Managing Your Talents [6] - Individualization

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Individualization is the following:

“Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” Because you are such a keen observer of other people’s strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team “structure” or “process,” you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Individualization?


The first  management of the Individualization talent is that you should really accept the fact that you can sense the needs of others.  You have an incredible gift. You can really sense the needs of others. You are tuned to it. This might baffle you, overwhelm you...and even scare you.  But if you accept this gift and talent and react in a healthy way to it, it becomes one of the most beautiful things there are.  People with the Individualization talent respond it different ways to this ability to sense others' needs.  Some overreact to it, and scare people off with it.  Others choose to ignore it, and then they miss out on incredible opportunities to be of blessing and service to others.
It is important to realize that Individualization differs from the talent of Empathy in the manner that Individualization senses NEEDS, while Empathy senses, and actually feels, EMOTIONS of others.  You might have both talents.  But maybe you only sense the needs, and peoples emotions and needs are often aligned in some way.
  
How?

A good way to respond to your talent of Individualization is to respond to it with sensitivity.  People might find your sense of their needs intimidating, and might even feel that you overstep boundaries.  Your relationship to others obviously plays a role in the way they will respond to it.  But most people will appreciate your sense to their needs.

Communicate it to them.  Ask them if you are correct. Ask them if you may respond to what you sense.

A second issue in the management of this talent, is the fact that there is a difference between sensing the need, and being able to provide in the need.  You might find it frustrating that you often sense the unspoken needs of others, and that you know you cannot provide in the specific need.  You cannot always be the provider of a solution or a filler of needs.  You won't always have advice or resources that others need.  This is okay. 

How?
 
There are two important elements to this:  one is that most people simply want acknowledgement of their needs, not someone to fill the gap.  You will mean a lot to them by letting them know that you understand the need.
Another response from your side will be to connect them with people or resources that can be off assistance in the specific need. you might find that your talent often build the bridge between people.  I am for instance a Maximizer.  I love to Maximize people, and my talent of Input always wants to share information.  My wife has the talent of Individualization.  Where I cannot sense the needs of others, even if they really try to focus my attention to it, my wife often connects me with people that has a specific need that I can help them with.  This forms a strong combination.  But, it works the other way round also:  sometimes I simply want to share and maximize, when there is no need.  I overstep boundaries in my passion to maximize.  Her individualization sense can then help me to know that someone really does not need my input at this stage.


Use your Individualization.  The world needs it!


- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

Managing Your Talents [5] - Adaptability

According to Gallup, the essence of the talent theme of Adaptability is the following:

“You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once."

But a talent on itself is quite meaningless unless you develop and manage it. That is why we believe that "a well managed talent becomes a strength, but a mismanaged talent becomes a detriment".

How do you manage the talent of Adaptability?
Very few people - even those with this talent - has a firm grip on it's management. Adaptability is misunderstood by many.  The mere description of "Adaptability" and the words "go with the flow" makes most people believe that this talent theme is a bit "without strengths". More of a weakness.  That is SO wrong.
A word that describes Adaptability much better, is the word "Responsiveness". This talent loves to respond - to the moment.  Adaptability responds to the here and now.  Therefor if you have this talent as a signature strength, you will be good at being responsive to challenges that is unplanned and kind of a surprise.
This is also why you most probably love pressure.  Pressure energizes you, as pressure is a "here and now" thing.  This might even be to the extent that you will create pressure for yourself. You do not like preplanned agendas.  You do not prefer structure and predictability.  You seek out the uncertainty of the moment, the chaos of the sudden changes and surprises.  You are most probably very calm under stress and a crises.  because then the pressure is on, you are energized and you can adapt or respond to the moment.
This is what "go with the flow' and "live in the moment" really means.

All of the above needs management.  The first  mismanagement of the Adaptability talent is procrastination.  You are very likely to leave things until the last moment before you respond to it.  This is your need for the moment and the pressure that causes it.  In itself, procrastination need not be seen as a weakness as the world sees it.  If well managed, you can procrastinate very productively and effectively.  But you do create pressure that way - not only on yourself, but especially on those around you.  Most people need to plan and be certain.  The fact that you are more comfortable to leave things until the very end, means that you weaken those around you - especially if they need planning and structure, for instance the Talent of Discipline.  You should keep it in mind.  It is not only about you, it is about the effect of your talent on others.  And if the mismanagement of your talent weakens those around you, you should give it more attention and manage it better for their sake.

How?

Make peace with the fact that planning and structure is mostly the way of the world, and very needed by most.  You should align with it.  If others need you to plan, rather tap into their talents to help you do it.  You will most probably always have trouble working that plan, but just be aware of the fact that, especially when in relationships, a team or a family, your Adaptability needs to keep others in mind and respect them.

Secondly, you must realize that the Adaptability talent may seem pretty "chaotic" to others.  They might perceive you as someone who is not in control, and do not have a plan or purpose at all.  This is not necessarily true at all.  So you need to explain your actions to others.  You should also "plan not to plan".  This means that you should at least prioritize your actions. You should think about what can be left until when, and who needs action from you.  The fact is that you are pretty darn good at "winging" it.  You can make things up in the moment.  But do not over do this strength. Use your other talent themes to make up for this.



How?

By now you should pick up that a recurring management skill of all talents, is that you communicate the essence and the effect of the talent to others.  This will create both appreciation and understanding.  But you should also listen to the needs of others.  Adaptability has a strong outward implication when mismanaged.  It has a definite effect on people and things around you.  Be aware of this and manage around it.

Thirdly, develop the insight and the skill to hold back on Adaptability when needed, but also to give it room to function and be free.  There are areas and roles in which a talent like Adaptability is very much needed and appreciated.  Any role in which change is a constant, or where there is pressure and constant surprises that cannot be planned for or even predicted, is an area where Adaptability will flourish. Create those spaces for yourself.  Your Adaptability will develop, you will be energized and people will benefit from this amazing talent of yours.

Go for it!


- by Dries Lombaard, founder and owner of Africanmosaic and TALENTmosaic.

Important note when reading this:  in this series, I simply focus on the specific talent in isolation.  I do not take the crucial element of Talent Dynamics (two or more talent themes combining) into consideration.  This  is very important as any Coach should take that into consideration when coaching people in their talents. But you need to understand the challenges that the talent theme on its own might hold.  Therefor the challenges in managing the talent as explained below might not be applicable to everyone, as the dynamics with some of their other talent themes might override the specific challenge and "make up for it".  But, knowledge of the most common management challenges in every talent theme still is crucial in talent development and when turning the talent into a strength.

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