“I’m not as talented as they are.” Whenever I am working with someone and hear this statement I always remind them there will always be people more talented than they are. I then go on to add there will also always be people less talented than they are. But rather than focusing on the talent of others, I have them focus on what they can control.
Dr. Derwin Gray, the incomparable senior pastor of Transformation Church in Charlotte, NC, recently posted the the following image on Twitter. It echoes and effectively captures the essence of what I coach people about talent.
10 Things That Require Zero Talent pic.twitter.com/tZ38o6hE5I
— Dr. Derwin L. Gray (@DerwinLGray) October 5, 2018
Let’s break down each of the 10 items listed above:
- Being On Time – This shows your maturity and responsibility.
- Work Ethic – Do you give focused effort every single day on the right things?
- Effort – Ideas are easy. Doing the work is where accomplishment takes place.
- Energy – This is the most valuable thing you bring to an organization.
- Body Language – It is generally considered that this is 55% of all your communication.
- Passion – Passion is described as many things. I define it as owning the result.
- Doing Extra – The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just a little extra.
- Being Prepared – You will either prepare or repair.
- Being Coachable – This shows humility and the self-awareness to know you have things to work on.
- Attitude – Attitude determines your altitude. Your attitude will largely determine how high you go in the organization.
Regardless of your talent level, what one thing from the list above can you do as a leader to improve?
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