Why focusing on strengths results in better performing and learning employees

When it comes to learning and development, the starting point is still often weaknesses. This begins at school where students receive tutoring in subjects they are failing. Later in their working lives, a B-score ('needs improvement') in the performance review results in a coaching program. This approach, all competencies must be present at a minimum level, does not always lead to the eagerly hoped-for performance improvement. It takes an enormous amount of energy to develop weaknesses. It is much more effective to focus on what employees are already good at and to deploy and further develop these strengths. Strengthen what works!

A strength is a talent in action. Having talent for something mainly means that you can develop a certain competency much more easily than another. A talent is that you like to kick a ball and nobody needs to motivate you to do so. The intrinsic motivation is high. That does not mean you score goals continuously. Through targeted (striker) training, playing many matches and analyzing them, a talent can be developed into a strength (in this case scoring). So by focusing on practicing a talent, it can develop further. Because practice and perseverance make perfect.

There are many approaches to identifying employee strengths. This can be done online with various tests but also simply by thinking about the answers to the following questions as an employee:

• What gives me the greatest job satisfaction? What do I most enjoy doing in my work? Which talents are called upon?
• What do I often receive compliments about? What does that say about what I am good at?
• When do I go home whistling (or to work)? What have I achieved? Which qualities of mine do I use?
• What gives me energy and what are my energy drains?
• What do I consider an important success from recent times? What did I do that contributed to the success? What was the effect? What does this say about what I am good at?

Pitfalls in the transition to strengths? Marianne van Woerkom, professor at EUR and an authority on the strengths-based approach, states that it has been scientifically proven that a focus on strengths, autonomy, tapping into energy sources, meaningful work and a pleasant workplace positively contributes, certainly in combination with each other, to employee engagement, motivation, vitality and job satisfaction. Following this, I argue that these topics should be central in conversations with employees. This conversational approach leads to better performance, less absenteeism and turnover, and sustainable employability of employees (whitepaper by Marianne van Woerkom).

How does focusing on strengths result in more engaged employees? With the answers to questions to sharpen strengths, employees can make agreements in conversations with their manager on how to deploy and develop these strengths even more. Not only employees benefit from this—they do work they enjoy and are good at—but certainly also managers and organizations. The scientific evidence is there: focusing on employee strengths is a win-win-win for employee, manager, and organization.

Want to know more about the performance review? And how to modernize it? Also read our blog 'The performance review and The New Appraisal: tips and examples'.