The article Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness, by David Rendall, talks about how weaknesses can be exploited and defeated using different techniques. I'm going to take some of his techniques and critique them on how useful and true they are.
The first suggestion I will look at is number 5: "Foundation: Build on Your Strengths." I found this part to be a bit insightful although it at first seems rather common sense. The article says that there are three basic reasons to work on your strengths. The first reason is that working on strengths feels good, its doing something you excel at to further your own capabilities. The second is that your strengths have far greater potential than your weaknesses because your are naturally adept at them and get enjoyment out of them. The final reason is that well developed strengths can make up for weaknesses, making one more well rounded as a whole. I thought this was a particularly important bit of advice because many people take their strengths for granted as if they are static abilities, when in reality we can always work to improve upon them.
The second is number 6: "Focus: You Can't Do Both." The main point of this suggestion is that you can either work toward improving your strengths or weaknesses but trying to both at the same time will likely not have good results. When Rendall asks his students if they would work on their strengths, weaknesses or both, the usual response is both. It seems like not a bad idea, improving on what you're good at, while working on your weaknesses. But the fact of the matter is that working on your strengths and weaknesses is not easy, most people hardly have the time or energy to successfully improve on one, let alone both. Not only are personal resources too low to work on strengths and shortcomings simultaneously, but doing so also inhibits the advancement of either. When focusing on some skills, others being worked on recieve less time and dedication. Ideally one would want to work on a single strength or a single weakness at once, thereby giving appropriate time and attention to their work.
The final suggesting I am critiquing is number 8: "Freak: The Power of Uniqueness." This part uses the leaning tower of Pisa as an example of how freakish characteristics, what makes each person unique, is often their greatest asset. The original architects of the tower tried fruitlessly to fix its lean. But the "leaning" quality of the leaning tower of Pisa is its main draw, ultimately what was once seen as a flaw has now become the cornerstone of the Pisa tourism industry. Rendall says we can learn five things from the leaning tower of Pisa that can applied to utilizing our own "Freak" qualities. People come to see the tower because of its flaw, like the tower our flaws can be our greatest resource. People tried to fix its tilt even tho that it has become a positive characteristic now, sometimes the "weaknesses" we try to fix could one day become our most useful trait. Efforts to fix major flaws often fail. It is often worth it to preserve the flaw just as it can be to develop ours. And people will say that your own personal "tilt" should be fixed, when in reality it can be a good thing to maintain.
I have found that my personal strengths are my ability to gauge how long work takes me, my dedication to my work and my ability to look at many sides of the same problem. I have used these skills in my creative work in order to work on projects effectively and take many unique perspectives of my work. My weaknesses would have to be collaboration and communication. I don't mind working with other creative individuals, but when our styles aren't compatible I often have trouble conveying my ideas on the project and working together in harmony.