Working within your strength zone

All employees should be working within their strength zone so why is it that so many organizations fail to recognize this fact?

We all have strengths, areas of opportunities, and weaknesses. There are multiple assessments available on the market that identify these and often these are used during retreats or off-site team building events but when we get back to the workplace they usually find their way to the desk drawer, never to be seen again, so what was the point? Whether it is Myers-Briggs, Strength finders, True colors, DISC, or any of the other popular assessments, they are only as good as the follow up and action that follows the results.

When you think about your own strengths, how much time do you spend daily working in that zone? For most people I would estimate that it is less than 50% of your day and I guarantee that you would be far more productive if this figure was 80-100%, would you agree?

When you are working on tasks that use your strengths you feel happier and therefore will produce better results. The reverse is true when we are working on tasks that we really do not enjoy. We do it because we have to. Therefore they will take longer to complete and the results are more likely to be lower than if the task was completed by someone who did enjoy it.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." -- Steve Jobs

Most people are at work more waking hours than they are at home, so it is important to enjoy what you are doing for a living. Think about it this way: If you don't enjoy what you are doing in your recreation time do you carry on or do you find something else that is more enjoyable? Why then do we not feel that this is as important in our careers, where we spend most of our time? As leaders, why do we not strive to put round pegs into round holes, and square pegs into square holes with our team? When you can move people from "I have to" to "I want to" with regards to their work, it is better for everyone!

As you read this article you may be thinking that this is utopia, and cannot exist in reality, but I challenge you to think differently. Yes, if nothing changes and everyone believes that good is good enough, nothing will change. However, if you make a change in your life, if you start living the way you want to instead of the way you believe that you have to, it will create a ripple effect and eventually things will change. It is like an ocean liner, it cannot turn on a dime, it takes time to move the direction of these massive vessels but it is possible and it does happen every day.

Believe in yourself and open your mind to new possibilities. Identify your strengths and work towards a career or job that utilizes them so that you can maximize your potential. If you have a team, do the same for them. Take time to understand what makes them tick, where their strengths lie, and then structure their day so that they are working within their strength zone.

If you want to know more about how I can help guide your organization through change management towards a culture where everyone wants to come to work every day, you can download my brand promise brochure here.

You can also email me at [email protected] or click here to set up a free 30-minute discovery call where we can discuss your current challenges and opportunities in order to identify a plan to maximize your potential.