Native Genius: Are you Underutilising Your Talent Pool?
Are you a leader who wants to unlock the hidden talents of your team? At Visage Growth Partners, we often advise clients to think outside the box and seek out the native genius that exists in their people. You might be surprised to discover the untapped resources within your talent pool and how they can benefit your business.
Let me illustrate this with a story. Imagine you've known your co-worker Sally for ten years. One day, at a company celebration, you discover that she has a talent for art. She paints as a hobby and has many creative talents - a far cry from her role in the compliance team. You might ask her: "How did I not know about this?" And she might answer: "You never asked." The point is there are many talented individuals in your organisation who may have skills and passions way beyond their job descriptions. As a leader trying to grow your business, it is a necessity to identify these talents and utilise them to further engage your people which will in-turn benefit your business’ goals.
There are generally two types of leaders: diminishers and multipliers. This is a concept written by Liz Wiseman in her book, Multipliers. A diminisher is the 'boss' who views a meeting more as an audience than an exchange of ideas. Convinced that they're the smartest person in the room, they delegate assignments to the "drones" who give their best to do the bare minimum. A diminishing boss is getting exactly what they're paying for and not a cent more.
A multiplier, on the other hand, is naturally curious about people, and the people around them feel comfortable showing off their native genius around them. In fact, Multiplier Leaders seek to find the "native genius" in their people. Native genius is a skill set or a passion outside of a person's day job. It's a useful ability that feels more like a recreational activity to the gifted.
To identify these treasures, we recommend asking employees the following questions to identify and hone your "native genius":
What are those things you do outside your "day job" that you love doing? Of these:
Which ones are you better than most at doing?
Which do you do without effort?
Which do you do without being asked?
Which would you readily do without getting paid?
Once everyone has identified their own native genius. And BEFORE they’ve shared this with anyone, create groups of three to four people and ask them to identify the native genius in their fellow group members. Once an employee has been described by their group, ask them to share what they wrote about themselves, combine the feedback with their self-assessment, look for a common theme, and give their “genius” a label. It may be something like, the “truth sayer”, “the coach”, “the long-term strategist”, “the innovator/ideas person” This exercise provides valuable knowledge about your co-workers and is also a wonderful team builder.
Even very talented people are often shy, and once you've shown that other people appreciate their native genius, they will consciously seek opportunities where their natural talent is valued. The company should, in turn, create an environment of opportunity to match the needs of a native genius.
There is a substantial benefit for businesses that take the time to understand their team's native genius. Such awareness empowers leaders to capitalise on their team's strengths, identify growth opportunities for the team, and explore potential avenues for the betterment of their organisation. Moreover, taking the initiative to gain a thorough understanding of one's team fosters a greater sense of engagement, camaraderie and leads to improved outcomes.
We encourage leaders to adopt a multiplier mindset and seek out the native genius in their team. You never know what untapped resources you may find and how they may benefit your business.
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