5 steps to FINDING your people’s strengths.

My last article (https://www.kristinmartinezconsulting.com/blog/2019/4/24/finding-your-teams-strenghts) was great for those of you who learn by situation.  I know I am a situational learner.  I like to see things applied, but I also realize that the way I apply these skills isn’t the only way to apply them.  So, I want to give an easy 5 step process to finding functional strengths in the people you work with and the people who work under you.  Using a strengths based, individual approach to management will CHANGE your life.  Now, this is just a very small piece of an entire system and approach; however, will give you a new perspective on your people.

Step 1: Start with questions about what they like, who they are, and what they believe their purpose is.

Ask them what they are good at or even what they like to do.  If you’ve got a highly talented person, you may even ask them what their purpose is in life.

Step 2: Ask them to tell you more.

Take something you found interesting about what they said.  Perhaps something that caught your attention about their experience, and ask them to tell you more.  For example, if your staff mentioned that they feel like running marathons is an example of human endurance.  Ask them to share with you why they find that important or why they connect with that.

This can be repeated in the conversation until you find something that could be adapted and applied to the work environment (most things can be applied, with a little creativity, and abstract problem solving).

Step 3: Explore what makes them excited about what you have discovered.

This question is all about feeling and emotion.  You want to know why and how this person is motivated, and what they need to feel motivated.  Some people are motivated by sadness or injustice while others motivated by accomplishment and praise.  Find what makes them tick.

Step 4: Start a conversation about how they think what you all just learned can be used.

This is the part of the conversation when your motives come out.  In this part of the conversation you want to take that staff who loves to see humans progress to their limits, and who is motivated by breaking goals and feeling accomplished to the next level.  You want to ask them how this pertains to work, and how they see their job as fitting (or not fitting) into the framework.  Then it’s a conversation and problem solving conversation until you can successfully find how it can be applied.

Step 5: Ask how you can support using these skills on the team and in the work place. 

This last step is about responsibility, accountability and relationship.  Placing all of the responsibility on the staff is unrealistic.  They need to have ample emotional support and physical resources to apply and carry through with the plan.  Perhaps they see a think tank team, or a focus group helping them to accomplish goals- we need to trust what they say they need, and follow through with providing them the tools they need for success.  Then step out of the way, and let them do their magic.

Finding strengths is just one part of developing role clarity in team development.  You can check out how to build role clarity in this blog: https://www.kristinmartinezconsulting.com/blog/5-steps-to-developing-role-clarity-within-teams, and stay tuned for the 6 other team development factors for success!

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