How you handle difficulties says a lot about you and how you were raised. Interviewers love to ask the questions trying to ferret out weakness. It seems to be a focus of future employers to find ways that determine how they can get the strongest candidate. Not always functional inquiries, they are almost always uncomfortable for the interviewee - and we are never quite sure, on either end, what was really gained by the exchange.
There are some employers - the people, not the companies - that seek out a weakness and then use it to manipulate a situation to their advantage. These people are hard to spot at first, but that punch that comes after trying to engage in camaraderie, and they figure out how to twist a proverbial knife every chance they get. It's up to the employee to do the right thing when really it should be both sides working together and being productive instead of classic cases of one-upmanship. (Think of all the great accomplishments if people actually focused on work instead of gossip and getting out of work!)
And then there are other leaders that may see your weakness easily and painlessly, yet become gentle mentors as to how you can reduce your weakness. It may be learning about a certain topic, but more often than not it is tutelage from their own experiences, perhaps through a lesson they learned the hard way. It becomes a work partnership - and if you've ever had the fortune to work with someone like this, your work is a pleasure and the workplace is more productive than you could ever imagine.
While the workplace is trial-and-error with strangers, home is where the foundations of skills and relationships were built, and where imagination starts surrounded by people that love you. It's where you learned how to balance the important things growing up and you now do with your children, as the chores need to be completed at certain times and board games taught you to think on your feet. There, the reason behind your mistake (child or adult) is explained, your values are lived and the right things encouraged every day in a safe environment.
People like tests and to see how they fall against others' results. Everywhere we go, we make a stronger impression with our actions than our words. Evaluate your strengths honestly, and stand up to the bullies and bad situations in the world. When you focus on the good in you, you bring more good to you. You don't know how strong you are until the time comes, but follow the advice of #21 and be your best self.
