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Why Talented People Don’t Use Their Strengths

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Why Talented People Don’t Use Their Strengths
May 08, 2018

https://hbr.org/2018/05/why-talented-people-dont-use-their-strengths


Experts have long encouraged people to “play to their strengths.” And why wouldn’t we want to flex our strongest muscle? But based on my observations, this is easier said than done. Not because it’s hard to identify what we’re good at. But because we often undervalue what we inherently do well.

Often our “superpowers” are things we do effortlessly, almost reflexively, like breathing. When a boss identifies these talents and asks you to do something that uses your superpower, you may think, “But that’s so easy. It’s too easy.” It may feel that your boss doesn’t trust you to take on a more challenging assignment or otherwise doesn’t value you — because you don’t value your innate talents as much as you do the skills that have been hard-won.

As a leader, the challenge is not only to spot talent but also to convince your people that you value their talents and that they should, too. This is how you start to build a team of employees who bring their superpowers to work.

Begin by identifying the strengths of each member of your team. Some of my go-to questions are:

What exasperates you? This can be a sign of a skill that comes easily to you, so much so that you get frustrated when it doesn’t to others. I’m weirdly good at remembering names, for example, and often get annoyed with others who don’t. I have a terrible sense of direction, however, and probably irritate other people who intrinsically sense which way is north.

What compliments do you dismiss? When we’re inherently good at something, we tend to downplay it. “Oh, it was nothing,” we say — and maybe it was nothing to us. But it meant something to another person, which is why they’re thanking you. Notice these moments: They can point to strengths that you underrate in yourself but are valuable to others.

What do you think about when you have nothing to think about? Mulling over something is a sign that it matters to you. Your brain can’t help but come back to it. If it matters to you that much, maybe you’re good at it.

In group settings, I’ll also ask people why they hired so-and-so — what that person’s genius is. Rarely is this a skill listed on their résumé.

When people bring up new ideas, you can ask them, Will this leverage what you do well? Are you doing work that draws on your strengths? Are we taking on projects that make the most of your strengths?


Once each person has identified their strengths, make sure everyone remembers them. Brett Gerstenblatt, VP and creative director at CVS, has his team take a personality assessment, then post their top five strengths on their desk. Brett wants people to wear their strengths like a badge. Not to tell others why they’re great, but to remind them to use them.

Diana Newton Anderson, an entrepreneur turned social good activist, shares a story of her college basketball coach, who had her team take shots from different places on the court: the key, the elbow, the paint. He would record their percentages, and then had every person on the team memorize those percentages. This would allow the team to literally play to each other’s strengths. You can do something similar with your team.

As with McKenna-Doyle, building a team that can play to their strengths begins with analysis. Observe people, especially when they are at their best. Because some will undervalue what they do well, it may be up to you to place a value on what they do best. Understanding and acknowledging each person’s strengths can be a team-building exercise. Then you can measure new ideas, new products, and new projects against these collective superpowers, asking: Are we playing to our strengths? When people feel strong, they are willing to venture into new territory, to play where others are not, and to consider ideas for which there isn’t yet a market.

Whitney Johnson is an executive coach, speaker, and innovation thinker recently named one of the most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50. She is the author of Build an A-Team from Harvard Business Press and the critically acclaimed Disrupt Yourself. You can download the first chapter of Build an A Team here.
 
I do think it can be hard for someone to recognize their strengths, especially if you aren't receiving good, objective feedback which is necessary to identify and calibrate those strengths. I think it can also be hard to be objective about ourselves, and we learn to downplay what we're good at, either because we don't find it challenging or out if the fear of appearing boastful or immodest.

The companies mentioned at the end are doing a good thing by recognizing people's strengths, and finding a way to use them cooperatively rather than competitvely.

I think people should absolutely play to their strengths and be recognized for the value they effortlessly bring to the world, but we should also be encouraged to take on challenging opportunities that can help us grow as an individual (if we're ready). Otherwise you're just playing it safe, which can be great for a while but, you could eventually feel like something is missing and if those around you aren't supportive of your growth, you can start to feel like your "gifts" are being used and can become resentful (I've experienced this - people only start to see you one way, but you know you're multi-facted and seek the freedom to build other skills or knowledge).

Great concept and article, thanks for posting.
 
Doing anything other than your natural strengths is mostly a waste of time and energy unless it's just to break up some monotony or in some way improve your natural skills
 
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I think it's easy to play to skills and strengths a job requires, and ignore natural talents. When you are in a position where only a few or some of your natural talents or skill sets are used, you may unintentionally ignore the development of others because they are not required. I think that's why many people are overlooked or underestimated because specific skill sets are seen as more important than others. They may set aside their natural talents because it's not the most required or necessary skill for the job or roles they have in their lives. But it's like a music instrument. If you don't play and practice, you may never know if you can play or how far you can go.

I think it's easy to ignore your talents especially if you don't know what they are. I'm not sure if many people actually know their natural talents. I think it comes out unexpectedly for a lot of people when you're doing a task or job that makes you feel you're excelling or standing out in some way compared to other things or people. I also think there are skills that we develop so well because we use them everyday, but they are not natural talents. For example, I know one particular strength I have, that I've seen in myself consistently, and I use it regularly in my job and school, but most of the things I do in a job everyday are a matter of necessity. I do go above and beyond if I can, but it takes a lot of effort and energy, more than the average, because they are not natural talents. They require more.

I also think you can have a natural talent but not like it. Some may feel restricted by it. They are expected to do this thing so well, that everyone expects it of them, or defines them by it. They even come to hate it from doing it so much. They prefer working at something else. And sometimes, it's best to downplay a talent, because it can be abused or overused. So, I think there are good and not so good reasons to hide or not share a talent.

I also think we may want to enjoy our talent for ourselves and may not feel an interest in sharing it with others. And that's also cool. I think sometimes, we want to enjoy something that's just for us, which makes us feel good about ourselves or connects with us, our souls, passions, etc. And so, we would rather keep it private.
 
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Why Talented People Don’t Use Their Strengths
May 08, 2018

https://hbr.org/2018/05/why-talented-people-dont-use-their-strengths


Experts have long encouraged people to “play to their strengths.” And why wouldn’t we want to flex our strongest muscle? But based on my observations, this is easier said than done. Not because it’s hard to identify what we’re good at. But because we often undervalue what we inherently do well.

Yes, it is pretty easy to identify 1) strengths, 2) talent(s), and for some, 3) extraordinary abilities.

Done. Look up and around now!

Often our “superpowers” are things we do effortlessly, almost reflexively, like breathing. When a boss identifies these talents and asks you to do something that uses your superpower, you may think, “But that’s so easy. It’s too easy.” It may feel that your boss doesn’t trust you to take on a more challenging assignment or otherwise doesn’t value you — because you don’t value your innate talents as much as you do the skills that have been hard-won.

As a leader, the challenge is not only to spot talent but also to convce your people that you value their talents and that they should, too. This is how you start to build a team of employees who bring their superpowers to work.

Begin by identifying the strengths of each member of your team. Some of my go-to questions are:

What exasperates you? This can be a sign of a skill that comes easily to you, so much so that you get frustrated when it doesn’t to others. I’m weirdly good at remembering names, for example, and often get annoyed with others who don’t. I have a terrible sense of direction, however, and probably irritate other people who intrinsically sense which way is north.

What compliments do you dismiss? When we’re inherently good at something, we tend to downplay it. “Oh, it was nothing,” we say — and maybe it was nothing to us. But it meant something to another person, which is why they’re thanking you. Notice these moments: They can point to strengths that you underrate in yourself but are valuable to others.

What do you think about when you have nothing to think about? Mulling over something is a sign that it matters to you. Your brain can’t help but come back to it. If it matters to you that much, maybe you’re good at it.

In group settings, I’ll also ask people why they hired so-and-so — what that person’s genius is. Rarely is this a skill listed on their résumé.

When people bring up new ideas, you can ask them, Will this leverage what you do well? Are you doing work that draws on your strengths? Are we taking on projects that make the most of your strengths?


Once each person has identified their strengths, make sure everyone remembers them. Brett Gerstenblatt, VP and creative director at CVS, has his team take a personality assessment, then post their top five strengths on their desk. Brett wants people to wear their strengths like a badge. Not to tell others why they’re great, but to remind them to use them.

Diana Newton Anderson, an entrepreneur turned social good activist, shares a story of her college basketball coach, who had her team take shots from different places on the court: the key, the elbow, the paint. He would record their percentages, and then had every person on the team memorize those percentages. This would allow the team to literally play to each other’s strengths. You can do something similar with your team.

As with McKenna-Doyle, building a team that can play to their strengths begins with analysis. Observe people, especially when they are at their best. Because some will undervalue what they do well, it may be up to you to place a value on what they do best. Understanding and acknowledging each person’s strengths can be a team-building exercise. Then you can measure new ideas, new products, and new projects against these collective superpowers, asking: Are we playing to our strengths? When people feel strong, they are willing to venture into new territory, to play where others are not, and to consider ideas for which there isn’t yet a market.

Whitney Johnson is an executive coach, speaker, and innovation thinker recently named one of the most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50. She is the author of Build an A-Team from Harvard Business Press and the critically acclaimed Disrupt Yourself. You can download the first chapter of Build an A Team here.

Oh God, they do!

"I am my object of study."

I've seen some brilliant people waste themselves for years.
 
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I'm reminded of these:

41D%2BY00VKZL._SX338_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


004_ruiz.jpg
 
A lot of times lack of ambition in the workforce plays a role. For many talented or original thinkers comes a plethora of eccentricities a lot of times. Being really good at something is not the "end all, be all"

Getting a group people/team who have solid skill sets in several areas is best imo. You specialize all your shit with Becky and she leaves. Now what? But a team of workers who can switch jobs in a round robin kind of way...do different jobs on different projects, interchange

Now, that's a team
 
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Interesting... plus it gives me some perspective on how "normal" people function.

I actually do more at work (projects beyond my pay grade, constant learning) but have learned to rely on myself as there is no team (usually) with avpd. However there was a time where my team was two good friends and we did do a ton by figuring out who is good at what and trying to balance the work load that way.

Doing anything other than your natural strengths is mostly a waste of time and energy unless it's just to break up some monotony or in some way improve your natural skills

True but my natural skills are 90% reduced (ok less very recently) so it becomes more of a "it's all going to suck so might as well do it anyway" argument.
 
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How about outside of work? (Unless you are a professor, published writer, in other words, your career is your passion)

If a job bores me, I will meet minimum requirements, but I consider anything above proficiency a waste of energy.
 
More like it's there to keep me busy so I don't notice reality too much though it has some perks. Hmmm there is no outside of work usually since the way my avpd works is that while single fun is impossible - so I have to find yet more work to do. Outside of work then would be doing research (astrology but many other things) and working on various projects. This last one seems to be paying off in an unexpected way which is a nice bonus.

This job has no minimum requirements, it's all over the place, which is a big plus. I just use it as an opportunity to learn something new (to later use in my own projects.)
 
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