When it comes to boosting sales, it is vital that teams and individuals fully understand their talents. When this happens, these talents can be developed into real areas of strength.

What many people do is to focus on their weaknesses rather than talents. In many ways, this seems like the natural way to do things. It does appear to make sense. After all, surely if weaknesses can be eliminated, it will lead to increased sales?

Well, focusing on weaknesses instead of talents does not set you on the path to 'great'. In fact, it isn't the way to be successful at all.

The goal must be to build on the talents that are present and get even better at what you are doing well. Trying to address the weaknesses first, is both counter productive and counter intuitive.

A strength-based approach would offer the argument that focusing more on successes and talents rather than weaknesses and failures is a much more positive approach. The use of positivite psychology should not be underestimated.

Focusing on strengths breeds confidence. Knowing what you are good at can give teams and individuals a momentum. Developing and building on talents, creates the condition that enables weaknesses to be overcome, intuitively

It's a train of thought that is used extensively in sports psychology. Irish rugby union great Brian O'Driscoll famously enlisted the services of psychologist Enda McNulty to try to help him overcome a loss of form. Her advice was for him to list all his best performances and to watch these all back on DVD. The focus here was not on practising weaknesses but on practising the things that he was good at. The argument is that it's strengths that make a person/team stand out. Getting better at these and becoming exceptionally good at what you do well, is the key.

In business, it's all too common to find people who are constantly trying to find 'fixes' for weaknesses, at the expense of doing things where the person's greatest strengths lie. However, there is significant mileage in the idea of developing what is innately good with employees, rather than always trying to address deficiencies.

When we use the term 'intervention', it is usually seen in the context of intervening where there is a problem, issue or weakness. However, strengths intervention is proven to bring about performance gains. Similarly, performance reviews that recognise, encourage and develop strengths will boost performance. One positive outcome of such a strengths-based approach to performance management is that employees feel that their manager knows, understands and values them.

Highlighting and working on strengths rather than weaknesses is much more effective than simply trying to address areas of weaknesses. Understanding the behaviour of yourself and others is crucial in driving up sales and success.

Focus on Strengths

Focus on Strengths and Not Weaknesses to Improve Sales