March 2023 - 49

POHMER ON...
Accentuate the Positive
It's human nature to focus on the negatives; they're
easier to identify and easier to develop plans of action to
address. But academic studies have shown that it takes far
more time, effort, and resources to correct and improve
negative behaviors than it does to positively leverage
strengths or positive behaviors. And, from a morale
standpoint, none of us like to be told that we're inadequate
or that we aren't performing well, but we all love to be told
the things we're doing right and shown ways to do more
of the things we like to do and do well. Negative focus
creates frustration, fear, and anxiety; positive focus creates
excitement, energy, and renewed commitment to growth
and success. Which message are you sending in your daily
interaction with your employees?
It's been said that Albert Einstein, the noted physicist,
couldn't tie his own shoes; he didn't know how and didn't
want to take the time to learn - he simply couldn't be
bothered with this task because it wasn't important to
him. Now someone could have forced the issue, telling
him that he couldn't start his research work until he
learned or actually tied his shoes, frustrating him and
keeping him away from the theoretical thinking that
he liked to do and excelled in. Or someone could have
compensated for this " inadequacy, " tying his shoes for
him or giving him loafers to wear, and allowing him to
focus on his innate strengths and desires to do other
things that were more important and of more lasting
value. It would have been a loss to mankind if trying to
correct the " negative behavior " of not being able to tie
his own shoes prevented him from creating the e=mc2
formula, the cornerstone of nuclear energy!
Granted, this is an extreme example ... but is it really?
The message here is that we need to stop doing the
things we aren't good at and don't like to do and do more
of the things we are good at and enjoy doing to reach our
potential. And that potential will never be reached if we
just focus on the negatives.
Find the Balance
As a manager, you are a coach of individual employees,
each with their own unique strengths and opportunities,
skill sets, likes and dislikes, motivators and demotivators,
but you need to field a strong and balanced team in
order for you to reach your goals. You could try to make
everyone the same clones of one another, each with
identical traits and behaviors, but that would mean
focusing all of their energies on correcting their different
negative behaviors or skills, not maximizing their
individual strengths. And which approach do you think
would benefit the individuals, your team and achieve your
company's goals most effectively?
A 5-foot, 2-inch basketball player will never be able
to be a center; he doesn't have the skills and would be
unsuccessful and completely frustrated and demoralized
if forced to play that position. But he may have skills and
the desire to be the best ball handler in the league. As the
coach, do you capitalize on and develop his positive skills,
energies, and drive to help him reach his potential as the
team's ball handler? You still need a center, but you can
either draft/hire one or develop the skills of the tall guy
in the back room who isn't playing ball yet and just might
appreciate the new challenge.
It's the manager's responsibility to identify the individual
characteristics and skills of each team member and then
meld each of them into what's needed to accomplish
your company's goals. We must learn to develop all of
the strengths and find out how to compensate for each
other's shortcomings. You most likely already have the
team in place to reach your goals - it's just identifying
and developing the strengths of the individuals to help you
get there the fastest and most effective way. And when
people are in their own element, doing the things they
can succeed at, the things they enjoy doing, the things
that they have fun developing, just watch their energy and
productivity soar.
By the way, this process applies to managers, too. If you
hate accounting but love working with your people, stop
doing the accounting work, or do less of it. Outsource it, hire
someone, or find someone else in your organization who
enjoys doing that kind of work or wants to learn how - and
then give them the tools to develop their skills. You'll be less
stressed, more productive and have the time to do what you
do best - developing your team. And your team won't have
to avoid you anymore when they see you coming out of the
office after reviewing your ledgers for fear that you'll take
your frustration out on them.
So, who are the Einsteins in your company?
Stan Pohmer is president of Pohmer Consulting Group
in Minnetonka, Minnesota. He can be reached at
spohmer@pohmer-consulting.com or 612.605.8799.
LGRMAG.COM | 49
http://www.LGRMAG.COM
March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2023
