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“What is your biggest weakness?”
The infamous interview question. Maybe you work too hard, care too much, and can sometimes be too invested in your job, like Michael Scott. Maybe you really do not have any weaknesses at all. But most of us do. Getting to know yourself and what you bring to the table - as well as what skills you might want to seek out in others to help you maximize your potential - is important in any field.
In college, we are all trying to figure out who we really are and what we want to do with our lives. This can be a little difficult. We are making decisions largely on hypotheticals and our limited experience from classes. We take into account what topics we enjoy, what comes easy to us, and what brings us joy. What gives us a reason for being: our “Ikigai”.
The concept of Ikigai is one of the many topics we have learned about in the Entrepreneurial LeaderHERship class, sponsored by KSWELI. Not only have we learned from two incredible women powerhouses, Lesley Robinson and Vaishali Jadhav, but we also have had the privilege of getting to hear from a plethora of guest lectures throughout the course. These individuals shared their stories, values, and what lead them to the career they ended up in. A similarity persisted throughout these stories: these individuals pursued what aligned with their values and found spaces where they were able to use their skills to help others.
It is difficult to be objective and analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. So how can it be done? In our class, we have explored several different introspective avenues. We have had both group and class discussions, read powerful books, and taken in-depth assessments that are able to provide us with keywords to capture our values.
While it is important to have these important discussions to get to know yourself truly, these assessments have been invaluable tools. Some of these assessments include but are not limited to StrengthsFinder, an enneagram test, love languages test, and an exercise to find your Ikigai. I also recommend the Meyers-Brigg (16 personalities) test as it is highly accurate and can provide a lot of insight. I have found that taking the time to do these assessments, even if some of them may be lengthy, will provide you with a wealth of keywords and characterizations that you can use to help explain who you are to others.
Not only does it help in becoming comfortable with yourself and communicating introspective information, but these assessments also allow you to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. By having this information, you are able to capitalize on your strengths as well as find people who can support you in things you are not as strong in and thus build a powerful team and maximize your potential. You can also use this information to become aware of what things you need to work on if you wish to become more well-rounded, as well as watch for any self-sabotaging you may do unconsciously and find ways to conquer those habits. Knowledge is power!
About The Author:
Natalia Ovcharenko '23
Government
Entrepreneurial LeadHERship Student
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