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Only 14% of employees believe performance reviews inspire them to improve. Using a strengths-based approach helps people to be happier, manage their stress, and accomplish organizational goals
Imagine the engagement and output of your firm if each employee is “in the zone” or gets to use their strengths at work every day. Gallup research found a direct correlation with higher levels of performance, profitability and productivity for employees who use their strengths at work.
Tom Rath, author of StrengthsFinder 2.0 explains . . . “You cannot be anything you want to be — but you can be a lot more of who you already are.”
To identify your strengths, it’s important to understand the interplay between knowledge (information/context /self-awareness), skills (ability to apply knowledge gainfully), talent (recurring pattern of skills) and strengths (consistent near-perfect performance of skills).
Institutionalize strengths-based development. HBR suggests five practices for noticing and capitalizing on everyday opportunities for development. The greatest growth happens when we are on a good-to-great journey.
"Work With Strengths To Enhance Organizational Happiness Index" by Kumar Abhishek, in Forbes
To identify your strengths:
The VIA Survey of Character Strengths is a free self-assessment that takes less than 15 minutes and provides a wealth of information to help you understand your best qualities. VIA Reports provide personalized, in-depth analysis of your free results, including actionable tips to apply your strengths to find greater well-being.
At a firm level, use a strengths-based approach to performance management and professional development
Beginning a performance review by discussing an employee's strengths sends a very different message. Most people prefer to talk about what they like to do. And steering the discussion toward what they naturally do well (as opposed to what they do poorly) builds a better relationship between managers and employees.
How to use strengths for performance
- Define success first.
- Understand that each person is different.
- Include strengths in important work conversations prior to performance reviews.
- Help managers think about their own strengths during coaching conversations and performance reviews.
- Use performance planning that helps employees use their strengths more often.
- Focus feedback on what employees are doing well, rather than on their mistakes.
- Consider how performance issues may be strengths issues in disguise.
- Focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past.
- As much as possible, recraft roles, tasks and responsibilities to fit strengths.
- Review team strengths and partnerships.