Tag Archives: growing talent

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Take Giant Leaps

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Someone will ask, “How do I build more confidence?”

Popular wisdom suggests that self-confidence consists of two factors, self-efficacy and self-esteem. Self-efficacy is the idea that you can produce or create a desired outcome. For example, you believe you have the tenacity to achieve a college degree. Self-esteem is your impression of yourself. Typically you are said to have high self-esteem if you have a very favorable impression. The combination of these two factors represents self-confidence.

Apollo 11 from Wikipedia

I encourage people to take small risks (and bigger ones too) because every time we take a risk or take a chance to try something new, different, or challenging we have the opportunity to learn from a failure or success. Small steps, typically regarded as somewhat easier (because they are small), help us build more confidence.

So, taking small steps builds confidence.

When we have built some confidence we have to push for more if we want to continue to grow. So we have to consider bigger steps. We can challenge the smaller steps by taking bigger ones and it may be said that bigger steps require more courage.

So, the confidence to take big steps builds courage.

When we have built our confidence and our courage, we can consider taking not only small steps or big steps, but we may want to pursue giant leaps. Giant leaps have the most risk, the risk of costly mistakes, failure, or even ridicule.

So, the confidence and courage to take giant leaps builds character.

Some people will only remember your mistakes; others will only remember your accomplishments. All of them will remember your character.

Take giant leaps.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and consultant that specializes in helping businesses accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. Reach him through his website at http://DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Photo Credit: Apollo 11 on Wikipedia


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You’re Talented!

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People often work very hard to develop their talent. What is sometimes surprising is that people work even harder to develop their weaknesses. The same is true for businesses.

EyeFocusByKyleMay

Spending time and energy on fixing weaknesses has both merit and value. Becoming entirely focused on fixing weaknesses, as compared to developing talent is probably the wrong move.

For example, if the coach of the football team recognizes that the quarterback can throw very well (talent) but isn’t heavy enough to push around opposing players on the line or block and tackle effectively, what should the coach do? Work with the quarterback to gain some weight and practice maneuvers to become a better blocker? No. Here the focus should not be on fixing the weakness; it should be on developing the talent.

The same is true for businesses. So often they become very active in pursuing the fixing of weaknesses, a good thing, right? Yes, until their focus becomes entirely committed to the weakness, when as a result, they start to sacrifice their talent to only become mediocre in the areas where they are weak.

So the key word becomes focus. You can focus on growing talent, but you should never focus on fixing weaknesses.

Make efforts to improve your weaknesses, but never lose focus of your talent.

– DEG

Photo Credit: Kyle May


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