Have you ever heard the phrase, “You’ll never get anywhere with…”
If you’re like me you usually start zoning out at that point.
People always have their opinions. For the last century or so we’ve grown up in a system that has encouraged uniformity.
But when it comes to business it’s not about doing what everybody has done. You have to bring something new and different to the table if you want to find success.
I don’t think entrepreneurs and business leaders typically do well in school. They don’t want to waste their time memorizing facts from textbooks and reciting them back on a test. They want to do what they love and find solutions to the world’s problems.
If you’ve been told that your character traits are “flaws” there is no reason to believe it. You might not fit in with everyone else, but that’s okay. You’re a business leader so you’re going to stand out…in a good way.
Here are the “flaws” that are really assets for business leaders.
1. Rule Breaker
Yes. You have to follow many of life’s rules when it comes to respecting and not harming others or their property. But outside of that, rules are created so people feel comfortable with what you’re doing.
Leaders are often the ones that discover new ways of doing things. In business, rules work well when it comes to completing important tasks. These procedures make the company efficient, but the people performing tasks should e encouraged to innovate and find new ways of doing things.
Business leaders respect rules, but they’re always looking for something better.
2. Not Being A Member Of Multiple Organizations
Back in school it was encouraged that we join all kinds of things. It was almost a requirement for getting into a good college. It’s good to try new things to see what you like.
But once you find something you like it’s better to commit and forego the other activities. You can still dabble (that’s important), but you have to commit to things otherwise you’ll never achieve something great.
In business, there are a lot of people that have all kinds of ideas. But until they apply themselves to something and see it through they’ll never reach greatness.
It’s okay if you’re only interested in one or two things. As long as you’re happy then there is no reason to try to do it all. Stick to what you love and you’ll usually do great things.
3. Not Being Able To Multitask
Multitasking is pretty much impossible for all people. There are a few super humans that seem to be able to do multiple things at once, but most people I know can’t. They often try, but that usually leads to poor results for everything they do.
It’s much better to apply you’re thinking to the task at hand. Follow it through to the end and then move on to the next item on your list.
4. Daydreaming & Doodling
We have to embrace the daydreamers and doodlers. I bet some of the best ideas in history were first sketched on a school notebook.
Some of the most successful business leaders actually schedule time for daydreaming. They’ll go for daily walks during their lunch just so they can clear their head of regular tasks so they can think about other things.
This is especially important for those in business. It’s really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks. But you have to focus on the bigger picture. You have to save some time for what’s next.
It’s probably not good to doodle during an important meeting, but if you have an idea then write it down. And schedule time to do some reflecting each day so you can daydream about the future.
5. Skimming Instead Of Reading
There is a lot of information in the world today. It’s impossible to read through everything. Skimming can be a really good asset. If you can become good at skimming something to determine if it’s valuable you’ll save time. You can see if something is important and go back to read it in full if it’s going to be worth your time.
Time is a big asset for anyone including business leaders. If you are able to save time with skimming them forget what people have told you in the past and perfect your skimming ability.
There are a lot of things we were taught in school and throughout life that are good. But there are some things that don’t really apply to everyone, especially to business leaders. Embrace your differences and use them to your advantage. They will likely help you become a better entrepreneur and leader.