People tend to play to their natural strengths – and leaders are no different. Applying these inherent attributes and talents is generally done without a lot of thought – they just come so easily. Unfortunately, the ‘overplay’ of these natural strengths can lead to unintended, and often undesirable, consequences.
Recently, I worked with two experienced leaders who were well respected and used their standout attributes consistently – regardless of audience or context. One leader was quite straightforward and direct with others while the other was very calm and collected in the face of intense workplace pressure. Feedback from others, through an executive feedback process, indicated that, while admirable in the majority of situations, showcasing this attribute in the same fashion, to the same degree and in all situations was not desirable or effective.
The challenge for leaders is to use their inherent attributes and talents on a sliding scale, depending on the context. Here are some suggestions to better apply your gifts in a more.... (cont'd) |
