In a meeting today, a case discussion included a story of how a team leader had highlighted his groups strengths and weaknesses.  Someone commented “Always admit your weaknesses, it makes you stronger.”

I am always in search of a topic for my regular posts and this phrase leaped out at me.  “Post me, post me, I am the one”

Simple but powerful logic

Through experience I have found open communication of everything you are aware of, both good and bad, will more often then not lead to better results.

Consider a request for your teams services.  You are aware of both pro’s and con’s to the undertaking of this work.  To help ensure the contract is granted you share only the pro’s.

Unfortunately while executing the service the con’s (of which the purchaser was not aware) outway the pro’s and ultimately the buyer is sorely disappointed .

This is unlikely to result in further service purchases (lose for you) and the client did not get what they wanted (lose for them). The client is particularly disappointed if they discover you were aware of these weaknesses but did not share.

An open disclosure of your teams weaknesses would probably have avoided the disappointment and relationship damage, of course,   in the event you were still awarded the contract. ( albeit you might not have been).

The key is the open disclosure is much more likely to result in a win/win for all parties, than the practice of withholding information about your faults.

 A final word

Unless you are perfect like me (no weaknesses) this concept of openly sharing yours has merit –  take heed.