Former Cisco CEO John Chambers On How To Make Your Weakness Your Superpower
How he took the company from $70 million to $47 billion
Admitting you have dyslexia as a CEO can be daunting. For John Chambers, it happened when he was CEO of Cisco in an unplanned moment as he responded to a child on Take Your Child to Work Day. At that moment, he wanted to reassure the young girl about her disability, but he admitted on the microphone that he was dyslexic.
That moment of vulnerability was transformative for John’s leadership and helped him realize the power of his challenges. Instead of focusing on his weakness, he could turn it into a strength and encourage others to do the same.
According to John:
“All of us have challenges in life. How you deal with your challenges, even if they’re self-inflicted, determines more who you are than how you handle your successes.”
Early in his career, John thought people wanted leaders who were superhuman and didn’t have any weaknesses. But he learned that he was wrong about that. Before he could share his weakness, he had to be comfortable with himself. But if people trust you, sharing your weakness allows them to get closer to you. After sharing about his dyslexia for the first time, John says he got more emails from that session than any other session because people understood him better and wanted to share their appreciation and similar situations.
Weaknesses bring benefits, especially for those with unique abilities and ways of thinking. John’s dyslexia gives him the strength to look at the big picture and potential outcomes and how to get there, which are valuable to successful leaders.
Instead of dwelling on his weakness or trying to hide it, John learned to balance his weakness with something even more powerful. His weakness can become a unique superpower that sets him apart. John connects the dots differently, which allows him to play 20 games of chess at a time. That way of thinking translates to his current job as CEO of JC2 Ventures, where he balances multiple startups at once because he can see their outcomes and moving pieces.
Balancing a weakness also means setting realistic expectations. John admits that he would never be able to earn an A grade in English, but he realizes that he can earn an A in any other subject because his dyslexia helps him focus and work hard. He can’t change his limitation, but he can understand how it can be applied to succeed in another area.
As leaders work to turn their weaknesses into superpowers, they can help others do the same. John says leaders can help employees manage their weaknesses and turn them into strengths by pointing out how their unique circumstances can be applied to various teams and positions. It often takes an outside perspective to show someone how their so-called weakness can be a benefit if they’re in the right place. By understanding employees individually and moving people around to new positions and responsibilities, employees can apply their strengths and weaknesses in new areas, and leaders can get the most out of their people.
Weaknesses shouldn’t be ignored or hidden. They can become transformative superpowers to set you apart and help you grow as a leader.
