I’m sharing with another mother all the ways I’ve had to correct my daughters lately. She reminds me that every presenting weakness in character is a strength disguised and misdirected.
If I can remember the strength behind the weakness, I can celebrate it and then reorient the weakness back toward the strength.
I suddenly feel more like a cheerleader and less like a cruel task-master.
For example, critical and judgmental attitudes find their roots in wise, discerning hearts. Flattery comes from encouraging impulses gone overboard. Highly organized, efficient people might tend towards overbearing control.
Everything I don’t like about others (and myself–myself especially) hides a particular strength. When I see it this way, I recalibrate weaknesses back to strengths.
I’m not, therefore, disciplining children all day long to change. I’m inviting them to use their strengths in the right way.
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Have you found that every presenting weakness is a strength disguised and misdirected?
Strengths psychology is fascination to me. If you're interested in it you should check out the Gallup StrengthsFinder test. We do it at my university and it's pretty amazing.
http://www.strengthsfinder.com/