Industry Magazine Commercial Kitchen Spring 2016 | Page 17

1. AWARENESS - Weaknesses are
important clues to our strengths

“WE ARE LED TO TRUTH
BY OUR WEAKNESSES AS
WELL AS OUR STRENGTHS.”
- Parker Palmer,
Let Your Life Speak
Each of us has unique characteristics.
These characteristics have both positive
and negative features. These features,
which we usually refer to as strengths and
weaknesses, cannot be separated. They
come in pairs. The positive and negative
elements are inextricably linked.
This claim may seem outrageous and
that is why I created the STRENGTHS vs
WEAKNESSES chart. It lists 16 strengths
and their corresponding weaknesses. Do
any of these resonate with you? Have you
seen these pairs in your own life or the lives
of friends, co-workers or employees?
Unfortunately, instead of seeing a
weakness as natural and unavoidable
consequence of its corresponding strength,
we see weakness as a problem to be
eliminated. Our efforts to eliminate
weakness are doomed to fail because any
characteristic has particular advantages
and disadvantages.

2. ACCEPTANCE - Apparent weaknesses
are strengths in disguise

“STRONG PEOPLE ALWAYS
HAVE STRONG WEAKNESSES
TOO. WHERE THERE ARE
PEAKS, THERE ARE VALLEYS.”
- Peter Drucker
When I ask students and seminar
participants if they should fix weaknesses,
build strengths or do both, most choose

SPRING 2016

STRENGTH vs. WEAKNESS
creative unorganized
organized
inflexible
dedicated
stubborn
flexible inconsistent
enthusiastic obnoxious
calm emotionless
reflective shy
adventurous irresponsible
responsible boring
positive unrealistic
realistic negative
assertive intimidating
humble weak
self-confident arrogant
patient indecisive
passionate impatient
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