Founder/CEO, Berman Leadership | Guiding executives and teams to expand their influence and impact systematically
On another thread, we’ve been having an interesting conversation about strengths-focused assessment and coaching. I’ve always talked with clients about “leveraging strengths,” Morgan Hembree, PsyD, MBA. I coach people to look at their strengths and think about how to do it bigger, better, or faster. I think that really good managers are less likely to look for something an employee is bad at and put them in a stretch assignment. They are much more likely to look for what you are already good at and give you the opportunity to do it at a more difficult or complex level. What’s your experience? Challenge people to be better at good things or get decent at areas of weakness?
Not a question of "Should I adopt a strength-based approach or focus on developing weaknesses?" Approach with Both/And. The critical starting point = an accurate understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses. With strengths: (1) think about where and how you can fully leverage them, (2) pay attention to overplayed strengths - often doing more damage than weaknesses, and (3) where can you use your strengths to improve on targeted weaknesses. With weaknesses: (1) with some, look to avoid or compensate for - eg bad at creativity, delegate creative tasks to others, or bad at strategic thinking, involve others who have that expertise, and (2) where you have the motivation devote time and energy to developing new skills around a mission critical weakness. And know that sometimes the goal is not to turn a weakness into a strength, but to turn something you are really poor at into something you are OK at.
Strengths seem to be contextual and temporal in nature, and perhaps more importantly, are often self-determined. The flaws associated with the strengths approach seem damning, yet it appeals to the masses. Should we be promoting pop psychology or what research tells us about executive coaching?
Craig Murdie
1mo
Too many people get stuck in the daily grind of their inbox, to do list, meeting schedule etc. and being good at your role doesn’t always mean you’re using your natural strengths. That’s why I sometimes work with people to rediscover these strengths, and to see where they’re being under-used. Conversely, every single “weakness” I’ve encountered actually comes from over-using a strength, or applying it in the wrong situation. This can be a great frame for a conversation to boost self-awareness and motivation. But it’s not the be-all-and-end-all of someone’s personality -people are far more complicated and interesting than that.
Dr Paul Turner
1mo
Based on my experience strengths are often overplayed resulting in derailing behaviour. In my opinion the polarisation of strengths and weaknesses adds no benefit or value to the development discussion. There is often a thin line between the two.
Karen Tiller
1mo
A strength over used can become a weakness. Need to also focus on opportunities to grow forward and recognize when others can help if a weakness is evident.
Mike Stern
1mo
“Sometimes a weakness is using a strength to excess”
Great perspective
Martin Collinson
1mo
It's clearly not an either/or. The obvious answer is that it depends. Ignoring weaknesses would be stupid. Not playing to strengths where appropriate would be equally stupid.
Consulting Psychologist | Trusted Advisor | Change Agent | Adventurer | Fitness Nerd
1moSince I’m called out directly here… 😂 Bill B. I think strengths are important, meaningful, and essential to success. However, I typically coach people to build out their “tool belt”. No strength is applicable in every situation, just like you don’t use a hammer every time you have a home project. I’d encourage leaders to know their strengths and their development areas (often strengths overused) and consistently iterate towards a versatile approach that enables them to flex to the needs in the moment.