What are you amazing at?

In a meeting this week, someone asked me "What are you amazing at? Like, truly amazing?"  The question threw me off,  mostly because of the setting - it wasn't the sort of meeting in which I would have expected that question. 

(For what it's worth, and in case any of you readers might have been in that meeting,  I'm happy that I was asked.)

Frankly, I stumbled through my answer.  Even after several recent interviews for a new position during which I spoke a lot about myself.  And after working on articulating my story and my skills and my core competencies and all of those branding things which I have learned (somewhat reluctantly) to work on.

I can tell you what I'm good at.  I can tell you what I'm bad at.  But amazing?  To highlight one thing?  That's more difficult.

But so very crucial.  For ourselves, and for our organizations.

We need to be able to articulate quickly what is at the very top of our skill pyramids.  It's quicker, and sharper, than an elevator speech.  It becomes both more complicated and more important as the entire nonprofit world becomes more networked and more about working collaboratively with partners.  That very connectedness forces us to be able to pinpoint exactly what makes us stand out.

In Judaism this week, we read the story of Noah.  Most of us from western religious traditions know it.  Noah does one thing, right?  He builds that ark.  He doesn't, as this video suggests, go help his neighbors.  He doesn't try to stop the rain.  He listens, measures, and builds.

Maybe Noah should have done more.  Probably, even.  But even if he had, we might likely still remember him for that one thing.  That ark.  If someone asked him what he was amazing at, he could tell you.  Me, I haven't quite found my ark, but I'm having fun defining it, for myself, and for the amazing organization I have the privilege to work for.