Do they have ability or just talent?

 

Some years ago, I worked with a gentleman who had superb selling skills. He simply had a talent for selling. The nature of our jobs was to sell alarm systems that generated a monthly recurring revenue for the company. Because systems tended to have a lifetime of about 20 years, it was more important and much more profitable to close as many sales as possible because that one sale replicated itself year after year. My associate though was much more interested in ‘shooting elephants’. That is, he wanted to make the big sale because it had more intrigue.  

The problem was that selling large systems was much more difficult and generally generated a comparatively smaller recurring revenue component. The selling cycle was longer, the close rate was poorer, and ultimately, they were less beneficial to the company.  

It wasn’t long before he was fired. He had an abundance of talent but he lacked the ability to be successful in that environment. Some time later I found out that he had found success as a public speaker. It was a career that afforded him the opportunity to do his big game hunting and to use his talents to the best of his ability. 

How many people on your staff are mismatched in a similar manner? Who is really a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? Who is collecting a pay cheque from you who would be better suited in another role, either inside or outside your company? Who has talent that is not matched with the ability to deploy it to the best of everyone’s advantage? 

As a leader, this is one of your most important responsibilities. Resources are critical and human resources are at the top of that list. Can you identify the weak links in your company...those who are ‘dis-abled’? How long will you allow those situations to continue? What is the harm that their continued employment is costing you and, equally important, preventing them from realizing real satisfaction in the workplace. 

On several occasions I have seen these disconnects and stepped in to change the situation. Most often it has meant terminating an employee. But in some instances, in has been an internal redeployment. 

But every decision has resulted in the individual coming back to me with a resounding ‘THANK YOU’. They recognized their incompatibility in their current function but inertia prevented them from taking the bold step to move to something for which they were better suited. They all had talent but lacked the forum to display their abilities.  

If you have similar situations in your scope of responsibility, it is not just your job to do something about it...it is your DUTY! Stop procrastinating, don’t feel like you are a bad person. Do the right thing...lead!