Can you answer the question with clarity and certainty, “What are you naturally good at?” How about “How do you naturally connect with others?” or “ What are your natural and innate patterns of thought?” If you are like most people I coach, the answer is likely some version of “no.” There was a time, many years ago, when I also could not answer these questions with clarity or any literacy about what came easily to me or what I was naturally talented at. Today, however, I have the pleasure of studying talent, which is, by definition, the natural and recurring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can be applied productively to increase human performance, confidence, and impact on others. It was over 20 years ago, when I began my career at a talent-based organization, that I encountered the concept of developing human potential by leveraging natural strengths and talents, and I haven’t looked back since. If you know me, you have likely heard me say, “Humans are incredibly complex and unique in nature.” It is within these unique complexities that I have found my passion for helping others become self-aware of their talents and grow and develop through them. As an arm of Positive Psychology, the science of talent shifts the focus to the positive elements of human complexity rather than compensating for weaknesses when seeking our full potential. It aims to leverage what is good or “right with us” in order to create positive change rather than diagnosing or fixing what is wrong with us.
Unfortunately, many of us are quite familiar with our shortcomings. Either we have received feedback on these through our schooling, family lives, or professional lives, or we are quite familiar with the discomfort and disappointment we feel when forced to perform in areas where we are not naturally strong. Talent-based coaching and talent-based organizations aim to shift the focus toward what an individual is naturally wired for and how to apply those strengths productively. They put a person’s natural talents and strengths at the forefront of selection decisions, seeking to match a person to a role that will capitalize on who they are and what they already do well. They grow and develop as a person, not by focusing on what went wrong and how we can improve it, but by focusing on what is going extremely right and how we can leverage it. Coaching conversations shift to focus on who the individual is and how valuable their contributions are. Individuals are celebrated for their internal wiring, their talent DNA, and their peers’ unique differences. Teams begin to form around high-value team members with distinct strengths, and new opportunities are clearly aligned with talent-specific performance strengths.
The power of the science of talent in shaping human potential and organizational success is unmatched. Talent is the single biggest predictor of performance in a certain role. While the good news is that we all have talent, the hard truth is that understanding our talent requires intentional investment in our self-awareness and potential. While we can set out on this self-awareness journey as individuals, imagine the value an organization could provide by investing in the discovery and development of its people’s talent. This step toward investing in a talent discovery journey for your people can be a complex integration of the science of talent embedded into your selection process, all the way through your coaching and development process, or it can be as simple as choosing to begin by celebrating others for being exactly who they are!
For me, I will always believe that we are incredibly interesting beings with a unique “recipe” of traits that make us capable of so much good in this world. I choose to see others through the lens of what they are rather than what they are not. I choose to celebrate others and give them the gift of understanding. What makes sense for you and your organization is entirely up to you, but taking one step toward understanding your own natural talents and those of the people who are or will become the heartbeat of your organization is a priority I would personally place high.
Based in Southwest Michigan, Leader Momentum helps organizations unlock the full potential of their people through talent-based coaching, leadership development, and strengths-focused consulting. By combining the science of talent with practical leadership strategies, Leader Momentum empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to improve performance, increase engagement, and build cultures where people thrive. Their approach focuses on understanding and leveraging natural strengths to create lasting personal and organizational growth.
About Leader Momentum
Based in Southwest Michigan, Leader Momentum helps organizations unlock the full potential of their people through talent-based coaching, leadership development, and strengths-focused consulting. By combining the science of talent with practical leadership strategies, Leader Momentum empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to improve performance, increase engagement, and build cultures where people thrive. Their approach focuses on understanding and leveraging natural strengths to create lasting personal and organizational growth