What a wonderful year 2018 has been. Talk about tremendous challenges, phenomenal learning, and extraordinary progress. Although I make that statement personally, as well as on behalf of my son, Nico, who runs our business, it was also completely true of the clients we serve.
How about you? What has 2018 given you – or taken from – or taught or rewarded you with?
One of my own lessons has been a return to analysis, with a tremendous simplification. Be it a story or a situation, or even the search for this or that reason behind a desired (or undesired) outcome, there are always strengths and weaknesses present. Consider these simple questions – simple to ask, simple to understand, but not always so simple to answer:
· How well do you know your own strengths and weaknesses?
· How competent are you in self-assessment?
· Or, on the other hand, how often might you be very busy finding lies to believe in?
Through the year, I discovered a score of profound lies that some of my clients completely believed in, often totally thwarting strengths and converting them into weaknesses. Here’s an example. There is a stunningly beautiful balance in a negotiation, only possible when the reward sought is in proper relationship to the value offered. Value must always be greater, reward lesser…BUT the two must be close enough for both parties to be acceptably happy. Neither side gets total happiness. But neither can find the exchange requiring of too much sacrifice, not enough gain.
The lie we uncovered was that those clients believed they had to entice others with so much advantage that their own sacrifice was guaranteed, ultimately, to make them unhappy. There were many connected lies.
We also found a critical step which must always be completed. Every negotiation needs real alignment, true clarity about the real objectives sought. When both parties truly agree to the desired target, balancing value and investment, reward and return on investment may not become immediately easy, but it does become truly feasible.
We are learning to never disagree with ourselves, to stop empowering others over our negotiations, and to vet all opportunities for this wonderful balance. Getting on the same page in true alignment resolves many of the greatest difficulties. And then, the extraordinary values we create are not only more visible, they are more secure and greater.
The use of self-observed strengths and weaknesses as a simple tool of analysis made this learning ever so much easier. In the case above, we explored negotiating strengths and weaknesses, but the tool applies to any situation.
A passion for truth, inspiring bold and confident self-challenge will almost always generate rapid, and often profound progress, even surprising and spectacular rewards.
As this year winds down, you might benefit from of bit of self-challenge over your strengths, weaknesses and lessons learned, or awaiting discovery.
And as always, I’d be delighted to help out in any way I can. Feel free to reach out to me by any means you wish. Or, do head over to our completely refurbished website. You’ll find a brand new core article there, and also a Leadership Self-Assessment tool uniquely created to empower exactly the sort of search we’ve been discussing. Do check it out when you can!
And please don’t be shy to ask for help if you’re interested. You might find that a Consigliori’s unique perspective and capabilities makes the process even more rewarding and meaningful.