Mining for employee strengths

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd

I often talk about the power of focusing on what is right with ourselves and the people we manage and not dwelling upon what is lacking, in other words, focusing on strengths, not weaknesses.

But how do you tell the difference between a weakness and a strength? I came upon a great definition of a strength that I know will help me with this.

Strengths are areas of endeavor where with practice and effort you can achieve consistent, near perfect, performance. Performance that is both excellent and fulfilling.

Strong Man action figure — Photo by LOLren

If I see someone on my team improving rapidly when they are tasked with something new, their results increasing rapidly, their confidence and engagement level improving, I take careful notice and you should too. You have struck gold when this is happening and you would be crazy not to dig deeper down that particular vein.

It you constantly have to support someone to get results in one area of endeavor while they just keep getting better in another, you are not dealing with a person who needs to be fixed, you are dealing with the difference between a strength and weakness. Give them more of one and less of the other and you will look like a brilliant manager!

IBEX Payroll extends our profound respect and immeasurable gratitude to all the ancestors and keepers of the land on whose traditional territories our work takes place. We acknowledge that we are on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional gathering place of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene people and the traditional homeland of the Métis people. This land is sacred, historical, and significant.

Every time we acknowledge this truth, we have an invitation and an opportunity to reflect on the wrongs of the past, what we do in the present, and what we can do to continually honour the people whose lands and water we benefit from today.

This statement only acts as a first step in honouring the land we reside on and its peoples, and must be paired with education, understanding and informed action.