Listen "010: What If People See the Things I'm Not Good At?"
Episode Synopsis
This episode is for anyone who feels pressure to excel at everything and worries about exposing their weaknesses. We talk about why trying to be good at all things is exhausting and unsustainable, how to identify and own your actual strengths, and how to build teams where people operate in their zones of genius instead of striving for impossible perfection.The Big QuestionWhat if people see the things I'm not good at?What We CoverStart with strengths, not gaps – Before you can productively address weaknesses, you need clarity on what you're genuinely great at. Use assessments, reach out to past colleagues, or ask: "What did you love about working with me?"Name your zones – Use the four zones from The Big Leap: incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius. This language gives you permission to acknowledge gaps without shame.Challenge the "good at everything" trap – Corporate performance reviews and business culture often push people to rate well across the board. This drives exhaustion instead of excellence.Model transparency as a leader – The best leaders openly acknowledge what isn't their strength and point to team members who excel in those areas. Teams respect this far more than false competence.Build genius teams – Stop looking for people who you think are geniuses in every category. Instead, bring together diverse strengths that complement each other.Get realistic about what "perfect" means – Ask: Does this actually need to be perfect? Or is 80% good enough for the business goal? Arbitrary standards of perfection create unnecessary pressure.Notice your personal signals – Pay attention to when insecurity kicks in. For Chloe, it's "I can do that too!" For La'Kita, it's reaching for perfection in areas with too big a gap. Learn your pattern.Prevent burnout through alignment – Burnout happens when you spend energy reaching for things that aren't possible. Operating in your zone of genius creates long-term sustainability.Key TakeawayTransparency about strengths and gaps + shared language + genius teams = better outcomes, less burnout, and permission to be human.Resources MentionedGay Hendricks, The Big Leap (zones of incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius)Resources:Navigating a big transition? Check out our Pivot Plan: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Your Next Big Move.Think coaching might be right for you? Schedule a free consultation to explore how we can help you step into your next level of leadership.Interested in going deeper in your own leadership and building your network? Join the waitlist for The CoCreate Work Leadership Book Club to explore the themes from this episode in community—through powerful reads, reflection prompts, and live conversations.Our last session of the Culture Crash Course just ended, but if you're interested in a Culture Crash Course for your organization or team, please contact us at [email protected] in leadership development for your team? Our Workshops are a great wait to develop your team's skills and connection.At CoCreate Work, we believe in asking great questions. Click here to receive our guide to 40 Powerful Questions to accelerate your growth.We would love to connect with you!CoCreate Work on LinkedInCoCreate Work on InstagramLa’Kita on InstagramChloe on InstagramVisit our Podcast PageQuestions you would like us to answer on the podcast? Email us at [email protected]
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