square pegs and job fit

©Copyright 2007 PsychTech, Inc. All rights reserved

Managing Strengths Using DiSC

Pamela Cole

PsychTech, Inc. DiSC ® and DiSC ® Indra™ are registered trademarks of Inscape Publishing, Inc.

Two Considerations

Changing Nature of Work– Industrial to Knowledge Era– Tangible work to intangible work

Changing perspective on workers– Interchangeable parts in a manufacturing

process/infinitely flexible and adaptable– Unique personality, talents, strengths necessary

for world class performance

Nature of Organizations– Structured as if people were infinitely flexible – Structures determined by financial concerns and

operational efficiencies


Training Circa 1970

Closely tied to industrial process Used to convert people into

workers that fit a manufacturing process

Skills clearly defined Structured instructional design

process Results are measurable and

observable


Changing Nature of Work

Massive change from Industrial Era to Knowledge Era

Impact of change greater than the impact of change from Agricultural to Industrial Era

Happened before anyone realized the significance of the change on management practice and philosophy

By 1990, only 20% of the workforce was employed in making and moving goods


New Definition of Work

Combine mastery of some highly specialized technical expertise with the ability to work effectively in teams, form productive relationships with clients and customers, and critically reflect on and then change their own organizational practices.

Now add technology……



Timeline

1970s Training used for skill development to support manufacturing processes

1970s Quality Movement 1980s Customer Satisfaction

Movement 1990s Diversity Movement/Valuing

Differences 2000s Positive Psychology/ Strengths

Movement/ Employee Engagement


Strengths Movement

1966 Drucker in The Effective Executive wrote: “the effective executive builds on strengths, the strengths of superiors, colleagues, subordinates and on the strengths of the situation.”

1987 David Cooperrider develops Appreciative Inquiry process with the basic premise to “build organizations around what works rather than fix what doesn’t”


Positive Psychology

1999 Martin Seligman introduces a new approach to psychology based wellness

1992-1999 Gallup research on strengths

2001 Clifton StrengthFinder released 2007 Performance results indicate

significant difference in teams managed by strengths


Old Assumptions

Select a person based on experience, intelligence and motivation

Set expectations by defining the right steps in the process

Motivate the person by helping him/her overcome his/her weaknesses

Develop the person by helping him/her learn and get promoted

New Insights

People don’t change that much Don’t waste time trying to put in

what was left out Try to draw out what was left in That is hard enough.


Employee Engagement

US Statistics on engagement– Engaged 30%– Not Engaged 54%– Actively Disengaged 16%

Employee engagement is critical in service and knowledge work


Playing to Your Strengths

What percentage of a typical day do you spend playing to your strengths? – 17% report “most of the day”– Only 2 out of 10 succeed in

capitalizing on their strengths

Research indicates that those 2 are more productive, customer focused and more likely to stick around than most of us.


Strengths and World Class Performance

World class performance requires a “fit” between individual strengths and job requirements

“Good enough” performance can be achieved by adapting when there is not a good fit

Sustainable performance in competitive environments requires good fit


Strengths

What you do well Pattern of behavior, thoughts,

feelings– Generates a high level of pride and

satisfaction– Provides both psychic and financial

reward– Potential for excellence


Weaknesses

Things we dislike, avoid, fear or get little psychic or financial satisfaction from doing

Manage weaknesses so strengths can be freed to develop and become so powerful they make the weaknesses irrelevant


Job Fit Equation


Managing Multiple Roles


Managing the Fit of Multiple Roles

g

Abilities

Style/Strengths

Abilities

Style Strengths

Person

Ability Requirements

Role Behavior Requirements

Environment Positive Outcomes of Fit

SatisfactorinessCompetence

Employee SatisfactionEngagement

Retention


JOB FIT AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTJOB FIT AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Work Expectations and Style

DiSC ® and DiSC ® Indra™ are registered trademarks of Inscape Publishing, Inc.

Role and Culture Fit



Thank You

Pamela ColeContent Developer

DiSC PPSS and DiSC Indra

Watch a narrated version of this presentation at

www.psychtech.com DiSC ® and DiSC ® Indra™ are registered trademarks of Inscape Publishing, Inc.

www.psychtech.com

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