Focus on Your Weaknesses
In an interview, I was asked, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" This
generic question--too vague to tease a useful response--echoes our tendency to expose our strengths and shield our weaknesses. The question implies admitting to a weakness is a virtue as well as an expectation. While we all gravitate to activities, events and careers that allow our strengths to shine, we are supposed to be self-aware and honest enough to know what we can't do well.
But defining weaknesses can create a setting in which managers and employees are afraid to try something new. For example, if a manager excels at detailed analysis and tends to be introverted, he may avoid hospital politics and prefer e-mail to face-to-face interactions. This can leave the manager's behavior open to speculation--and the rumor mill, right or wrong, can be devastating. The manager, in turn, can feel frustrated and isolated; the laboratory staff can feel unrecognized.
Consider those in your organization with obvious weaknesses. Do their strengths make up the difference? A weakness coddled tends to attract the spotlight. He isn't good with people. She doesn't like computers. You can almost hear the " ... but" to justify the person's continued employment.
Truth is your strengths are what they are. They already carry you. If you are technically proficient, sensitive with patients, or a computer wizard, it's nice to enhance your skills, but this may happen anyway. Unless one of your strengths is self-actualization, it seems unlikely they will entirely excuse your failings.
But if you focus on your weaknesses (e.g., take apart an instrument, start community outreach, learn how to use a spreadsheet, etc), you can find unrealized opportunity. What have you got to lose? You may discover a new strength that leads to success.