LEVERAGE YOUR STRENGTHS

We make the best decisions when rely on our strengths rather than try to shore up our weaknesses. Unfortunately, many of us do not know our strengths and how to use them.

According to some psychologists 88% of the decisions we make rely on our natural talents and tendencies and that these are part of our subconscious.

Our subconscious is an important, powerful, and much needed tool. The unconscious handles all basic physical functions like breathing, heart rate, immune system, etc. The subconscious mind holds the blueprint of our body as it is now and the blueprint of your perfect health.

Because our subconscious mind’s main objective is focused on survival, it can cause us to make decisions based on limited knowledge or beliefs or sometimes even false knowledge. Understanding how we subconsciously use our talents to make decisions can dramatically improve our performance.

In the early 1950’s Dr. Robert S. Hartman created the science of Axiology which studied and created an assessment to determine how we each make decisions when we are in low velocity (when we are thinking about thinking) or making conscious decisions, and how we individually make decisions when we are in high velocity (when we are not thinking about thinking) or making decisions at the subconscious level.

Hartman’s science says there are three dimensions we all consider when making decisions.

• First, there is a dimension called Systems Judgment, which focuses on process, details, and methodical steps we use to accomplish something.
• Next, we use a dimension called Practical Thinking, which focuses on outcomes, getting things accomplished, meeting deadlines, etc.
• The last dimension is Empathy, which is how we include people, our teams, in the decisions we make.

Everyone has and uses all three dimensions in a unique pattern. The question becomes, how and in what pattern do we use these dimensions? The assessment Hartman created gives us that data in detail. Hartman’s assessment also tells how we use the three dimensions in concert with each other, and what a person’s preference may be for one or two of the dimensions: Systems Judgment, Practical Thinking, and Empathy. If a person prefers a particular dimension that also means that they could have a potential blind spot to a particular dimension. What does that mean?

Let us say, for example, you have three employees. John has a higher preference for Systems Judgment. Amy has a higher preference for Practical Thinking, and George has a higher preference for Empathy. Each of them is standing on his or her respective mountaintop. All three have different views of the same village.

At times, it may be hard to quantify, but here are some questions for you to ponder as it relates to your business, division, or department.

• How much money has been left on the table due to improper decisions?
• How many deadlines have been missed because of poor decisions?
• How many opportunities has your team missed because of a decision-making preference that was too narrow in focus?

Successful employees and teams make or break a company. Putting together well-balanced teams who complement each other in their decision-making preferences can lead to measurable results quickly. Find the strengths of everyone on your team and leverage those strengths.

Would you like to learn how to leverage strengths in decision making?

Contact us to learn more

or call 914-953-4458.