One common push-back to introducing a Strengths initiative is the belief that doing so will require massive change in an organization’s structure and that job descriptions will be thrown out the window.
Not so -
In fact, implementing a Strengths initiative is far less distracting than many other management concepts because it can be introduced in small bites. One department or team at a time. Performance is an individual thing.
A Strengths initiative is simple to undertake for at least two reasons:
Playing to your Strengths is something people actually yearn to do. It resonates with them. It’s common to hear employees say, “OMG, someone finally gets me” when they’re introduced to the concept.
Staff members are encouraged to find ways to apply their Strengths to jobs they are already doing. I teach them to look for “daily opportunities to use your Strengths doing what you are paid to do.”
Contrary to the objection, initiating a Strengths culture in an organization can be as simple as teaching people to recognize activities that strengthen and nourish them—and then letting them find ways to boost their own performance by doing something they do best, every day.
