🤔 Dear Lewis, how do I answer the weakness question?

The "perfectionist" answer to the weakness question is career suicide—here's the framework top executives use to turn vulnerability into their biggest interview advantage.

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Here we are again, my friends, back for another episode of real-world coaching. Today's tale is about weakness—not the physical kind, but the interview kind. The kind that makes capable executives clam up and reach for canned answers that fool precisely no one.

The Perfectionism Trap

"So I just tell them I'm a perfectionist," Shriann (not her real name) says, leaning back during our mock interview session.

She's the former CEO of a promising AI startup that hit the rocks when venture capital dried up faster than desert rain. Now interviewing for senior roles at established tech companies, she's struggling with the weakness question.

"That's what everyone does, right?" She delivers with practiced sincerity: "'I'm such a perfectionist that sometimes I spend too much time on projects.'"

"Shriann, you've raised $7 million, built products from scratch, and navigated a team through both growth and painful downsizing. You see through BS instantly. Why would interviewers be any different?"

She shifts uncomfortably. "It's not BS. I really am—"

"A perfectionist?" I finish. "Maybe. But that's not the point. Answering with 'I'm too perfect' is like telling a date your biggest flaw is being too good-looking. It's not just transparent—it's a wasted opportunity."

Shriann stares at me. "A wasted opportunity for what? To tell them something that might make them not hire me?"

And there it is. The fear at the heart of the weakness question.

"Let me tell you something most candidates never realize," I say, leaning forward. "The weakness question isn't about the weakness. It's about your self-awareness, your honesty, and how you handle growth. It's one of the few chances in an interview to create an emotional connection through authentic vulnerability."

"So you want me to tell them I'm actually terrible at my job?" she asks, eyebrow raised.

"No, I want you to tell them you're human. And that you know it."

The REAL Framework

I grab my whiteboard marker and write:

R - Reveal a real weakness

E - Explain the potential impact

A - Actions taken to improve

L - Learning outcomes and ongoing growth

"This is how you answer the weakness question without resorting to fake perfectionism," I say. "Let me show you what I mean."

The Presidential Example

"Have you ever watched Barack Obama's interview with Katie Couric?" I ask.

Shriann shakes her head.

"Let me show you how a master handles this question."

I pull up the transcript:

Katie Couric: "What one personal flaw do you think might hinder your ability to be president?"

Barack Obama: "I don't think there's... a flaw that would hinder my ability to function as president. I think that all of us have things we need to improve. You know, I said during the primary that my management of paper can sometimes be a problem."

Couric: "You can come up with something better than that, though, can't you?"