I was born left-handed. One of my teachers saw being a lefty as a condition that needed to be fixed. With overwhelming enthusiasm, they began “investing” in me, forcing me to use my right hand, especially for writing. Instead of being encouraged to focus on strengths I already had, I was pushed to change. The result: I lost the ability to write with my left hand, and unfortunately my right-hand script is still a total disaster.
Although this happened a few decades ago, I often recognize the same approach today when I listen to some managers. After performance review season, they ask me the same question: What did we do wrong? During the last review we pointed out the employee’s weaknesses; we provided them with training; and we had numerous conversations. But this year’s review shows how little change has occurred.
The employee is losing confidence and motivation, and the atmosphere in the organization is getting worse. Why? Because the focus is on overcoming a weakness instead of enhancing a strength.
Three Reasons for Under-performing:
- Lack of knowledge
- Lack of experience
- Personal quality
Lack of knowledge and experience are outside their control. If an organization wants its staff to grow as professionals, it must provide the necessary training, opportunities for experience, and a motivating environment.
It is a completely different story when it comes to the personal qualities of each individual employee. We are who we are, and it is almost impossible to force a fundamental change, and often causes an opposite effect.
For instance, you have on your team an excellent machine operator, with many years of experience, reliable and hard working. You decide that they will be a perfect leader. What you forgot to consider is that they prefer to work alone! After a while, you see that their team doesn’t perform any better. You put them through leadership training and assign them books to read. Unfortunately, they remain the same lone wolf they always were, and they are not getting any closer to becoming an effective leader. As a result, your organization lost twice: no skilled leader and now an unhappy, dissatisfied employee.
Bottom line: Don’t ask a person with an incredible eye for the smallest details – who has no imagination – to provide you with continuous improvement ideas; don’t expect an introverted individual to become your best salesperson; forget about converting a talkative employee into a silent statue.
Focus on employees’ strengths and find ways to use them to the advantage of both the individual and the business.