First, Break All The Rules

As we bring 2022 to an end and usher in 2023, for those of us interested in leadership and management, this is a great time to dig and contemplate what is or is not working. Picking up and reading, First Break All The Rules has helped me make adjustments to my own way of thinking. Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman have assembled vast amounts of data from multiple companies of varying sizes. The analysis shows principles that great companies and managers implement to make their organizations thrive in competitive markets.

One focus point that I have been seeking to pursue is their understanding of “Talent”. Talent is separate from intelligence, knowledge, or skills. Intelligence is the ability to learn. Knowledge is what you have already learned. Skills are how knowledge and intelligence get applied to tasks. While intelligence, knowledge, and skills are important. Talents are those things that come naturally to someone, without them having to spend a lot of time thinking about what is being done.

Once someone’s talent is understood, the idea of making sure a person is in the proper role is easier to do. One person may have the talent for communicating well in difficult situations. In a client-facing role, this person would need to have knowledge and skills to work with your product or service but they may not need to be the most intelligent, knowledgeable, or skilled. Another person may have the talent for analytical thinking, which could lead to them being the most skilled person for a technical role, but they may not have great client-facing skills.

Both of these talents are crucial to the company’s overall success. If, as a manager, you have these people in the wrong roles your business could stagnate or you may even lose clients by providing a less-than-amazing client experience and a lower-quality product. By shifting the roles of these two people you are more likely to thrive. For those you manage, placing the right people in the role best suited to their talent will go a long way to employee and client satisfaction.

Let me conclude this last post from 2022 with a suggestion for you, begin 2023 with a great book to catapult the enhancement of your leadership and/or management skills. First Break All The Rules is one of many books that will help. I invite you to review the blog on my website where you can find many other recommended choices.

Let’s all pursue growth and greatness in 2023. If there is anything I can do to help encourage or provide direction, feel free to reach out to me at toddrthomsen@gmail.com. Here’s to 2023, a year of significant growth!