent the problem. They passionately search to understand the root cause, yet are composed enough to avoid placing blame. They humbly recognize their limited knowledge and are always willing to learn from others. Just as they appreciate grace and mercy in time of need, genuinely effective people generously extend grace and mercy to others who are in need.

God-Given-Gifts

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.  Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NKJV)

We each are gifted a unique set of strengths to complement the weaknesses of others. Teams are more effective when one and all utilize strengths that augment rather than duplicate or conflict with the strengths of other team members. Teams are also more effective when applying wisdom and finesse rather than brute force.

1. What are your core motivations?
2. What are your strengths?
3. Which weaknesses do you need to manage more carefully?

Strive to be your best by focusing on your strengths and the strengths of others. Relationships are vital to our success and are more fulfilling when we each contribute; using our strengths to complement and build up rather than trample, manipulate, exploit, and criticize. Relationships are too important to leave to chance and require maintenance similar to our homes and automobiles. We mustn’t wait for a complete breakdown, then rush in with emergency equipment attempting to repair the damage that may not be repairable. Our relationships and thus our effectiveness suffer when we fail to utilize our strengths to continuously nurture our loved ones, but instead dwell on our weaknesses, and the shortcomings of others, neglecting those we love the most. It’s time to learn a new way to live. It’s time to be VerAegis.

Adapted from VerAegis Relationships, VerAegis Contribution and VerAegis Spirit