Cathy's blog

I was talking to one of my corporate clients last week, who was very frustrated with someone in her team.

She kept repeating, over and over: “Why doesn’t Jake just do what I ask him to do?”

And the answer was plain and simple: Jake had no clue how to do it 🤷🏼‍♀️

My client is very good with words. Extremely good. She writes emails that read like a novel. She gives speeches that most TED speakers would be jealous of. And now she wanted Jake to step up his communication game.

But that isn’t Jake’s strong suit. He doesn’t *see* things the way she does.

He doesn’t read between the lines, he doesn’t grasp the subtle difference between one word or another.

Now my client is modest.

She believes that she’s *middle of the road*. In fact, she insists on it: "I’m just average, nothing special."

And that may sound considerate.. but actually, it’s not!

We all have talents, things that we’re magically better at than others. Things that come so naturally to us, that - to us - they seem normal, standard. Because we’ve lived with these talents our whole lives.

Maybe you’re good with numbers, or music, or swimming. Maybe you recognize every musical intro after three notes (my husband) or remember every song lyric you ever heard as a child - including the annoying songs that you don’t like, but that seem to stick like an earworm every time (me).

As an entrepreneur, a leader, or a manager – it’s vital that you know what you’re exceptionally good at.
And that you own that. 😊

Because if you don’t, you’ll underestimate the effort it will take for someone else (a client, a team member) to learn what comes naturally to you.

And you might put the bar so high, that everyone will get frustrated.

You - because you can’t imagine why they’re not *simply doing it*.

Them - because they end up feeling incapable and stupid.

If you want to be able to help people, meet them where they are.

Not where you are 😉

What are your (surprising) talents?