The most spontaneous actions and reactions of people provide the clearest traces of their talents and strengths. If you want to get an immediate appreciation and understanding of people’s strengths look at what they yearn for (what they are most passionate about or interested in), what they learn most rapidly, and what satisfies them the most when they are engaged in it. As leaders, it is our responsibly to identify these in the people we lead and foster their specific involvement in those areas.

However, why is it that people’s most spontaneous actions and reactions are so quickly negatively judged? For example:

People who are brilliant at imposing order and structure? Anal.

People who claim excellence? Egotists.

People who anticipate and are always asking “What if?” Worriers.

People who are outgoing and social? Looking for attention.

People who are introspective? Arrogant loner.

People who are passionate about the future? Unrealistic.

People who can’t wait to act? Impatient.  

People who are great managers? Bureaucratic.

People who initiate? Reckless.  

People who seek the opinions of others? Indecisive.

We evaluate other people’s strengths against the filter of how they make us feel about ourselves and against our own strengths and weaknesses. The very qualities or actions in people we tend to so quickly criticize are the very best things about them and their most valuable contribution to the team.

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