I used to have the responsibility for interviewing and hiring employees when I was in marketing and advertising management jobs.

Two questions I used to ask interviewees were:

1) What strengths would you bring to this position?

2) Tell me one of your weaknesses.

Strengths

Most people had no problem pointing out their strengths. After all, they were trying to get the job so they were eager to point out what they had to offer.

Weaknesses

The weaknesses question on the other hand caught many people off guard. They were hesitant to shine a light on their weaknesses. My guess is they were afraid if they admitted a weakness they may not get the job.

What it all means

Actually the opposite was usually true. Number one, we all need to recognize that no one is perfect ... we all have weaknesses. Those who own up to them are being honest.

And they have the chance to overcome them and grow. Those who deny or bury them seldom grow. They remain stagnant.

And there's a marketing lesson, too

There's a lesson here for marketing and building your business, too. You have to uncover your weaknesses as well as your strengths if you want to be successful. Just because you don't acknowledge them doesn't mean they're not there.

Learn and grow ... yourself and your business

And once you acknowledge your weaknesses you can actually take steps to overcome them and grow. And isn't that what life and building a business are all about? Learning and growing?

(C) Copyright 2006 Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is a marketing veteran with 20 years in the business. After 13 years in the advertising and marketing agency business, Debbie founded DLC Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting and coaching business. Her goal? To give entrepreneurs and small business owners affordable access to the same high-level strategic marketing and advertising expertise that typically only large companies with big budgets can afford.

Debbie's commitment to making marketing expertise accessible to small business also led her to pursue speaking engagements and teaching. She has spoken at meetings and conventions across the United States and in Canada. She also is on the faculty of Wellcoaches Corporation, where she teaches wellness coach trainees around the world how to successfully market their new coaching practices.

Debbie has written and self-published two marketing workbooks, "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide" and "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide for Your Fitness Business" which have sold copies worldwide. Her advice is also featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's "How to Start a Personal Training Business," part of the magazine's Business Start-Up Series. And she is a contributor to the San Diego Business Journal.

Debbie created The 10stepmarketing? System to provide small business owners, coaches, consultants and other independent professionals with all the tools they need to market themselves.

This simple, step-by-step system, features an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that walks business owners through every step they need to take to develop and implement their own marketing plan designed to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

On a more personal note, Debbie LaChusa is a fraternal twin. In 2004 she launched Twin Connections, a web site that celebrates the unique and mysterious bond shared by twins. She collects twin stories and hopes to compile them into a book.