We succeed because of our weaknesses, not in spite of them.  With that counter-intuitive thought, David Rendall takes his audience on a funny, insightful journey through the mysteries of growing up different, coping with flaws and finding entrepreneurial success.  This video is one of the funniest, TED-like, non-TED talks I’ve seen, and I recommend it highly for David’s wit and wisdom, his energy, and some of the mistakes he makes as a speaker.

Mistakes?  Absolutely.  He’s whiny, and he paces too much.  But – thanks to David’s wise words – I can see those mistakes in a different light.  He makes the pacing part of the story, effectively, and the whininess adds to his humor.  We might not be able to take it for an hour, but for under 20 minutes it’s funny. 

Whenever I get a chance to listen to David, I come away re-charged and re-determined to view people with more patience and more appreciation for the vital connections between their strengths and weaknesses.  That’s a message that we desperately need here in America as we reach the end of a too-long, too-bitter campaign that has been all about seizing on the other guy’s weaknesses and blowing them up beyond all recognition.  Come to think of it, it’s an idea the whole world could probably use too.

We succeed because of our weaknesses, not in spite of them.  Stop pointing out other people’s flaws in a misguided effort to nag them into improving.  Instead, celebrate those flaws – because they are the flip side of the strengths that make them unique, wonderful and human. 

The message is strong and the delivery is excellent.  Take your mind off the American elections for 20 minutes and watch David’s video. 

Enjoy!

(Full disclosure:  we worked with David a few years back but couldn’t cure him of his weaknesses.)