Clifton and Nelson (1992) suggested if society focused primarily on each person’s strengths and employed them in a job that capitalizes on their strengths more people, and businesses would be successful and efficient. If a company is to ascribe to this model, they must hire the right people; individuals with strengths that match the job for which they are hired. Clifton & Nelson (1992) agreed that our unique talents are significant to success. Each person brings unique talents and skills such as creativity, organization, or networking. Since so many jobs now require a combination of human resource skills, work experience, and technical competence, employees should be matched with jobs where the strengths can shine and be reinforced (Sullivan, 2012). Nonetheless, success in hiring a qualified applicant is irrelevant, if there is an absence of a qualified manager or leader who understands the importance of capitalizing on strengths.
Managers and leaders are responsible for not only leading others, but they should also possess the ability to identify and enrich the skills, and talents of their employees. Clifton and Nelson (1992) are quite correct in their observation that companies and individuals often focus on their weaknesses rather than their strengths. The purpose of the employee selection process is to find the individual whose strengths best match those required for an open position. A manager’s or leader’s ability to identify employee strengths is more advantageous than focusing on employee weaknesses.
The Flaws of Focusing on Weaknesses
The benefits of focusing on talents are enormous in comparison to the current focus on flaws. “The study of failure can give misleading clues about what to emphasize in improvin...
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
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A bad book, so-called, has just as much to teach us as a good book. It is often a far better teacher than any work that is uniformly artful, where excellence disguises the nuts and bolts of craft. A bad book also teaches us something a better book cannot: humility. Not the humility of resignation — that of admitting that we will never be very good at what we do, no matter how earnestly we try. Such humility can easily morph into the indulgent self-flagellation that either demands the commiseration of friends or brings our vocation to a standstill, where thereafter we are those people who petulantly claim we “could have been
Leaders don’t have the availability and expertise to know all much less do all in the business world. Knowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses is beneficial to become an effective leader. This understanding allows a superior to know, when they can effectively deal with a situation or when one of their colleagues or subordinates would be better suited to handle the situation. Moreover, this information allows for the boss’ own personal growth and mentorship of others.
In the lecture presentation by Dr Homes (Homes) he discussed how the strength-finder is a tool that he uses in his operations to help and identify strengths that both compliment and fill missing gaps. These assessments help identify compatibility. Compatibility includes your co-workers, superiors, subordinates and other in the work place but also in your personal life. He discussed the need to understand the strength of others so that we can relate to them better. And by relating better, we are able to manage, motivate and lead them better. He clearly articulated the value of the strength finder assessment for better leadership.
Sorenson, Susan (2012). How Employees' Strengths Make Your Company Stronger. Gallup Business Journal, February 20, 2014.
Importantly, human capital therefore is not merely the people – but rather their potential. As a result, human capital is a critical resource for an organization.” (Hitt and Ireland, 2002). Human capital is arguably any organizations most important resource and continually adding value to that resource is critical to success. Whether by training or mentoring programs, this helps ensure that employees continue to grow and learning never stops. Also, when an employee feels that they are being invested in, then they will not only have greater knowledge, but might be more willing to go the extra mile for their company that has invested in them. Human capital is a company’s most unique resource along with the most important, because no two people are exactly the same. This sets people apart and companies apart by the employees they have, train and can ultimately keep, as headhunters are always on the lookout for talent. Evidence of this at BMW is that they provide its associates with training and benefit programs. “BMW doesn’t just hire tomorrow’s talent; we help build it. In addition to on-site training, BMW offers tuition assistance for courses taken by associates at local universities. You’re in the driver’s seat controlling your destiny, and we stand ready to help at each turn. It’s part of a corporate philosophy that includes respect for the individual and dedication to self-improvement.” (BMW Group,
Tom Rath explains in his book, StrenghtsFinder 2.0 (2007), that identifying and capitalizing on one’s strengths makes for a more fulfilled and effective employee, further benefitting the employing organization. Rath states that when in a position not utilizing our strengths, we are six times more likely to be disengaged in our work. Studies show that this disengagement or dissatisfaction carries over into our personal lives affecting our health and personal relationships.
Identifying and understanding your own personal strengths is key to being a successful leader. Knowing your strengths means you can focus your efforts to maximize results, in yourself and in others. Strengths Finder 2.0 is designed to uncover your strengths and utilize these strengths to your advantage (Rath, 2007). Identifying and applying these strengths to your leadership style, will enhance your effectiveness as a transformational leader.
There are a multitude of individuals that are exemplary in their fields, but despise their jobs. This suggests that business professionals should pinpoint their strengths and find a career that is in alignment with their capabilities. According to Ursula Burns, finding a job is not a difficult task, it’s locating the right job. As a result, business professionals should utilize their niche when seeking employment to procure a position they will enjoy for the long haul. In addition to the aforementioned statements, it is paramount for an individual to give more than they take. It is evident, that there are numerous individuals that think the only route to success entails “taking”. To remedy this skewed mentality, it is vital for a business person to recognize that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Ultimately, it is counterproductive to constantly seek better opportunities when an individual is not applying the full spectrum of their
According to Noe (2012), most experts believe that the most important human resource decision makes by a leader is deciding who to hire. Manager manages the recruitment and selection process. Selection for the best candidates for the job is very important in an organization because the performance always depends on employees, the recruiting and hiring is costly and the legal obligations like mismanaging hiring has legal consequence. The main aim of employee selection is to achieve person-job fit which is identifying the knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and competencies that are central to performing the job. The objective of effective selection is to decide who the right people are, by matching individual characteristics (ability, experience, and training) with the requirements of the job (DeRue & Morgeson, 2007; Kristof -Brown, Zimmermam, & Johnson, 2005). The manager will do checking for reliability and validity of the interviewer. In PPNJ Poultry & Meat Sdn Bhd, the people who manage the recruitment and selection process is the Human Resource department or staffs.
According to Williams, 2014, “when companies look for employees who would be good managers, they look for individuals who have technical skills, human skills, conceptual skills and the motivation to manage,” (Williams, p. 14).
In recent times, Human Resource Professional has faced a growing number of challenges in responding to the needs of the contemporary workforce and attempting to win “The War for Talent”. These include globalisation, increasing workplace diversity, technological change and an aging workforce among others. This essay will attempt to show that the three most pressing concerns the Human Resources Professional faces today in satisfying the needs of the contemporary workforce are those, of addressing skill gaps, ensuring employee wellbeing and adapting to increased workplace diversity. Companies will need, to address these three areas; in order to become “Employers of Choice”, meet the needs of their employees and achieve their Strategic Human Resource objectives and ultimately succeed in “The War for Talent”.
For managers, the key issue regarding ability is to ensure that employees have the abilities they need to perform their jobs effectively. There are three ways to manage ability in organizations to ensure this happens; selection, placement, and training. (George & Jones, 2005)
Managers should understand an employee’s skills and abilities to make an informed decision on whether or not to hire him. Once hired a manager uses skills and abilities as a deciding factor for an employee’s job placement within the corporation. Secondly, an evaluation of an employee’s personality helps the manager in his leadership approach of that employee. Thirdly, perceptions can be the deciding factor of whether or not a candidate is hired and or promoted. An individual perceived as fitting in may be hired to negotiate business deals. Particularly, if the individual shows a favorable attitude through actions and deeds and has strong values and behaves
According to him, competency-based leadership development does not just drift, however it intentionally focuses on clear career aspirations. Meanwhile, he stressed that disciplined approach to career growth will enhance the organization's performance. Lucian Cernusca and Cristina Dima (2007) in their research essay explained the concept of competency and how competency is linked to performance and one‘s career development. The authors also look into some models of competency mapping and appraisal tools for performance management. A business might possess extremely capable human resources, but they might not work on the position that suits them. This is where competency mapping and the appraisal tools come to help the HR experts choose who should work on what
Throughout my life, my strengths and weaknesses tend to gain more clarity, as I grow older. When I was younger, I did not focus too much on this part of myself. I was interested in child things. I must now use my strengths to improve my weaknesses to strengthen my faults. Several of my strengths are centered on my profession because the majority of my time is spent there. Some of my qualities are beneficial to different situations, while the other qualities hinder. Although we describe our strengths as positive attributes and our weaknesses as negative attributes, they make us who and what we are as individuals. Because of these qualities, each of us is unique in different ways. It is imp...