Using Employee Strengths to Create a Strategic Vision

By Michael Robb

Many Globoforce employees located in our Boston office are die-hard Boston Red Sox fans. If you’re a sports fan in the New England area, then you’re aware of the leading news story in October of 2011. I’m referring to a few mis-behaved, adolescent players (drinkingbeer in the dugout during games) that contributed to the greatest regular-season collapse in baseball history.

After the post-season hue and cry from Red Sox Nation, owners quickly showed the old coaching staff the door, and they brought in new blood to instill more discipline and make the team more productive.

The person hired to lead this charge was the controversial Bobby Valentine. Bobby Valentine’s resume includes stints with the New York Mets, the Chiba Lotte Marines and as an ESPN Baseball commentator.

Right from the start, a rift emerged between Valentine and his general manager, Ben Cherington. Local Boston media reported they both have different visions on how best to utilize talent on the ball field, which currently has been affecting the team’s performance.  The 1-5 start of this season is already an indication of a disengaged team.

Like the Red Sox, a company’s largest investment for a winning season is its employees. Too many times, we see that employees who are not a right fit for a position or culture negatively affect a team’s performance.  Managers need to have a shared vision in engaging their workforce and determine how each individual’s value will contribute to the entire team’s success.

In the March edition of the Gallup Management Journal, Nicole Helprin, director of internal and employee engagement communications for Hewlett-Packard, says ,  “When people feel like they’re bringing their gifts to the workplace, they’re more productive, they’re more engaged, and they’re going to be more successful in meeting their expectations.”

The article goes on to explain that learning individual strengths is a journey and can become a team objective accomplished by all involved from employees, to managers, to executives in the organization.  When things are clicking, everyone can build on each other’s talents or capabilities.

A manager’s role is to keep employees focused, committed, productive and engaged; all components for developing a culture that enables organizations to succeed.

The Red Sox is an organization that requires a different approach in engaging their players.

Is your organization aligned around your company’s core values?


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