Most HR professionals are well-versed in Gallup’s research findings quantifying the benefits of strengths-based approaches for talent management and leadership. Academic studies conducted around the globe have further validated Gallup’s findings. Namely, identifying individual strengths then using that information to guide task assignments and performance management contributes to significant increases in employee productivity, engagement, retention, and well-being.
The takeaway from most strengths training workshops, whether CliftonStrengths, Strengthscope, or another instrument, is that the more time spent using one’s strengths, the better. As a general rule, that’s true for individual productivity and well-being. According to Gallup, individuals who use their strengths at work for four or more hours per day are more productive, more satisfied, and report higher levels of well-being than those who use their strengths at work three hours per day or less.
Strengths as a Double-Edged Sword
When collaborating or working as a member of a team, however, those same strengths can become a liability if they are not well-managed. Imagine an orchestra where all the musicians play their respective instruments as fast and as loud as they can without stopping. The result would be noise, not music. A team whose members use their strengths without understanding how and when to apply them are like a noisy orchestra.
The phenomenon of overusing one’s strengths, or using them in the wrong context, is called “overdrive.” Let’s take a look at a couple of examples.
Too much of a good thing
Janis, the founder of a growing medical device company, scored very high on Initiative using the Strengthscope™ Individual Strengths Assessment. She was energized by taking action and starting new things, which had served her well when getting her company off the ground. Janis came to me because her COO had threatened to quit if she started one more new project before finishing at least one of the initiatives already in progress. Janis didn’t understand why her COO was so angry. She found starting new projects energizing and exciting and was surprised her COO did not feel the same way.
Timing is everything
Chris, the owner of a small research and design firm, came to me for help with an employee issue. One of his lead researchers did excellent work but had almost cost the company a key client in the final stages of a project. The researcher excelled at generating novel data collection approaches to address complex research questions. Just as the project team was delivering their final report and recommendations, however, the researcher had speculated aloud, “Maybe we should have collected different data,” in front of the client. Chris didn’t want to let the researcher go but also didn’t know if he could trust him not to make the same mistake again. Using the Working Genius assessment, we found that this researcher scored very high on Wonder. The Wonder “genius,” or strength, is characterized by creative, out-of-the-box thinking. That creative thinking had been valuable at the beginning of the project when designing the data collection plan but became a liability when the researcher suggesting an alternative approach at the end of the project made the client think an error had been made.
These examples illustrate the “double-edged sword” nature of strengths. When strengths go into overdrive – either exhibiting too much of a strength or applying it at the wrong time – the strength that was an asset in one situation becomes a liability.
Why does overdrive happen?
Overdrive is largely an unconscious process, fueled by a positive feedback loop. When presented with a challenge, each of us tends to call upon our innate talents, the thought processes and actions that come most naturally, aka our strengths. Once we engage our strengths, we feel energized and intellectually stimulated. That enjoyment triggers the release of dopamine, a neurochemical signal to keep doing more of what we’re doing. We’re having so much fun, we find it hard to imagine that others aren’t enjoying our overdrive as much as we are!
How to recognize and recover from overdrive
All of us, myself included, go into overdrive from time to time. Left unchecked, however, one or more team members’ strengths in overdrive can derail a team’s progress. To stay on track, team leaders need to quickly recognize and correct for overdrive in themselves and their team members.
- Strengths Awareness – Don’t assume team members know their own strengths. Because our innate strengths come to us so naturally, it is common to take them for granted. Use one of the many available assessments to accurately identify individual strengths.
- Overdrive Awareness – Encourage team members to reflect on both constructive and counterproductive uses of each of their strengths. Doing this step in pairs or small groups, teammates can help one another think through how their strength in overdrive might appear for others.
- Repair Script – When a team member recognizes they have gone into overdrive, this simple script can be used to acknowledge the situation and create an opening for other members to get the team back on track.
“My [strength] sometimes goes into overdrive when I get excited about a project, causing me to [overdrive behavior]. Are my contributions helpful right now or am I going overboard?”
Example: “My creative thinking sometimes goes into overdrive when I get excited about a project causing me to generate ideas long past when that’s helpful. Are my contributions helpful right now or am I going overboard?”
Increasing both leaders’ and team members’ use of their innate strengths at work is one of the most efficient and effective ways to improve both performance and employee well-being. When working as a team, however, individual strengths can be both an asset and a liability. To maximize team effectiveness, team members need to be aware of both the benefits and the performance risks associated with their unique strengths and how to best manage them.
About the author:
Dr. Julie Rennecker is an executive performance coach and consultant who works with healthcare and medical device leaders to create company cultures where both people and profits thrive. Her book, The Strengths Paradox: The Power and Perils of Strengths-based Leadership will be out Spring 2025. For more tips, connect with her on LinkedIn.
