In episode 363, host Mike Petrusky speaks with Barry Conchie, an executive leadership advisor and co-author of the book “The Five Talents That Really Matter: How Great Leaders Drive Extraordinary Performance,” which demystifies the aura surrounding high-performing leaders. Barry explains how his book helps facility management and workplace leaders identify the specific talents that are most predictive of leadership, providing a scientific basis for development. They then explore why many selection systems fail to place people in roles that best fit their strengths, leading to dissatisfaction and underperformance. Barry explains why leadership development should focus on identifying and enhancing individuals’ strengths rather than trying to improve their weaknesses.
Agenda
- Five leadership talents most predictive of success, and the practical applications for workplace management
- Importance of self-awareness and role of innovation in people development
What you need to know: Workplace takeaways
Takeaway 1: Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses can lead to more effective leadership and team management
“You should pay attention to things that you don’t do well. You should certainly look to manage things that you don’t do well, but there’s a reason why you don’t do them well,” Conchie says. He argues that the return on investment from focusing purely on weaknesses is minimal and does not contribute to building world-class organizations.
The key to becoming a brilliant leader is understanding one’s talents and positioning oneself and others around those strengths, he says. It’s an approach that challenges the traditional remediation methods and appraisal programs that often fail to recognize and capitalize on individual strengths.
Takeaway 2: Innovation in people development is crucial for workplace success and should focus on leveraging individual talents
Innovation in the workplace has been overly focused on products and processes, neglecting the critical area of people development.
“Most selection systems don’t get it right. A lot of people are in jobs that don’t fit them, and our mission in our work, and this is one of the main reasons why we wrote the book, is we want to help people find their best contribution,” Conchie explains.
Conchie touches on the limitations of tools like the Clifton Strengthsfinder, which he previously worked on at Gallup. “Strengthfinder is great from a general understanding of your capabilities, but it’s self-referenced, so it compares you with yourself,” he says.
The assessment tool in his book compares individuals against a global leadership database, offering a more accurate and actionable understanding of their talents. “So, if you want to figure out who the strongest strategic thinker is on your team, the assessment will give you that answer,” Conchie explains.
Takeaway 3: Self-awareness and honest feedback are essential for personal and professional growth
“We want to help people find their best contribution. We want your best strengths to be used to the most positive effect in the role,” Conchie says.
An important first step is honest evaluation, even when it’s humbling. “A lot of people aren’t cut out to be top leaders, but they don’t know it. And if you’ve got aspirations to become a top leader, but you don’t have the core requirements as for the five talents in the book, um, that assessment’s going to tell you.”
Another important part is understanding the roles partnerships play in enhancing leadership effectiveness. “I want people around me who are brilliant at the areas that I’m not, because I can sit back and admire them when they do what I can’t do,” he says.
Workplace management insights
- Most selection systems fail to match people with roles that best fit their strengths, leading to potential misalignment and dissatisfaction.
- Traditional approaches to leadership development often focus on remediation of weaknesses, which can be inefficient and demotivating.
- Truly innovative people development focuses on identifying and leveraging individuals’ unique strengths rather than correcting their weaknesses.
- Understanding one’s own talents relative to others can provide a realistic and actionable path for personal and professional growth.
- Not everyone is suited for top leadership roles, and assessments can help individuals understand their best fit and contribution.
Do a deep dive into more workplace insights by exploring all Workplace Innovator podcast episodes.
