Where to focus first: strengths vs weaknesses

What should you work on to level up?

A frequent question from clients and peers is: what should I work on to level up? We each only have so much time to devote to our growth and development.

Here’s a guideline: handle liabilities first, and then double down on your strengths.

This is context and role-dependent. For example, the ability to drive cross-department collaboration is higher for a VP Product than it is for a Director or GPM.

So in your role, assess your abilities, and figure out which of your weaknesses are a liability in your context. Handle those first—but only to the point where they aren’t a liability. Then, double down on your strengths to excel in the way only you can.

Fixing your weaknesses will never unlock your personal zone of genius. But it can take you out of the game before you have a chance to excel.