Helping Your Child Move from Talent to Strength
Yesterday I shared 8 signs that your child has the potential to be a great leader. My point was to highlight the concept of “strengths spotting” and urge parents to “nurture the nature” of their children.
Today I am following-up with the action steps you must take to nurture your child’s nature. However, these action steps are not unique for developing a child with the potential for leadership. These action steps are relevant for helping to develop any talent into a strength.
Moving from Talent to Strength – The Basic Formula
The key understanding to start with is that a talent is innate, and a strength is developed. Your child may naturally do good with art projects and be very creative, however this does not automatically mean they will become a famous artist, designer, or architect. This just means they have potential. Reaching this potential largely depends on how you invest in your child’s talents.
The basic formula that explains this is as follows:
Talent x Investment = Strength
According to Gallup’s Strengths finder research:
When people supplement their talents with knowledge and skill to the point that they can provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given activity, they have a strength. And in applying and further refining their strengths, they move closer to fulfilling their natural potential as individuals.
Obviously, helping your child develop a strength doesn’t guarantee success alone. Your child must also have the intrinsic motivation and passion to continue to invest in their talents without you. This often requires instilling in them the drive to live a life with purpose.
This combination is the key to maximize your chance for raising a child that reaches his or her potential.