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?
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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/