photo courtesy of Eduardo Schäfer, Brazil
Workplace talent can sometimes be evaluated in a subjective manner with a little bias, self-worth and ego thrown in. Reasons can be anywhere from shaking up my plans to worrying how it will reflect on what others think of me. On those occasions I have had to put my own attitude in check in order to truly utilize the talents of the individuals around me.
One such employee had a talent for bluntly calling out the elephant in the room and speaking up to say the things others were afraid to say. As a leader it could be disconcerting, just when I thought the meeting was going well I would learn just how NOT well it was going. The typical reaction to just such an employee is to wish they would leave it alone and let the meeting go smoothly, so one might be tempted to deflect the comment or put it off hoping the issue will go away.
It took a while to learn the gift is in the challenge, to see how I could possibly manage to take that talent and utilize it for what it really was. The talent she had for digging into the facts, filling me in on what folks were really thinking and for igniting discussion is what helped us grow as a team. To make her stop would have kept us from growing and me from learning that some of the most frustrating things I encounter in others can be the very things I need the most.
Leaders who are settled and comfortable in their leadership are not being challenged to grow.
Furthermore, leaders who attempt to make quiet employees who bring issues to light are not leaders at all, but managers who must control the situation around them in order to maintain their own comfort levels.
My challenge for you is this:
- Identify the most frustrating thing you find in an employee. (this does not include dangerous or bullying behaviour)
- Coach them to utilize that strength in a positive way to contribute to the team.(coaching takes time, commitment and dedication)
- Find ways to see that strength as a means of helping you grow as a leader.
What kind of things do you do to identify and utilize the talent around you?
Patti is a speaker, strategic advisor and trainer in Leadership, Customer Service and Cultural integration through Mergers and Acquisition. You can book her to speak at her personal page. Need Strategic Sense for your business? – hire us for Leadership Development of individuals, teams, group training and company strategy. Happy Workplaces Succeed, take the path to get there. (403) 201-8512
Do you think that an employee with this talent can possibly outshine you are a superior? I mean what if the boss higher than you can see what the person can do and then maybe put the person in a higher position than you.
Your job as a leader is to help employees shine, to develop them and expand their careers. The leader who does these things increases productivity and provides an atmosphere of competency and shows results. It actually reflects well on a leader when their team shines.