I hit a wall in which the strengths that led to my success were holding me back. I had a supportive boss and a coach he hired for me keep telling me that, but I resisted the notion mightily. Not that I disagreed, but I feared the void of the unknown. Plus, I had spent the better part of fifty years refining those strengths. Importantly, it took a positive experience when trying something different to convince me. I took a chance and let go of a firmly held belief, and the outcome reinforced the new belief I was trying on for size.

Interestingly, as I learned to embrace and become excited about new strengths, I became less interested in what my bosses cared about and more interested in what our customers cared about. That should have worked, right? Turns out in most companies, what the bosses care about is what matters. It turned out for the best, though, as I pivoted to what better fits my new repertoire of strengths.