Time to read: 3 minutes
Article at a glance:
- Strengths can look like weaknesses in the wrong context. Seeing clearly means recognizing hidden gifts (in ourselves and others) even when they show up in unexpected ways.
- Ask better questions like “What am I seeing?” and “What could it mean?” to uncover deeper insight and shift judgment into understanding.
- Environment matters. A mismatch between wiring and surroundings can mask potential. Adjusting the environment can reveal someone’s real strengths.
- We need each other to see clearly. Just like Mr. Jensen helped Clint discover he was a drummer, we grow best when others reflect our gifts back to us.
Clint Pulver was a wiggly kid.
He frustrated most of his teachers because he couldn’t sit still in class, but one day one of his teachers, Mr. Jensen, saw something different in him that wasn’t a problem, but a strength. A gift, even.
Watch the video for the rest of the story.
Spotting Strengths (Even When They Don’t Look Like It)
We talk about strengths and wiring a lot at Redmond. These are the things we’re naturally talented at and drawn to, and they’re a major part of our 3 Circles Journey and how we can make our unique contribution in the world.
But a tricky thing about strengths is that in certain contexts, our strengths can look like weaknesses.
This is why it’s important to get to know ourselves and others, surround ourselves with people who see us clearly, and reflect on our experiences.
Ask the Right Questions
One of our favorite ways to reflect is to ask “What are we seeing? What can it mean? What are the next right steps?”
Mr. Jensen must have asked himself these questions on some level when he noticed Clint’s tapping and fidgeting:
What am I seeing? This kid just can’t sit still. He won’t stop tapping on everything.
What could it mean? Maybe he’s not a problem. Maybe he’s tapping because he has a lot of energy and likes to make rhythms.
What are the next right steps? Tell him what I see, and give him some drumsticks.
Ask these questions for yourself. Observe yourself. Take (or retake) the personality profiles. These aren’t diagnostic tools, but they can shed some light on how you think and work.
Ask these questions about other people as well!
Remember: Environment Matters
It’s easy to get frustrated when someone’s strengths don’t match what their environment requires of them.
In Clint’s case, his strengths (tapping and pounding on stuff to make cool rhythms) didn’t fit his environment (i. e. school, where you’re supposed to be quiet).
When someone (including you) appears to display a weakness, ask “What could this mean? Could this be a sign of a strength? Is it just a mismatch?”
Occhiolism and Ubuntu play a big role here.
When it comes to Ubuntu, wanting to truly see someone will do wonders in actually helping you see them. When someone’s doing something annoying or that just isn’t working for you, it’s easy to ONLY see that. But when you see them in the context of a whole person, those behaviors can tell a different story.
Occhiolism can help us stay curious about people, their perspective, and what they’re experiencing.
Clint wasn’t trying to be a problem, or tapping because he didn’t care about school. He was just doing what came naturally to him.
PS: It’s also helpful to remember the iceberg, and that what you’re seeing is just a tiny piece of what’s actually there. There’s so much more going on under the surface.
Be a Mr. Jensen, for yourself and others
We also need other people on our journeys. It can be hard to see our strengths and wiring on our own. Who knows. Without Mr. Jensen, Clint might never have realized he was a drummer!
Here are some thoughts to take with you:
Think about the strengths of the people on your team (including your own) and how those strengths work together. Think about your strengths you’re already aware of.
How do your strengths work together? How can you be a Mr. Jensen on your team?
Think about these questions to help your team grow as a group!
