I have been a fan of Marcus Buckingham since I saw him on Oprah. That led me to download his audio book of “Putting Your Strengths to Work.”
In all of Marcus’ work, his basic premise is this:
Most of us were taught by our parents and teachers that the secret to success is improving our weaknesses. As it turns out, this is completely wrong-headed. You can focus on your weaknesses all you want, but you will likely only make marginal improvements. However, if you will focus on your strengths—those things that you are naturally good at and come easily to you—you can make huge strides. In fact, when you do so, you will be more happy and fulfilled. Not only that, you will make your greatest contribution to the world.
In Finding Your Strongest Life, Marcus applies this basic message to women. Of course, like most books written strictly for women, the principles apply across genders.
Here’s the crazy thing. Based on what you watch on TV and read in magazines, you would think that modern women already have it figured out. Since the feminist movement was launched four decades ago, women have secured better job prospects, greater acknowledgement for achievement, wider influence, more free time, and higher salaries. (Marcus documents all of this in his book.)
And yet, several recent studies reveal that women have gradually become less happy than they were 40 years ago—and less happy than men. And while the research indicates that men get happier as they age, women, by contrast, grow sadder as they get older. Does this mean that women should return to a world of fewer choices and opportunities?
Let’s be honest here. How many of us walk through the mall and wonder why we see so many older women together. Where are the men? Should women return to fewer choices and be stay-at-home moms?
“No,” says, Marcus, but they must discover the unique role they were designed to play and stop trying to conform to everyone else’s expectations. In the book, Marcus reveals:
- Ten common myths about women
- The paradox of declining female happiness—at work and at home
- Why the “juggler” metaphor is inadequate and disempowering
- The characteristics of a strong life and the quest for strong moments
- An online diagnostic tool to determine the role you were born to play
- Specific strategies for understanding and maximizing each of the nine roles
- How to intentionally imbalance your life and move toward your strengths
- Tactics for producing a stronger career, stronger relationships, stronger kids, and a stronger future
I found the book thoroughly compelling. The bottom line is that if you are a woman (or a man who wants to help the women in your life), I think you will find this book life-changing.