An Intro

I post ideas here about maximizing potential. The links within lead to clarifying definitions and/or sources that inspired the posts, so you can dig deeper into anything that attracts your attention.  The title comes from two things, 1) My incentive for posting is to widen the pipe that connects all of us to our highest potential possible, 2) A memorable URL that was available. If you're a maximizer too, I welcome your comments. 

How to Make and Use a Team Strengths Document

Managing a team that takes care of a wide variety of work, and inspired by research that argues a person's best work is achieved in their areas of strength and interest, I created a Team Strengths Document, which helps everyone understand our highest areas of potential and weakness, both as individuals and as a team.

Team Strengths Doc

The first column is a list of various aspects of the work - some specific, some over-arching. The first row is each team member's name with two rating columns under each name. In the first column under each name, the team member rates his/her interest in each area of work on a scale of 1-10. In the second, the team member rates his/her own performance in that area. In the last two columns, the whole team's ratings are averaged for each area. Ratings are color coated by rules to make the data more digestible.

For individuals, the greatest areas of growth opportunity are those with the highest scores in both the interest and performance columns. After that, look for high interest ratings that are next to low performance ratings. Most of the time, the person hasn't had the chance to learn and practice that kind of work to reach their potential. Together, the team can help each other with training, shadowing & experience to shore up those numbers.

For the team, the averages can show areas where you might be able to expand, others where you can seek group training, and others where you may need to focus your recruitment efforts. It's also been a great reference for discussions among the team and one on one.

To use the template, make sure you have a Google account and copy the sheet to one of your own Google spreadsheets, so you can edit and share it with your team.

Priorities Met vs Priorities Set

On page 149 of my copy of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey sums up the best thinking in the area of time management with five words: "Organize and execute around priorities." The catch is those first two words. I mean, think about it. Truthfully, executing around priorities is all we do every minute of every day.

If that statement flies in the face of common wisdom, good. How could anything else be true? What is a more effective measurement of my priorities for a day: the things I write down that I want to accomplish, or the things I actually do that day? The source of the list doesn't matter. It could be yourself, parents, boss, etc. No matter how important that list is, we can only measure our priorities effectively in hindsight - at the end of the day.

At the end of a rough day, you might say to yourself, "Dang, my priorities were a, b and c, but I spent all my time on x, y and z." Wrong! Your priorities were actually x, y and z, because that's what you spent your time doing. You want to get intimate with your real priorities? Try this:

1. Track every minute of your days for a week on a spreadsheet.
2. Evaluate the patterns as they arise.
3. Compare how you actually spent your time with your list of intended priorities.
4. Comment below on the results.

You'll likely find that consciously observing your time in this way narrows the gap between what you intended to do and what you did. Great. Now, the crucial habit to develop is to be aware of that gap - to always ask yourself, "Which of my priorities am I working on right now?" If it's not on the list you made, are you trading your time for something that's become more important, or not?

Look closely at the gap between what you say you'll do and what you actually do. Consider whether the priorities you're setting are realistic. Do they play to your strengths? Are you excited about the work required to get them done? Is there someone you work with that might be better at them? Consider the things on which you're actually spending your time. Are they worth it? You are now several steps closer to organizing the list with what you actually accomplish.

Build on Strengths

At work, do you have an opportunity to do what you do best everyday? 

Anything current written about maximizing that's worth your time should mention Marcus Buckingham (left above). His 1999 book, First, Break All the Rules, still holds water today. Synopsis... Another synopsis. Half a dozen books and dozens of youtube videos that followed have established Marcus as the world's expert on leveraging strengths as the number one method for maximizing on... well, on anything.

According to Marcus' research, the core elements needed to attract, focus and keep the most talented employees on a team can be measured by responses to these 12 statements:

1. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
2. I know what is expected of me at work.
3. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work.
4. I have received recognition or praise for doing good work in the last seven days.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, cares about me as a person.
6. Someone at work encourages my development.
7. My opinions seem to count at work.
8. The mission of my company makes me feel my job is important.
9. My co-workers are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have a best friend at work.
11. Someone has talked to me about my progress at work in the last six months.
12. I've had opportunities to learn and grow at work in the last year.

An experiment:

1. Managers, rate each statement from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree) as you think your team(s) would on average. 
2. Using Google Forms, ask each of your team members to rate them individually - anonymously if you must.
3. Average the team's ratings in the last row of your spreadsheet.
4. How did you do?

Discuss...