Mark C. Winters admits he's bad at marketing, project management, and people management. Recognizing those limits freed him to focus on what he's actually good at and delegate the rest. Know where you're great, know where others are greater, hand off the weak spots.
Hi everybody, it's Mark C. Winters, and I'm a visionary. And today I actually have a confession for you. So here's the deal. As a visionary, looking back, I've always thought that I could do pretty much anything. So whether it was sales or marketing, the finances, process stuff, people stuff, I pretty much thought I could do it all. And slowly, over time, with a lot of help from some other folks, I've come to realize that frankly, it's simply not true. So here's what is true. There are a few things that I am really, really good at, and there's some more things that I'm okay at with a lot of energy. And there's some other stuff that frankly I am really bad at and probably have no business being around or trying to do at any level. So what are some things that I'm not so good at? So let's take marketing. I've really tried my hand at marketing over the years and what I've come to realize is I'm just not good at it. So there's some other folks out there that I've seen and I've worked with and they're just great at it. And I watch them do things in the marketing space and I don't know how they do it. They're just like. It seems like magic to me. So that's one area that I know is not a strength of mine. Another area is project management. So through the years I've done project management and for me it just requires a tremendous amount of energy to do all the things that it requires of really being a good project manager. I see other people do it and it's just easy breezy. It's like no problem, they just, they just kind of make it happen. One more, I'll give you that I'm not so good at. And I gotta tell you, this one really hurts me. Is I not a very good manager? That just seems painful coming out of my mouth. But I've come to realize that it's really true. And frankly, people deserve great managers. And while I think I'm a good leader, I do those things well as a manager. You know, if I have too many people to try and provide good management to, I just don't do it at the level they deserve. So really one direct reports about right for me and that being the integrator. So that helps me kind of deal with the fact that that's just a reality of how I was naturally gifted. So somewhere, sometime with someone along the line, I am sure that I've tried to convince somebody that those things I just listed above are actually strengths of mine. So was I fooling myself? Was I trying to fool them? I don't know. Maybe I just didn't recognize what great looked like. But now I've had enough time and I've worked with enough people that I know what great looks like in those specific areas. And it's not me. So what that's given me is a certain amount of clarity. And I've really made a commitment that I'm going to be ruthless about making sure that I'm spending my time in those areas where it is my unique ability, where I am great and bringing people onto our team, enhancing our team with folks who are truly great in those areas where I'm not. So it's made all the difference in sort of putting that combination together. So the questions I've got for you is, are you clear? Have you come far enough down this path that you're beginning to get clear on what you're great at and what you're not? And are you willing to confess those areas where you're not as great? Alright, two things to think about. So three key things to wrap this one up. Number one, know where you're great. That's where you got to spend your time. Number two, know where you're not as great as others. Know where others are greater than you are. And number three, I want you to confess those areas where you're not as great and commit to give that stuff to other people and let them be truly great in that area. Thanks for watching. Today at Rocket Fuel Ventures, we're all about creating the most powerful visionary integrator duos on the planet. And we do that by helping you crystallize what it means to be a visionary and an integrator so you can understand if that concept can help you and if you decide it can, to get connected with your complementary counterpart and then finally maximize that relationship to make it everything it can be to help you take your company to the next level. So if you want more Rocket Fuel, please check out our website@rocketfuelnow.com and that's where you can sign up for the weekly videos like this. Be sure you're getting these on a regular basis and you can also take the assessments so you can understand as a visionary or as an integrator where your strengths lie and what the shape is of your two piece puzzles that can help you find that complementary counterpart. And finally, of course, read the book Rocket Fuel and keep those great reviews coming so until next time. Go, Rocket.
