“Can I change myself to fit the job?”

That was a question posed to me during a workshop I conducted. I was speaking about the natural behavioral preferences that give us our STRENGTHS.

My answer?

You most likely could, because we are all capable of accomplishing many things. However, could you do that job better than someone naturally fit to do it? Probably NOT. Could you do another job better, one that plays to your natural strengths? Absolutely YES!

For example, it would be like trying to write with your left hand if you are right-handed. You CAN do it, and I’m sure, with enough practice, you will succeed in writing legibly. Will your handwriting be as fast or effective as your dominant hand? As I’m looking at this contact sheet that my friend Sabrina Sexton sent me, it reminds me of this question.

I was in Atlanta for a conference. I asked my friend if she could take some new headshots for me “really quick”. She took these pictures (and many more) in less than fifteen minutes. We were able to fit this photoshoot into our packed schedules, even though it was a location she had never been to.

My friend was able to…

– understand the lighting (can be learned),

– know how to prompt the subject (can be learned),

– maintain an eye for subtlety that would make or break these pictures (natural).

The difference between someone who has this natural gift of an eye for subtlety and someone who does not is that the former would be much more successful. If they take ten pictures, 75% are great. There are many photographers who lack this and still can produce a few good pics. However, we would have to take hundreds of pictures to have a few great ones.

Who do you want to be? Who do you want on your team?

BE GREAT. BE YOURSELF.