Please refer to the following attachement and answer each questions in 2-3 parag

Question

Please refer to the following attachement and answer each questions in 2-3 paragraph

1.  Do you think it is better to focus on assessing and developing employees’ weaknesses, or to focus on their strengths? Why?

2.  Why would strengths-based development increase employee engagement?

  

3.  If you were a manager, how might you interact with employees differently if you were using strengths-based development rather than deficit-based development?

CASE STUDY Strengths-Based Development When drought threatened the survival of Ohio farming co-op Auglaize Provico, CEO Larry Hammond realized that he would have to change the business model. Grain el- evators were sold, headcount was carefully reduced 25 percent, and the co-op took on work outside of its previous core business. Hammond even cut his own pay Hammond then implemented strengths-based development to leverage the unique strengths and talents of each employee. The strengths approach recognizes that ev- eryone has different talents and natural patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior Recognizing and building on those talents with pertinent skills and knowledge creates strengths. People who are applying a true strength tend to perform well. Hammond hoped that encouraging employees to leverage their innate talents would enable them to drive the business forward Auglaize's management had previously used a "deficit" development approach, spending a lot of time identifying employees' weaknesses and trying to correct them This meant that a lot of Auglaize's management was relatively negative. Hammond wanted to change that approach. He says, "If you really want to [excel], you have to know yourself-you have to know what you're good at, and you have to know what you're not so good at, and a lot of people don't. Most of us know what we're not good at because people tell us. And we also tend to want to fix it." The idea that workers should "fix" their weaknesses is common, but it can be problematic because attempts to fix weaknesses take time, attention, and energy away from maximizing naturally powerful talents. Employees also enjoy using their talents and doing something well instead of struggling against their weaknesses to produce mediocre work Every employee in the co-op took an assessment to measure and identify his or her top five talents, and received at least two consultations on their individual strengths This enabled Auglaize to build on what its employees naturally do best. Employees be- came more engaged, productive, and energized, and the organization became more successful. As one expert says, "One issue is that the people who are really valued of- ten don't know who they are, especially in times of change. If managers regularly give positive feedback to key performers, it increases their confidence to undertake greater challenges and reinforces their commitment."118 Continued)

Explanation / Answer

1. I believe that it is better to focus on assessing and developing employees' weaknesses rather that focusing on their strengths because it is the weakness of the employees that need to be made a strength that will make the employee more effective. This does not mean that the strength that the employee possess should be ignored but the weakness should no more be there, rather it can be treated as a strength.

2. Strengths-based development increase employee engagement because the employee like to work on their strengths more because it is convenient and easy for them and therefore they feel that they are being cared and they participate in all kinds of engagement activities because that is how they can feel better and do better for themselves and the organization.

3. As a manager it is all about bringing a change from the convention that is being followed and that is possible if a new idea is used while communicating with employees because communication is the key for a manager. While using strengths-based development my focus will be to make them understand that it is their strength that will give them the competitive advantage over others and therefore it is better to improve what they already know rather then trying to learn new things which will be difficult and rather time consuming at this point. I will provide them with more opportunities to work on with their skill and expertise and improve themselves in the field they re good at. As a manager it is my duty to develop my employees and I will do that so that the organization is benefitted along with the employees.

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