Deep

I was recently chatting with someone about their concerns and when it came to assessing the issues in the organization they were insightful and precise.
But when I asked them to turn that same lens on themselves, the clarity vanished. I specifically asked if they have reflected about their personal challenges and areas for development.

They listed their weaknesses as:

• Upward communication/management.

• Delegation

• Strategic thinking

These are not weaknesses; they are merely skills they haven't learned yet. This is the standard "job interview" approach to self-reflection, admitting to flaws that imply you just need more training, not a change in character.

True weaknesses are structural. They are rarely things you simply don't know how to do; they are things you are compelled to do (or avoid) because of fear, insecurity, and personal history/trauma.

If identifying a weakness doesn't make you wince, if it doesn't touch on a trauma or a deep-seated anxiety, you haven't found the root cause yet. You are just listing symptoms.