There I Am Again
Often, one of the consequences of a heart attack is a low-fat diet. This has proven true in my household. As a result of actually following his doctors’ orders, my husband has lost 15+ pounds.
To give him full credit, it was 17.5 pounds in four weeks.
Now you might think I would be delighted in his progress. It’s a logical assumption. And I am truly grateful he has taken his recovery program to heart (as it were).
But over the last few weeks, as the pounds continued to drop off, I began to get irritated.
There is a part of me that liked being the leaner one in the relationship. Almost as soon as I had the awareness, I was embarrassed by it. There I am again. So darn competitive. Even at a time like this.
Knowing who we are bringing to the party is an asset in relationships. And leadership (a ten-letter word for relationship in the workplace.)
It’s easy to suggest we should play to our strengths in the work we do. There is benefit in the guidance. We are often more effective and derive greater fulfillment from doing work we are skilled at and enjoy.
That said, it is equally important to play away from our weaknesses. Being as familiar with our deficits as we are with our strengths positions us to be our best and most productive selves.
Like attracts like. In fact, like often hires like. It takes humility to consciously build a team that doesn’t simply mirror our strengths. And even more humility and trust, to give them the ball.
Take some time to observe the strengths of those around you. Could you build a team that intentionally fills a talent or skill gap in you?
Looking back at myself, there is always a place for a competitive spirit…as long as it doesn’t get in the way of being supportive. Being aware of the competitive tone of an engagement is useful. Surrounding myself with people who model compassion and collaboration enables me to temper my competitiveness and apply what I learn from them.
