When Overplayed Strengths Become Weaknesses In The Workplace

How to avoid this

A good leader or professional is often characterized by the exceptional skills they possess, such as unwavering determination, laser focus, steadfast loyalty, and unyielding confidence. These qualities help the person move forward, accomplish amazing things, and leave a lasting impact — a legacy. 

However, there is a fine line between strengths that propel you forward and those that hold you back. Decades ago, leadership training focused on strengths and how to use them to get what you wanted, such as moving up and becoming a manager, or getting your employees to do what you want, for example. 

Becoming an effective leader is much more complex than that. It’s about understanding who you are to then understand those around you. 

Overplayed Strengths

Leadership development often has people dividing their strengths and weaknesses without taking into account strengths that can become detrimental to the work environment and their brand. For example, being confident and assertive is often a great attribute in a professional and leader, but when you’re too confident, you come across as arrogant or unrelenting. 

Another great quality is loyalty, which leaders regularly look for in their people. It shows they understand the brand and that they are willing to do anything for the company, but this is where loyalty becomes a weakness: blind loyalty. Blind loyalty prevents individuals from recognizing when something isn’t working because it supposedly benefits the brand. It also drives out other great professionals and potential leaders. 

When taking a strength to the extreme, it hinders performance— being a little too focused can make you lose track of other projects around you. If you’re too smart or knowledgeable in a particular subject, you may become reluctant to learn anything new, but if you are too nice, people are more likely to ‘walk all over you’. 

As a leader, it’s crucial to understand your strengths and weaknesses. After all, the hallmark of a great leader is understanding when to shift and tone down your strengths—situational awareness. 

Listening and Understanding

Self-awareness is a crucial element in recognizing when you are overplaying your strengths as a leader, which is when having a confidant or advisor can further help you improve your leadership skills. While it’s easy for people to recognize other people’s overplayed strengths, it’s not always as easy to self-reflect on these circumstances. 

Having a confidant allows you to hear from someone else what they see as your overplayed strengths and how to overcome them. For example, if you’re too nice, you can still set boundaries; if you’re humorous, you can still bring levity without being crass. However, it’s important that you trust this confidant genuinely “sees” you and will provide you with valuable, actionable feedback. 

A confidant must be someone who has no stake in your professional endeavors, meaning they can’t be part of your immediate work environment. While having a board of advisors — people that worry and care about your brand — is key to any successful organization, a personal confidant must be willing to have difficult conversations about you and with you. 

Once you have feedback from your advisor or others around you, having the self-awareness to pivot from your overplayed strength is the next — and most difficult — step. Self-awareness is one of the most important elements of emotional intelligence and the one that will yield the most results in coaching others. 

The notion that one’s weaknesses are simply weaknesses is archaic. Vulnerabilities can coexist with strengths and actually empower your strengths for you to be a better leader. Acknowledging and addressing weaknesses is not a sign of weakness itself, but rather proof of humility and a commitment to personal and professional growth. By recognizing your overplayed strengths and admitting that you need to work on them, you can harness the power of that strength while mitigating the potential pitfalls within them. 

The journey of leaders and professionals is a tightrope walk between strengths and weaknesses, and it’s about having the necessary self-awareness to pivot. What was once a formidable attribute can quickly become a liability if not managed effectively. By creating and engaging with a confidant or ‘board of advisors’ and maintaining self-awareness, leaders and professionals can navigate this treacherous path with greater confidence and success. 

Paul Bramson is a dynamic and highly sought-after thought leader in the areas of communication, leadership, sales, interviewing, and negotiation as a keynote speaking and professional training global powerhouse. He has over 25 years of experience empowering professionals, leaders, and teams at all levels with highly relevant knowledge and skills. As CEO of The Paul Bramson Companies, he has transformed leaders and inspired audiences of Fortune 500/1000/5000 companies. Paul maximizes these powerful messages with his unique ability to pivot to all industries and audiences with his authenticity, vast experience, and tremendous passion for the messages he delivers, creating an entertaining and unforgettable experience.