| Before the book, Now Discover Your Strengths, was | | | | the success of the company depended upon their |
| published, I discovered first hand the second reason | | | | strengths and how to leverage or focus those |
| why training of new supervisors or managers fails to | | | | strengths toward the task or goal at hand. |
| be as successful as originally planned. During the first | | | | This experience confirmed that the negative |
| facilitation session for some incoming supervisors and | | | | conditioning that we receive in early childhood and that |
| managers, I conducted the following exercise. | | | | is reinforced through the educational process continues |
| - On the sheet of paper in front of the participants, I | | | | to follow us into the workplace. The collective beliefs |
| asked them to quickly write down in 3 minutes all the | | | | that our weaknesses take first place in our psyche |
| strengths that they bring in their new role as supervisor | | | | while our strengths take second place is another |
| or manager. Very few pencils were in action except | | | | reason why change in management is not as |
| for the President of the firm. | | | | successful even when the incoming management |
| - After the time was up, I asked them to quickly write | | | | team have excellent credentials. |
| down in 3 minutes all the weaknesses that they bring | | | | If you wish to improve the outcomes from your |
| in their new role as supervisor or manager. For most | | | | management leadership team, you may wish to |
| of the participants, the pens literally flew off the table. | | | | conduct this exercise to see where their internal focus |
| - During the debriefing of this activity, the group | | | | or locus is. This activity may also help to explain why |
| discussed their responses. Most of the participants | | | | training and development are not as successful as |
| didn't believe that they had any strengths and if they | | | | they should be. Training is about learning a new skill. |
| did have strengths to list them would be bragging. | | | | However, development is about improving the quality |
| - I then asked the following question: Why do winning | | | | of that skill and to do so may require more reflection |
| teams win because of their strengths or because of | | | | and introspection. By remembering that winning teams |
| their weaknesses? Everyone agreed winning teams | | | | win because of their strengths may help your |
| win because of their strengths. All of a sudden, I could | | | | company improve their change management process |
| see the participants having the light bulb click on over | | | | and to take the organization to that next level of |
| their heads. Collectively as a group, they realized that | | | | success. |