Marcus Buckingham

“Building on my strengths and managing around my weaknesses” Marcus in case you cant tell from the opening statement is a man that focuses on the strengths of people and learns the best ways to use them. He believes in a positive psychology, that’s right psychology most of us don’t like to mix theory with religion but theory is on to something here. By fixing on peoples strengths and encouraging them for what they are good at instead of what could be better, we are raising up a stronger group of people. There are certain myths that Marcus addresses in his speech and those are “as you grow you personality changes,” “you will grow most where your weakest,” and “a great team member puts his strengths aside for the benefit of the team.”  

The first myth is “as you grow you personality changes” basically this means that we grow up and put our childish things behind us, in reality as we grow we just become more and more of who we are. We begin to grow in those strengths and we grow most in what we are strongest in already, so we don’t grow out of the childish things we only use them differently and mature in those strengths. Marcus ends this section by saying “The most dominant personalities will strengthen in your core” they are a part of you and always will be. 

The Second myth says that you will grow most where your weakest, in this part of Marcus’ presentation he gives example as to how to enforce a more positive effect, for example say your child comes home with two A’s, a B, and a F on his or her grade report; which one do you focus on? Most people of course jump to the F and begin asking questions, but positive reinforcement by focusing on the A’s can have a better outcome than stressing over the F, focus on the strengths encourages and gives the kids self worth. In addition there are two reason that your child could be doing badly, either there bad in that subject or they haven’t been taught correctly, but by getting on them about the grade it is only going to discourage them. The Truth is you grow where you are most strong. 

The Final myth is to be a great team member you put aside your strengths for the benefit of the team, Wrong you need to make your strengths know that way you can be used, you will help your team out better using your strengths rather than just staying quite and being assigned somewhere else. All in all we need to focus on our strengths and use them. Continue sharpening your strengths and get out there and do what you do best and if you don’t know what your good at start looking for it.