Everyone struggles with the thought of competition, especially when it comes to business. Finding what separates you from the rest can be a defining moment in your career, and lead to the ultimate success of your business. Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and what defines you as both an individual and a collective in your business, can be valuable assets. We have compiled a list of resources for you to gain a better understanding of your own personality traits, learning style, and motivations, so you can get a better grasp on what sets you apart from competitors, as well as gain a deeper understanding of yourself.
Personality
Questionnaires such as the one offered by www.16personalities.com is a great starting place if you’re seeking a way to understand your personality ‘type’. For example, you can learn if you’re more introverted or extroverted, and why you may react to certain situations due to personality traits.
Having a good understanding of your personality, your perspective on general concepts of life, or your mentality in certain situations can be very helpful when it comes to networking or team work. By understanding yourself better, you are also able to cope more effectively during times of change or while dealing with situations that may not align with some of your key personality traits. For example, if you are required to attend a group networking event, but you know you are uncomfortable in large groups due to your introverted personality, you will be able to find introvert-specific help and resources so that you can prepare in a way that works for you.
Learning Style
If you are looking for a way to level up your brand or services, taking on a new skill is a great way to do so. The first step in this process is to understand how you learn, so you can learn your desired skill(s) effectively and efficiently. One way you can do this is by taking career quizzes online, through websites such as this one on the government of Canada website.
Some great options, if you’re looking to build more ‘quick’ skills, are aiming for things like strengthening your public speaking or communication skills. This can be done through programs such as Toastmasters. Or you could focus on boosting your social media presence and marketing expertise with online courses that feature a more timely approach to learning. Courses offered online, such as the TVL VA course, are great for people who want to learn transferable skills in a short period of time, but still want that certifiable course and confidence behind them. However, these courses and learning resources work best if you already know your learning style and your capability for online learning.
Motivation
Understanding your motivation in your brand or business largely comes from understanding your ‘why’ or what got you to where you are today. This is what tends to separate you from the rest in your field, and is what you will want to focus on a lot of the time, in order to draw in customers. According to psychologist David McClelland, there are three primary motivators: achievement, affiliation, and power/influence. By understanding what your motivation is behind your professional and personal life and relationships, you gain a better grasp on how to achieve fulfillment in your life. For instance, if you are motivated primarily by affiliation, a fulfilling life will involve many teams and relationships with others, so you could focus on searching these out in your career and personal life. You can take a quiz to find out your primary motivator here.
The VRIO Strategy
This is a strategy aimed more at the business side of things; it was adapted for organizations seeking to categorize their assets based upon specific traits outlined in the framework. The acronym stands for value, rarity, imitability, and organization, and these are the four traits a certain asset could have. Having all four conveys a perfect and sustainable competitive advantage for that asset. The VRIO strategy is incorporated into business strategy, consciously or otherwise, to establish one’s brand and gain customer loyalty and business. You can use it to assess your VA services (or anything else about your business) to better understand what distinguishes you from competitors and whether or not you can maintain that advantage. Read more about it in our Understanding the VRIO Framework blog post.
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