I’m crap at Excel.
Basic spreadsheets? Oh you mean do some sums, format columns, throw in a chart? Sure, I can do that. But pivot tables, complex formulas and macros? Forget it.
Why? Because spreadsheets don’t interest me. And when something doesn’t interest you, chances are, you’re not going to be great at it.
We all have weaknesses. What are yours?
On the flip side, there are a few things I do well – like standing in front of a room full of people and talking. For some, that’s a fate worse than death. For me, I enjoy it.
Knowing what you’re good at – and what you’re rubbish at – is powerful. It helps you focus on the right things. I’d be useless in a spreadsheet-heavy job. They’d fire me on day one.
Same approach goes for management.
One of the biggest mistakes a leader can make is treating their team like a set of identical parts: expecting everyone to work the same way, deliver the same results, and improve in the same areas.
That’s not leadership. That’s wishful thinking.
Great managers know their team’s strengths and use them wisely. They put people in positions where they can excel (lazy pun intended). But that doesn’t mean weaknesses get a free pass.
Coaching isn’t just about playing to strengths, despite what some management books suggest. It’s also about helping people improve in areas where it matters (but only IF, it matters).
Luckily for me, spreadsheets aren’t critical to my work. If they were, I’d have to knuckle down and purchase Excel For Dummies. Either that, or starve.
So, what’s the right balance?
✅ Leverage your team’s natural abilities to get the best out of them.
✅ Challenge them to step outside their comfort zones and build key skills, even in areas where they might currently be weak.
A winning team plays to its strengths. It also works on what’s holding it back.
If you’re a manager, try coaching your team this way. Play to those strengths. But be aware of the weaknesses.
And if spreadsheets aren’t crucial to your business?
Let them go through to the keeper.
👇
Keen to be the kind of boss who develops people, not just manages them?
I can help – let’s talk 📞
