By Michelle Spencer bio
This is the second in my infographics series to help illustrate why good leadership is so important to law firms and how you can create strong leaders on your team.
In my earlier infographic, I highlighted the costs of bad management and the important role a boss plays in employee satisfaction.
For this infographic, I collected information around the personal strengths and natural talents of leaders. Gallup defines talent as a person’s natural capacity for excellence under 34 different categories.
With the Clifton StrengthsFinder™ assessments and their research, Gallup has gathered significant data and this is what they have to say about talent: “People can learn skills, develop knowledge and gain experience, but they can’t acquire talent—it’s innate.”
This is why work feels more difficult and draining to some, but not others. Those whose natural talents are aligned with their role are energized by their work.
There are three important takeaways for management in this data:
First, we tend to gravitate to people who are similar to us. But when leaders are hiring, they should look to hire someone who possesses those talents which they do not.
Second, people who perform well in their current roles will not necessarily make good managers. This is why some who are promoted do not experience the same success in their elevated roles.
Finally, and most importantly, firm leaders, be they attorneys or law office managers, are asked to wear many hats—team leader, legal project manager, problem solver, mentor, accountant, speaker and presenter, marketer, and recruiter—just to name a few.
Unfortunately, not everyone has innate talents for these varied roles. Law firms and individuals will gain greater success, engagement, and happiness, if they divide these roles among others in their team, based on their natural abilities. This allows each leader to play to their individual strengths and boosts the strength of the team as a whole.
In my next infographic, I’ll show specifically what bosses can do to keep employees engaged.
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