How can we fix this? The CliftonStrength of restorative.
In our last post, we talked about the CliftonStrength of Maximizer and how people – like me – who have a strong Maximizer talent want to focus on strengths and manage around weaknesses.
Today we’re going to talk about the CliftonStrength of Restorative. It can nicely complement Maximizer but also has the potential to experience real conflict if not managed properly. That’s because people with a strong Restorative talent want to identify and deal with problems! They love figuring out what’s wrong and resolving it.
A great example of someone with a strong Restorative strength is my friend Jenn, who’s an Emergency Room nurse. Jenn absolutely loves her job, because there’s an immediacy to the nature of her job. Patients come in with a problem, and she works to fix it right then and there. She thrives knowing that she’s going to be able to go to work and use her talents to make an impact every day.
What Does The CliftonStrength of Restorative Look Like In Practice?
A pet peeve of someone with Restorative is a “band-aid”-type of solution, or an attitude of, “it’s good enough.” These points of view run contrary to the way they’re wired. They want to lean into pain points and dysfunction; they want to find the root cause of the problem and do everything necessary to fix or resolve it. Anything short of that feels “less than” and is unacceptable to them.
On the plus side, this means that they are wonderful problem solvers. As a member of your staff, you can count on them to be thorough, creative, and work on an issue from start to finish. They’re your go-to person for trouble-shooting, for diagnosing why something isn’t working, whether it’s a product or process, and for developing a path to turn things around.
On the downside, these employees can be viewed by others as overly negative. They may accuse people with the CliftonStrength of Restorative as individuals who always pointing out what’s wrong, rather than celebrating what’s right. While there’s some truth in this idea – they DO want to point out problems – their reasoning isn’t negativity and their desire isn’t to criticize. They simply want to improve products and processes by identifying and solving issues.
Managing Employees with the CliftonStrength of Restorative
For starters, recognize and address the potential for conflict with a Maximizer (or others) from the beginning. Understand that when there’s a problem, Restorative looks at what’s wrong and Maximizer looks at what’s right.
When they work together on a project, be sure that you clearly articulate the end goal for both of them. Talk to them, preferably together, about the fact that they approach problems very differently and that both approaches are valid.
You might even go one step further by asking them to discuss how they can partner together to arrive at a better solution by using both of their strengths.
In addition:
Ask them to problem-solve at every turn. They’re quite effective at turning dysfunction into function. They’re likely to manage both internal problems and customer problems calmly and competently.
If they run into a particularly tough issue, be sure to provide adequate resources to help. They’ll be incredibly frustrated until a solution is found.
Be sure to recognize their accomplishments. When they’ve tackled a problem and provided a solid solution, they’ll appreciate your acknowledgement of their achievement.
Millennial Guru would love to help you get the most from your employees! Contact us today for a free consultation to find out more about how we can help. We’ll walk through how we assess employees, the types of workshops we offer, and how we can tailor a program to meet your company’s specific needs.
Let’s work together to empower and motivate your employees to reach their full potential and deliver excellent results.