Play to Your Strengths

As a child, I didn't like school. In elementary school, my grades werewell below average. Unable to read until 4^th grade, I thought I wasdumb. My parents were so concerned they put me in a private school in 5^thgrade. In this environment, my performance improved and came up to grade level.

Mid-year, my teacher Mr. Holly scheduled a parent-student conferenceto talk about my progress. The purpose of the conference was to discuss theresults of my standardized tests. Mr. Holly pointed at a graph that ranflat-line at the 6^th grade level until he reached ‘readingcomprehension'. Suddenly the graph flew off the page. I tested at the 12^th grade level!That was the first time I had any inkling there was something I didexceptionally well.

Soon the test score was forgotten and I plugged along in school,mainly receiving C's. My high school guidance counselor told me I was notcollege material and advised me to enroll in a vocational school. Luckily, I ignoredher advice and found a college that would take an average student.

Following graduation, I became an elementary teacher. I likededucation but found the classroom confining. So I decided to become a guidancecounselor. But this meant graduate school. Now I had to find a university thatwould accept me into their graduate school program.

Finally I found a school and entered their graduate program incounseling psychology. From that point on, I soared all the way throughgraduate school and earned a masters degree and later a Ph.D. For the firsttime in my life, school was easy. I loved it and maintained a solid 4.0average.

What happened? I had discovered a subject area that intrigued me andthat I was naturally good at learning. I stumbled upon my talents. Now I'vebuilt a career by leveraging the talents that come easily and naturally to me.

Play toYour Strengths® Principles

Like me, you and your employees have natural talents. In my work I'vediscovered the quickest way to improve performance and results is to freepeople up to do what they do best. Focusing on talents is the magic bullet forpeak performance. Here are 5 principles of success:

Principle #1: Every Person Has Unique Strengths

Every individual on your team has unique strengths. When you tap intothese strengths, you improve effectiveness and results. You also increase theenergy and enthusiasm of employees. At one time or another, we've allexperienced the rush of energy that comes from working on a project that playsto our strengths. We may stay late at work and get too little sleep at night,but our energy level still remains high. Put simply, when a project capturesour interests, we have energy to spare.

As a strength-focused leader you pay more attention to what is going rightthan what is wrong. You do challengemediocrity and confront performance issues. But you don't waste time trying tofix what you can't change. You refuse to waste time or money on developmentactivities that go nowhere.

Principle #2: Help Employees Recognize Their Strengths

Our talents have been with us since birth. Talents are the skills weare naturally adept at doing. You'll always know when you've identifiedsomeone's talent correctly because they'll say, " "Oh, It's easy, or "It's nobig deal." Realize when employees say, "It's no big deal" - that this is theirtalent showing up. As a leader, it's important to let employee know when yousee their talents in action. Without feedback employees are blind to ourtalents.

Principle #3: Leveraging Strengths - and Minimize Weaknesses

Too many leaders have the notion that employees should be wellrounded. Knowledge workers are typically not that well rounded. They arespecialists in specific areas. Their talents come in all different shapes andsizes. The goal of developing employees is to leverage their strengths - ratherthan create a prototype of the ideal employee.

When employees take on a new job, they're full of enthusiasm and lookforward to the new challenge. But over time they inherit tasks that are notaligned with their talents and abilities. Without proactive attention totalents, employees can drift away from what they love. Staying grounded in ourtalents makes it easier to learn new things, accept criticism, and addressweaknesses. Help employees recognize their talents and stay true to these coreabilities.

Principle #4: Manage the Flip Sideof Strengths

All strengths have a flip side. Whenever you see an outstandingstrength, also realize it can be trouble if overused. One employee might be avisionary, but clueless about immediate actions needed to achieve the vision.Another individual may have a talent for order and structure but have troublebeing flexible and adaptable. The physician who excels in surgery may havetrouble relating to hospital staff. One of your employees might be the socialglue at your office, but inept at getting projects done. Discovering talents should be balanced by therecognition of their flip side.

Principle #5: Seek Feedback on Strengths

One-on-one meetings and performance reviews are too often abouttallying weaknesses rather than helping employees discover and develop theirstrengths. Managers are quick to share bad news and criticism. But when leaders assume that employees aredoing well, they don't offer feedback.

In reality, employees actually needmore feedback on what they are doing right.

Remember, most employees are blind to their talents. They may not seethe positive impact they are having. Strength feedback helps employeesrecognize their contribution to the organization. Once they know what works,they can do it again, deliberately.

Topics

• Managing Talents and Career