If you are the typical high-performing leader, you want and need a strong handle on your greatest capabilities and challenges so you can capitalize on your strengths and shore up areas of weakness. If this is you, or if you want this to be you, read on.
An executive lifting weights in a more physical strengths and weaknesses exercise

Strengths and Weaknesses Exercise

The mark of a top leader is their ability to clearly articulate their greatest strengths and weaknesses. List your top 4–7 strengths right now. What’s your #1 strength? #2. Keep going. You might find it pretty easy to get to #7.

Now for the hard part. What is your top area of weakness? What’s another one? Keep going. How many can you get? Can you get up to 7 again?

We have found the best leaders can clearly articulate their top areas of strength and weakness. What this means is they don’t have blind spots. How did you do? 

Diving Deeper

Download our complimentary ebook Eliminate Executive Blind Spotsthen go to Exercise 1. Enter your strengths and weaknesses in rank order. What is the #1 weakness that you have as an executive? 

Looking at yourself is not easy, but that which does not kill one makes one stronger. A mark of a top executive is their desire and willingness to be self-critical. Look at your strengths. Look at your weaknesses. Have a balanced, realistic approach to your executive skillset. It will make you that much better.

Coaching Questions

  • Were you able to quickly articulate your strengths? 
  • Was it more difficult to identify weaknesses? 
  • As a result of this coaching, what actions are you going to take? 

If you’d like to continue improving your executive performance, see our previous SOLID One-Minute Coaching posts: “Energizer Bunny Syndrome in Executives” and “No Such Thing as a Perfect Executive.”

If you’re at the VP level or above and want to transform your understanding of your direction and challenges, click on the link and our Client Services team will get you scheduled for a free complimentary executive coaching session.

Daniel Mueller in the Austin, Texas CapTex TriathlonAbout the Author

Daniel Mueller, shown left crossing the finish line at the CapTex triathlon in Austin, Texas, has helped leaders with their strengths and weaknesses for his entire career. First working in the fitness and wellness industry, he quickly moved up into management consulting and executive coaching. He has helped hundreds of executives achieve transformational results. Learn more in Daniel Mueller’s bio.