While people are usually quick to cite their strengths, they also tend to gloss over their weaknesses. However, a good manager will be as aware of their weaknesses as they are of their strengths.

The American Korn Ferry management consulting firm has identified that 70 per cent of all leaders fall into four types, with descriptors that capture both strengths and limitations:

• The driven expert (a ‘smarty pants’)
• The principled partner (a ‘steady Eddie’)
• The charismatic advocate (a ‘wheeler and dealer’)
• The enterprising cultivator (a ‘people magnet’).

For example, according to this categorisation, a ‘driven expert’ would be self-confident and a respected expert in his or her field, but may have lower than average interpersonal skills. An ‘enterprising cultivator’ would be people-oriented and inspiring, but may lack strategic skills or not be as aware when looking for new challenges. A ‘charismatic advocate’ may be business savvy, but lack organisational skills, while the trustworthy and credible ‘principled partner’ is unlikely to drive transformational change readily. 

The Korn Ferry Institute encourages individuals to compare themselves against these four main leadership types as a means of reviewing their own strengths and weaknesses and as part of a process of building self-awareness.