Dominate Strengths and Mimimize Weakness

As a leader, your task is to hire the best people you can, motivate them, and give them all the tools needed for them to become the very best possible. This means also putting them in a position where they can become great and highlight their strengths and at the same time, eliminate any chance of failing by reducing weaknesses. Sounds good and easy but the reality is this: Very few do it right!

You have to know exactly what the person can do and can not do; what drives the person and what demotivates the person; what kind of personality type you have. Some questions to ask:

• Am I understanding each person's strengths and weaknesses?
• Am I putting each person in the best position to succeed?
• Do I hold people accountable for their very best?
• Am I making each person's weaknesses irrelevant?
• Do I hire in a time of need or position of domination?
• Do I review frequently to make sure the team members are in the right spots?

Some examples I have come across: A person was hired and placed as a manager in a retail operation but the problem was that the person did not like dealing with the public. A person hired for sales but after doing a profile test, the person hated selling. A person was hired to assist in office management and some general accounting but the person was a mile away from being detailed.

The only exception to this is with character and integrity. If a person is weak on these, you can not hide them. There is simply no place for them in your organization.

Do a candid review today of your staff and the positions they are in. Like a coach, your job is to acquire the best talent out there and put them in a position to win! In fact I can argue, its your most important job. Again, easy to say but hard to do.