Blog

It sounds like a saying on a motivational poster, but research shows that building on your natural talents is a far more effective way to get where you want to be in life. It’s also a more efficient way to build your team, your department, and your organization. Investing in talents happens when we add the knowledge, skills, and experience that allow individuals to practice and perfect the things they’re already good at or show early signs of aptitude for. 

Every organization is looking for ways to improve and to rise above the competition. A vast amount of research has shown that, across industries and job types, employees have many workplace needs in common. But something is being lost between the knowing and the doing. Between the mountains of compelling data and the integration of these proven practices into our organizations.

Doing more with less is the norm in most organizations. We’re asking a lot of our employees, our managers, and our leaders. Unfortunately, most of the emphasis has been on working harder, not smarter. Burnout is the typical result of this well-intentioned approach to keeping our organizations running on high-stress, extra-effort mode. The alternative is leveraging our human capital in a more intentional, informed way that honors the unique talents of the individuals we employ. It’s not new… w...

There is no question that employee engagement is a large issue. Over half of the nation’s employees are looking for the next opportunity somewhere else. Breaks are becoming more frequent, time is skimmed off both ends of the work day, and turnover feels like the new normal. It doesn’t have to be this way. If we as leaders focus on removing barriers to engagement, our employees are then free to focus on relationships with customers, innovations, and continuous improvements to our organization.

Good leaders identify strengths, develop them, and place employees where those strengths can be used fully.