Think for a minute…

What’s your LEAST favorite type of communication?

For example, do you dislike networking events?

Or speaking in front of a crowd?

Or explaining the same exact process, over and over?

We all have certain types of interactions that exhaust us. These conversations require so much energy that we leave them feeling drained. Like quicksand.

Yet we’re not all the same. An interaction that exhausts you will energize someone else on your team.

There’s a reason why.

When you unlocked your Fascination Advantage®, you learned that your primary Advantage is the type of communication that leaves you feeling energized.

You also discovered that your dormant Advantage leaves you feeling drained.

It’s crucial to understand the difference. You don’t have to “fix” your dormant Advantage. But it helps to have a plan for tackling the tasks that require you to communicate that way.

Depending on your dormant Advantage certain interactions come more easily than others. Here’s what I mean…

If you have:

• Dormant Innovation: You dislike new and unproven ideas. Your predictability is why people depend on you.
• Dormant Passion: Instead of connecting with others based on feelings, you connect on ideas, discussions and intellectual debates.
• Dormant Power: You build consensus in a group, and don’t like to force your opinions on others.
• Dormant Prestige: Rather than intimidating or pushing others to reach the next level, you communicate with a grounded, peer-to-peer attitude.
• Dormant Trust: You love to explore new ideas and invent fresh solutions. You’re frustrated by rigid procedures.
• Dormant Mystique: You are expressive, open, and candid. People know where they stand with you.
• Dormant Alert: Details exhaust you. Instead of meticulously reading the instructions, you’d rather figure it out yourself.

How can you maximize your strong suit, and minimize your pitfalls?

My dormant Advantage is Trust. I’m exhausted by repetitive tasks and strict schedules. I can do these types of things, of course, but they’re not my highest value. Yet it’s unrealistic to think I’ll never have to apply consistency in my work.

When I find myself having to operate within a strict plan, or do a repetitive task, I follow these 3 golden rules:

Discipline ■ Delegate ■ Delete

When I recognize the activities that call upon my dormant Trust, I immediately consider how I can apply these 3 steps. Once you unlock your dormant Advantage, you can apply these too.

3 ways to avoid feeling drained by your dormant Advantage

1. DISCIPLINE:
   • Set aside time to accomplish these tasks, knowing you’ll need extra energy to finish them.
   • Use a calendar app with reminders to keep you on track.
   • Keep a checklist so that you can go through the process of crossing these tasks off.

2. DELEGATE:
   • Get to know your team members and their Fascination Advantage.
   • Find a partner who excels in the areas that exhaust you and ask for their support.
   • Explore the possibility of outsourcing these tasks.

3. DELETE:
   • Reduce these types of interactions, so you’re not put in a position to spend your energy here.

Follow this simple formula, and you can be seen at your best, and reduce your dreaded zones.

Discipline, delegate, delete.

Remember…

The goal is not to “fix” yourself, but to free yourself up to do more of what you’re already doing right.

Log back into your report here to discover your own dormant Advantage and how it affects the way you communicate.

HAVE YOU IMPLEMENTED THESE TACTICS TO GET THROUGH YOUR OWN “QUICKSAND” ACTIVITIES? TELL US ABOUT IT IN THE COMMENTS. YOU MAY HELP SOMEONE ELSE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE THEIR OWN DORMANT ADVANTAGE.