Harnessing Your Top 5 Strengths to Overcome Weaknesses

On a recent Called to Coach: India Edition, we spoke with Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach Balaji Kumar.

Balaji considers himself an extreme introvert, which he has confirmed via personality assessments. Although he was already aware of this personality trait, he knew his job would require him to break out of his shell and interact with people.

After taking the CliftonStrengths assessment and finding that Learner was one of his Top 5 themes, Balaji suddenly realized a new way of approaching interactions with others. When he finds himself anxious about talking to people, he harnesses his Learner talent and tries to find unique learning opportunities he can gain during these typically trying experiences.

Balaji's expertise in strengths-based development is apparent when he talks about his own top and bottom talents. He explained how Command and Woo are on opposite ends of the talent spectrum for him, and when reflecting (not dwelling) on his lesser themes, he noticed that his Command talent often trumps his Woo talent. When interacting with others, this has caused him to "step on people's toes" -- something he never wants to do. This juxtaposition of talents can sometimes get him in trouble, but being aware of it is important for him to help figure out how to develop these contrasting talents and achieve more positive outcomes.

To hear more about Balaji and his coaching experiences and expertise, watch the full video or listen to the audio above.

Balaji Kumar's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Strategic, Learner, Responsibility, Relator and Command.