What is your talent?

I once heard talent defined as: "Easy to learn, easy to do."

The result is that you do not value it, or even notice it. So, I have another definition. "Talent is what causes you to get irritated by other people's incompetence." It is not that they are incompetent, rather that they lack your 'talent'. If you want to discover your talent, just notice other people's behaviour.

My talent is in perception and systems thinking. Not only do I have a natural aptitude, but I have a master's degree in transportation planning - which is the study of networks and systems. These days, I recognise that my purpose is to make sense of the world, so that I can be a resource to others.

What is not my talent is developing relationships and managing people. That is why I am a consultant, not a manager. However, going out and meeting new people is a key part of running a business.

A couple of years ago I made a strategic investment by joining the XL Results Foundation. That was because it gave me both a ready-made global network, and Wealth Dynamics, a technology for identifying the right partners and collaborators. As a result, I am building businesses in India and Singapore and attracting new associates to help grow Brefi Group in the UK.

Part of the philosophy behind Wealth Dynamics is that your 'wealth' (or effectiveness) is a multiple of your value and your leverage. My value is great – but my leverage is small. The result is far from optimal. However, one person's talent is another's leverage. So, by using Wealth Dynamics we are able to apply our talent effectively.

Wealth Dynamics defines eight business roles. If you take your profile test, you will discover where your talent is and how to get into flow. You then have the basis for focusing your energy, finding partners and building an effective team.

I now teach Wealth Dynamics and have seen practical examples of the value of building teams according to the process. Also, a couple of examples of husband and wife who work together recognising that they are in the wrong roles, and who have swapped roles to good effect.

One of my teachers is Dr John Demartini. I attended his Breakthrough Experience earlier in the year.

He taught us how he has developed his personal mission statements. He has one each for Spiritual, Mental, Vocational, Financial, Familial/Home, Social and Physical, as well as a summary. It made sense to me when he showed us his own. Here is the Summary element of mine. By reading the whole series through each day, I keep my mind focused.

I Richard Winfield hereby declare before myself, others and God that my primary purpose in life is to become whole, to make sense of the world and to be a resource to others.

Be: A seeker after the truth in at least the fields of management and director development, making sense of the world and interpreting it for others.

Do: Bring joy into the world and help people grow; discover, integrate and disseminate ideas and processes that help individuals and teams in organisations achieve their potential in a congruent and ethical manner; prepared to challenge and confront received wisdom, established ideas and opinions; leveraging my value; travelling to places and cultures, both to learn and to spread appropriate knowledge and wisdom; congruent with my emotions and relationships; able to heal myself easily and naturally, aligned and balanced, healthy and fit.

Have: Be well rewarded for my contribution and live a privileged and highly cultured life for the sake of the fulfilment of this life long quest.

One of our new associates is Stefan Powell, who contributes the first of a series of articles on sales and leadership in this issue of CorporateCoach. Stefan is an Executive Coach, Trainer and Facilitator, with a 10 year track record of success in developing sales leaders, teams and individuals within the financial services industry.

Richard Winfield is founder of Brefi Group.
An international facilitator, he coaches and
facilitates directors and boards in transition:
helping them to make progress by
bringing structure and clarity
to their thinking.

USEFUL LINKS

• Subscribe to the CorporateCoach RSS feed


• Wealth Dynamics


• XL Results Foundation


• Dr John Demartini

blog comments powered by Disqus