If you could travel in time...

... and if you could only meet one person!

Whom would you choose to meet?

I bet you've heard that question before. I bet you've thought about it. Maybe, you've answered it. Maybe other people have told you their choices? Maybe you've heard choices like Jesus and Einstein...I once read those were the top 2 choices when North Americans were asked that question. [Certainly, I have considered those choices.]

So many great people...it would be so tough to choose.

Probably, if I had the opportunity I would choose Lord Nelson, the flamboyant heart of the British Navy during its heyday...or maybe it would be Sitting Bull...or Cleopatra...or...

Maybe I would choose the great Roman philosopher and statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero?

What an interesting fellow!

Cicero: Prior to his execution/assassination, legend has it, he looked his assassin in the eye and said something like "There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly." Then he offered his neck for the killing blow. Like Lord Nelson, Cicero illustrated courage in his last actions and words.

Marcus Tullius Cicero¹ was a successful lawyer and champion of constitutional law.

Cicero left us a long list of meaningful and memorable quotes.

Cicero, a little over 2000 years ago, created the classic Six Mistakes of Man.

The Six Mistakes of Man²

1. The illusion that personal gain or advancement is made up of crushing others.
2. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.
3. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it.
4. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences.
5. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind and not acquiring the habit of reading and study.
6. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.

Footnote:

1. Cicero: the origin of this family name is the 'chickpea'...an old and important crop. Probably, Cicero's ancestors' family business was growing chickpeas. 
2. There are several different interpretations, using slightly different words to convey these 'Six Mistakes of Man' messages. I have blended them.

The great Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Our strength grows out of our weaknesses".

Ralph Waldo Emerson isn't a fellow I would want to debate. Well...let me re-state that. Actually, I would love the opportunity to exchange ideas with Emerson even if the only way to do it was debating him. And, I recognize the likelihood of me winning a debate with Emerson would be pretty close to absolute zero.

I know...more information than you needed...I could not help myself because I rarely disagree with the wisdom Ralph Waldo Emerson put to paper.

...back to the topic of Strengths and weaknesses.

Specifically, I am writing about Strengths and weaknesses people exhibit in workplaces...this is about business.

Speaking about my personal experiences and my observations of other people, I do not believe people's strengths grow out of weaknesses. I like the way the folks at and from the Gallup organization described the source of people's strengths: natural talent themes + specialized, pertinent knowledge + skills development = Strengths, where Strength is the ability to perform actions nearly perfectly almost all the time. [I have written, in some detail, about Strengths.]

The starting point for a person's Strengths is inborn, natural talent.

For the vast majority of people, Strengths are due to innate talents coupled with a lot of hard work.

***

That is not to say it is impossible to move from what we perceive as weakness to what we perceive as strength. Perhaps, Helen Keller illustrated this best. Helen Keller was born deaf and blind. She overcame these 'weaknesses' to be the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor's Degree. She authored many books. And, she served as an inspiration to millions of people. 

Even still, it is difficult for me to agree with Emerson, "Our strength grows out of our weaknesses".

When I think of Helen Keller, I think "People can do amazing things despite what other people perceive to be weaknesses". And, I think, "Embedded in Helen Keller, deeper than those perceived weaknesses of deafness and blindness, was some innate gift of talent...perhaps it was  - LEARNER". Clearly, Helen Keller also had an amazing desire to ACHIEVE.

Our Strength can grow despite our weaknesses.

Nobody can argue with that!