Here's the 'How to Put Talents & Strengths to Work [at Work]' process:
1. Context: Answer the question, Why do you want to put talents & strengths to work at work?
2. Define the Problem - most people feel their talents are not being used at work...so they dis-engage. This evolves into a negative-feedback and poor-performance loop.
3. The Solution - Leaders need to send signals that putting talent to work is a key to success and everyone - everyone, including you the leader - has untapped talent. And leaders need to take action steps to make strengths-based business a part of organization culture.
4. The Action Steps -
#1 - Prove an interest in each Individual: make an open and honest Talent-&-Strengths statement about where you are now, where you want to be, and where you want the people in your organization to be. Paint the Talent & Strengths picture!
#2 - Provide a comfortable, enjoyable, first-step: we have found a simple on-line assessment followed by guided 1-on-1 sessions works best.
#3 - Help Individuals become more self-aware...this is a critical early step. The more candid the leader is at step #1, the better. Self-awareness leads to accurate self-knowledge, which leads to improved self-confidence, which is an essential ingredient of top-notch performance.
#4 - Help Individuals appreciate the fact they are uniquely talented - and - so is everyone else! Don't just say those sorts of words, provide numbers, detailed descriptions, and personal sticky stories.
#5 - Build acceptance and appreciation of the differences in people. Without getting overly philosophical - embrace the fact that generally speaking perceptions are just differnet, rather than right and wrong. People have differnet perceptions because they have unique talents, strengths, weaknesses, and life experiences.
#6 - Provide education on Strengths [Talent + Opportunity + Knowledge + Skill]
#7 - Build a process that uses many strength-threads to weave your team's fabric.