Develop Your Talents Into Strengths 039

The Animal School: A Fable by George Reavis

Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a “new world” so they organized a school.

They had adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.The duck was excellent in swimming. In fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But average was acceptable in school so nobody worried about that, except the duck. The rabbit started at the top of the class in running but had a nervous breakdown because of so much makeup work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the treetop down. He also developed a “Charlie horse” from overexertion and then got a C in climbing and D in running. The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there. At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceedingly well and also run, climb and fly a little had the highest average and was valedictorian. The prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration would not add digging and burrowing to the curriculum. They apprenticed their children to a badger and later joined the groundhogs and gophers to start a successful private school.

Welcome to episode 39 of Your Encore Life.

Does this fable have a moral?

What is the lesson you take from the fable?

Let the ducks swim.  Let the rabbits run.  Let the eagles fly.  We don’t want a school of average ducks.

Testing students…Spend a great deal of time remediating weaknesses.  Students get frustrated working most on what they struggle the most with, and after 9 months of that, we send them to summer school to focus primarily on their weakness.  I saw the same thing as a leader of an organization, where we had many individuals with tremendous talents that would shine when they were utilizing those talents or strengths, but during evaluations we would point out areas of improvement often relating to area that could be considered weaknesses and had them focus on that.

Play to your strengths.  If you don’t use your talents, eventually, you lose your talents.

I am not suggesting that we don’t teach important curriculum in schools to students who don’t have that area of curriculum as a strength.  I am suggesting that we don’t put so much emphasis on those areas and allow that to impact talent from becoming a student’s or employees strength.  If you build on your strengths enough, your weaknesses become irrelevant. 

There is a great temptation to fix ourselves or others by investing time to improve on our areas of opportunities or weaknesses.  Instead, focus on how your strengths can get you to where you need to go.

One of the single most powerful ways for individuals and organizations to maximize performance, satisfaction, and to reach significance is to focus on talents of individuals and refine them into strengths.

Ephesians 2:10 English Standard Version (ESV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Psalm 139:14 English Standard Version (ESV)

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.

 

• The Animal School: A Fable by George Reavis
• Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment 
• Contact Craig