Impact Impression Blog

Everyone holds his fortune in his own hands, like a sculptor the raw material he will fashion into a figure. But it’s the same with that type of artistic activity as with all others: We are merely born with the capability to do it. The skill to mold the material into what we want must be learnt and attentively cultivated. -  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe As I travel through this world and meet diverse people – both real and virtual – I have come to the understanding that the term Gift or Talent has been thoroughly misunderstood – actually overrated. People don’t just excel because they have inert abilities or are genetically endowed. No. They become geniuses because they consciously hone a skill to the level of mastery. This of course does not rule out the possibilities of inert abilities. In fact, I believe that no one was born empty. But if you do not do anything with this ability or talent – like the unfaithful servant in the bible illustration – you will not make ...

Most people do their best work when they know their manager trusts them. If they worry that you think they’re lazy, incapable of directing their behavior, or lack integrity, they’re unlikely to take feedback or coaching from you. So go out of your way to gain your employees’ trust by demonstrating positive assumptions about them. Give challenging assignments, with the clear and confident belief that your expectations will be met. And don’t hide information, or assume people will mishandle it. Instead, promote transparency. Try adding a “through the grapevine” agenda item to meetings as a fun, informal way for people to share company information they’ve heard, so you can either confirm or debunk the rumor. When managers demonstrate positive assumptions, employees respond in kind. [HBR]