Last updated on Mar 26, 2024

What do you do if your startup team members have untapped strengths?

Discovering that your startup team members have untapped strengths can be like finding hidden treasure. It's essential to create an environment where these strengths can flourish for the benefit of both the individuals and the startup as a whole. As a team facilitator, your role includes identifying these strengths, nurturing them, and aligning them with the startup's goals. This will not only boost morale but also enhance productivity and innovation. The key is to observe, communicate, and provide opportunities for growth while ensuring that everyone feels valued and understood.

1 Identify Strengths

To uncover the hidden strengths within your startup team, start by paying close attention to how each member approaches their work. Look for patterns in behavior or tasks where they excel naturally. Engaging in one-on-one discussions can also reveal personal interests and skills that aren't being utilized. It's important to foster an atmosphere of trust where team members feel comfortable sharing their aspirations and abilities that may not be immediately obvious in their current roles.

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Matt Stuckey

Client-focused Org Designer Sportin' HCD Skills | Innovator | Unicorn
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From my experience, tapping into unknown or unrealized strengths can be as easy as asking team members questions like: - what do you think we should do in this situation? - have you seen this before, and if yes how did you respond? How did things turn out? - if you were in charge of this team, what would you do in this circumstance? I have also found it rewarding to encourage team members to take calculated risks in order to grow. People need to know they can make mistakes without worrying about their security. In such an environment, team members are more likely to approach work with confidence, which breeds competence, which can uncover unrealized capabilities.

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2 Encourage Sharing

Once you've identified untapped strengths, encourage your team to share these skills with each other. This can be done through regular team meetings or workshops where everyone gets a chance to showcase their expertise or interests. Such knowledge-sharing sessions not only help in cross-skilling but also build a culture of learning and collaboration. It's vital that you, as a facilitator, create a safe space for this exchange to take place without judgment.

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Daria Dubinina

Co-CEO at Crassula
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It’s unbelievable how important this point is. In early days of entrepreneurship I used to think people would never share their experience and knowledge with others. I was very wrong. Not only people are willing to share the knowledge, moreover a lot of them will struggle if they are not heard and will value knowledge sharing as professional development

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3 Align with Goals

The next step is to align individual strengths with the startup's objectives. This involves revisiting the team's roles and responsibilities and considering how these newfound skills can contribute to achieving business goals. It may require some restructuring or the creation of new roles. Your role is to facilitate this alignment process by helping team members understand how their unique abilities can drive the startup forward.

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4 Provide Opportunities

Providing opportunities for team members to apply their strengths is crucial for their development and motivation. This could mean assigning them to new projects, involving them in decision-making processes, or offering training to further refine their skills. It's important to recognize that by empowering your team members to leverage their strengths, you're also increasing the overall capability of your startup.

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5 Foster Growth

To ensure that your team members continue to develop their untapped strengths, establish a growth-oriented framework within the startup. This could include setting up mentorship programs, offering regular feedback, and creating individual development plans. Your role is to support each team member's journey, helping them set and achieve personal and professional growth milestones that align with the startup's vision.

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6 Celebrate Success

Lastly, don't forget to celebrate the successes that come from leveraging untapped strengths. Recognizing individual and team achievements not only boosts morale but also reinforces the value of exploring and utilizing hidden talents. As a facilitator, you should highlight these successes in team meetings and acknowledge the contributions that have led to positive outcomes for the startup.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your startup team members have untapped strengths?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify Strengths

2 Encourage Sharing

3 Align with Goals

4 Provide Opportunities

5 Foster Growth

6 Celebrate Success

7 Here’s what else to consider

Team Facilitation

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What do you do if your startup team members have untapped strengths?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify Strengths

2 Encourage Sharing

3 Align with Goals

4 Provide Opportunities

5 Foster Growth

6 Celebrate Success

7 Here’s what else to consider

Team Facilitation

Rate this article

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