Know the Value of Your Talents

Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer." Peter Drucker

It's great to know and appreciate your strengths, even if you have no desire to leverage them into a new career.

The most obvious benefit is gaining a sense of self-worth that does not depend on receiving accolades from others. Recognition and praise are laudable; but now you won't have a need to feel valueless if they are not forthcoming. Your reaction to not receiving recognition is more likely to be one of trying to figure out how you want to be acknowledged for your expertise, and working toward achieving it. You have automatically entered a "solutions" mode rather than a "defeatist" mode.

For some, a great benefit of knowing the value of their talents, skills, and strengths is using them to secure a job promotion or launch a career. In both cases, it is necessary to treat your skills as the basis for a business project. As you conduct research on how to make this happen, you'll discover some key exercises that are critical to your success.

Qualify and Quantify it

Who will your expertise help, and how will it help them? It is personally gratifying to know that you have expertise, but you need to put it in a context that lets others know that they can benefit from it. In order to get others to buy into your solution, they will have to understand what it is, and exactly why they should care. They'll care if they see something in it for them.

It is wonderful that you are an expert baker. Your knowing it probably gives you a giant ego boost. But tell me what you know that is going to make me a great baker, and why I should care. If I'm into baking, now you have me hooked.

The potential market for your solution is critical to the success of your venture, and finding how to reach them takes time and energy. The inclination is to skip this process and go directly to the "fun stuff." Not a good idea, because sooner or later, you'll come back to it.

Codify it.

Make it your system for overcoming fear, or keeping a car in tip-top shape for under $50.00, or converting your beauty salon into a perpetual money machine while spending less time on your feet, etc.

This is where a bit of artistry comes into play. Understand that there is nothing new under the sun, so don't be dismayed when your research shows that others have already addressed the subject that is within your area of expertise. Actually, this is a good thing because the market already exists.

The way you communicate your value could set you apart from the pack.

Joyce Coleman offers resources on how to use work and life experiences to develop products and become an entrepreneur or simply to experience greater success in life. Sign up for her free newsletter and other resources and find out more at http://www.joycecoleman.com/Leverage1.0. Visit her blog at http://leverage1point0.wordpress.com and share your comments on how you have leveraged your knowledge to support your brand and gain success.

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