Photo: Sutter is a bakery in Switzerland. They offer handmade smiling lemon tarts. This one is not perfect – or is it for this purpose?
Who´s perfect?
Our days seem to have no time for normal: We run, we “fight”, we are agile, we are fit, we excel, we compete who is the – best, nicest, most aggressive, most successful…
…one superlative is following the next…
…and social media show only the successful, the beautiful, the attractive…
…sometimes I wonder whether I am the only imperfect person I know outside of my family.
So, what is normal, what is above average, who´s perfect?
The bells curve may provide answers: https://www.study.com/learn/lesson/bell-curve-theory-themes.html. Enjoy watching the movie. For those not being familiar with the bell curve – it´s about normal, and about above and below average. The curve will tell you that we are all below average – in certain disciplines. And it will tell you that we excel same time in other disciplines. A person winning the 100 m distance may not win weightlifting and vice versa. A person being great in generating and presenting visions may not be the best accountant. Sounds logical – and it is. Sounds easy – but obviously it´s not:
Isn´t it great we have different talents? It could and it should be respected by individuals and organizations. However, when we investigate the actual discussion, we may fall apart by the way discussions are happening: We get excited about people and their look but ignore arguments. The scientist may be missing the seriousness of a dispute and be frustrated by the level of discussion we see at many occasions.
What does it mean for the daily management? Usually, we are in my aspects below average, in others average and in quite some relevant aspects above average. The same is true for our peers, and our reports, direct or indirect. The task is to form out of a group of individuals with strengths and weaknesses a winning team. In an intercultural context not every size fit all. In other words – every solution must fit to the situation and people. Give it a try, and you may be on the winner´s road. Combined with empathy, one may form a winning team. One of the most relevant questions might be: Do we promote the right people?
It is not easy to form winning teams. Those who did, know what I mean. But there are people who can form such teams and support change. It will be on us to detect such talent and to give them the space to grow. Curious how to manage? Let’s talk.
