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You’ve likely seen it play out:
The energy is off.
Momentum is low.
And the team feels stuck.
So, the default move? Add a new strategy. Shift the process. Try harder.
But what if the real unlock wasn’t something new, just something overlooked?
What if the answer is already on the team?
The Connection to Motivation
In a recent post, we explored how to Motivate with Meaning, tapping into what energizes people instead of relying on assumptions.
This week takes that conversation a step further. Because motivation doesn’t live in a vacuum. It’s sustained when strengths are seen, named, and intentionally used.
When leaders align strengths to challenges, momentum builds.
When they don’t? Teams overwork without ever hitting a stride.
When Strengths Are Misaligned
Sometimes urgency wins out. Leaders pull someone into a project or role out of necessity, not alignment. And sometimes, it’s the leader who’s been pulled out of their strength zone, stuck in firefighting mode.
It happens. But here’s the cost:
- People feel unseen or undervalued
- Projects stall or rely on over-functioning
- Burnout creeps in, masked as being a “team player”
We’ve all encountered that colleague who seems to have a degree in underwater basket weaving but somehow ends up leading a critical department or steering a strategic initiative.
Talent isn’t the problem. Alignment is.
You can’t keep asking people to thrive in roles they were never built for,
no matter how talented (or not) they are.
Strengths aren’t just individual preferences. They’re fuel. Misusing them creates drag. Leveraging them creates lift.
Three Ways to Lead With Strengths
Here are three approaches strong leaders use to unlock what’s already there:
🟡 Look for energy, not just excellence.
Strengths often show up where someone lights up, even if they’re not the “go-to” person yet. Energy is a more accurate signal than ease.
🟡 Ask, don’t assume.
Even experienced leaders can misread strengths. Tools like the Birkman Insight Report offer objective clarity, especially the “Your Strengths” and “Guide Pages,” which map out how a person operates at their best and how they may shift under stress.
🟡 Realign when possible.
If someone’s been carrying work outside their strengths, ask what would change if they spent more time doing what they do best. A small shift in scope can create a big shift in performance.
