“So, tell me about your strengths and weaknesses”
Recently, I had an interview for a reporter position at my school’s newspaper. While this was more casual than an average interview, one of the most common and feared question still found its way into the conversation: what are your strengths and weaknesses?
Now, this is, generally, an awkward question to answer. You have to walk the fine line of trying not to sound too full of yourself when listing strengths and not to sound too unqualified when listing weaknesses. However, an interesting piece of advice I learned a while back was to try and blend the two together in a sense, to make your weaknesses appear to be strengths if manipulated correctly.
Your bad qualities aren’t all that bad
Even without the blending of those two categories, it is important to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Not only because you will likely be asked about it at some point in your life, but also because what you may think is a weakness, may really be a strength.
Oftentimes, people will misconstrue something as a weakness or bad quality, but it can actually be used to their advantage. Now, how can this be applied to the innovation of an entrepreneur? Listed below are seven commonly misclassified weaknesses that are actually strengths.
Applied to entrepreneurs
- Often changing one’s mind: Sure, this could sometimes be detrimental. However, people who change their minds often tend to be quite creative. By changing your mind, you are able to see many different perspectives or scenarios. This is crucial for an entrepreneur who needs to be looking at their business from every single angle.
- Veering from the norm: Now, there is a fine line between blatantly disregarding set-in-stone rules and seeking alternative options. This is the difference between a weakness and a strength. One who is willing to push the boundaries and think outside the box is the one who is more likely to be successful. Entrepreneurs need this skill in order to set their own rules and standards for their business.
- Being independent thinkers: While this could be seen as a weakness because it, seemingly, goes against collaborating with others, it is a given for entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur has made the decision to go out on their own and find success. If they are not able to think independently, they will not get very far.
- Having a busy mind: The weakness side of this could be seen as a struggle with focusing. But, this relates back to the idea of frequently changing one’s mind. If you have a busy mind, you are likely to have a brain that is spinning its wheels with a plethora of ideas. Again, entrepreneurs need to have a creative mindset to stay ahead of the curve.
- Being eccentric: This word can often bring about a negative connotation. But being eccentric is a quality that allows for open-mindedness and innovation. Many will find that most entrepreneurs are not your Average Joe/Joanne. Having an eccentric outlook is not a downfall.
- Daydreaming: While this can be a roadblock in time management, success is built from having a dream. Setting aside time to let your mind flow with ideas is crucial for development.
- Going with your gut: If entrepreneurs did not follow their intuitions, they would be in another line of work. Trusting your gut instinct is not a flaw but rather a symbol of conviction.
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