Think for a minute…
What’s your LEAST favorite type of communication?
For example, do you dislike networking events?
Or speaking in front of a crowd?
Or explaining the same exact process, over and over?
We all have certain types of conversations that exhaust us. These interactions require so much energy that we leave them feeling drained. Yet we’re not all the same. An interaction that exhausts you will energize someone else on your team.
There’s a reason why.
Your personal brand has a primary Advantage: the type of communication that leaves you feeling energized. You also have a dormant Advantage: the type of communication that leaves you feeling drained.
(You can find your dormant Advantage on the overview page of your Fascination Advantage report.)
It’s crucial to understand the difference. You do not have to “fix” your dormant Advantage. But you probably want to minimize these tasks, or delegate them, or outsource them.
You are perfect for some things, and not for others.
So what is YOUR least effective form of communication?
- Dormant Innovation:You dislike new and unproven ideas over time. Your predictability is why people depend on you.
- Dormant Passion:Instead of connecting with others based upon feelings, you usually connect based upon ideas, discussions and debates.
- Dormant Power:You build consensus in a group, and don’t like to force your opinions on others.
- Dormant Prestige:Rather than intimidating or pushing others to reach the next level, you communicate with a grounded, peer-to-peer attitude.
- Dormant Trust:You love to explore new ideas and invent fresh solutions. You’re frustrated by rigid procedures. (I have a dormant Trust, too.)
- Dormant Mystique:You are expressive, open, and candid. People know where they stand with you.
- Dormant Alert:Details exhaust you. Instead of meticulously reading the instructions, you’d rather figure it out yourself. You want to focus on the bigger picture, and avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
My dormant Advantage is Trust. I’m exhausted by repetitive tasks and strict schedules. I can do these types of things, of course, but they’re not my highest value. Yet it’s unrealistic to think I’ll never have to apply consistency in my work.
Let’s say you have dormant Trust, too. How could you maximize your strong suit, and minimize your pitfalls?
3 ways to avoid feeling drained by your dormant Advantage
- DISCIPLINE: Set aside time to accomplish these tasks, knowing you’ll need extra energy to finish them.
- DELEGATE: Find a partner who excels in the areas that exhaust you.
- DELETE: Reduce these types of interactions, so you’re not put in a position to spend your energy here.
Follow this simple formula, and you can be seen at your best, and reduce your dreaded zones.
Discipline, delegate, or delete.
One final word:
The goal is not to “fix” yourself, but to do more of what you’re already doing right.
TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: What is your dormant Advantage (the area that exhausts you)? Tell us here!
Sally Hogshead is an international Hall of Fame Speaker and New York Times best-selling author of HOW THE WORLD SEES YOU , a complete guide on how to defeat the threat of competition and add value to every communication. She is also the author of FASCINATE: “Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation. Sally’s books are founded on a scientifically-based system of influence, based on the brain’s hardwired patterns, and she has taught over 200,000 people how to use their natural strengths to become more persuasive.
