Seeing Strengths In Others

This past week, I enjoyed a memorable visit to some of our Colorado communities. I had the awesome opportunity to speak about South Africa, the country of my birth, at The Bridge at Greeley. When I visited Garden Plaza of Aurora, I ended up taking two pies to the face in honor of our "Great Place to Work" re-certification. Then, I got to throw the puck to kick off the "Winter Games" at The Inn at Garden Plaza. These activities were all great honors, but nothing filled my emotional and relational tank more than simply being around our residents and associates and interacting with them and watching them thrive in our communities.

As I watched Dave Scott , Lifestyle Director at The Inn at Garden Plaza, curate different Winter Olympic Games for his residents based on their capabilities, I was in awe. One of the Winter Games was ice hockey. Dave and his team built a hockey rink out of cardboard, and each team member belonged to a different country. To ensure that each resident contributed at their best, Dave rotated the seating of each player while inspirational music resounded in the background (including a timed "buzzer" to signal the start and stoppage of competition).

The residents had a blast, both cheering on their fellow "countrymen" and engaging in a winter sport that connected them to their strengths. Dave and his team curated several sports for residents at all levels so that everyone could participate, and no one was left out.

In each of our Century Park communities, we are blessed to have older associates with years of tenure as well as younger ones who may be trying us out to see whether this career is a good fit for them or not. Similarly, we have residents who are independent and some who need a little more support than the rest. Leaders who are relevant in today's market learn how to connect with people at the point of their strengths and energize them to be their best. Those same leaders do not negate weaknesses. They may notice weaknesses, but rather than pointing them out and merely deflating spirits, they change their leadership style and play to the strengths of those around them.

This type of leadership style is displayed by Dave. It definitely requires taking the time to connect with others, getting to know people and learning their unique styles and abilities.

Dr. Tim Elmore observes, "Leaders must ask themselves, is he an 'analyzer' who craves information? Is she the 'doer' who has to actually jump in and do it? Or are they 'watchers' who want to see behavior modeled in order to learn something?"

Leading people is far more like a game of chess than a game of checkers. In checkers, all the pieces look alike and move the same way. Very little strategy is needed. But in chess, understanding the strengths of each different piece and evoking well-timed strategy is vital to success.

Our residents and our associates are our greatest teachers. Understanding their strengths and learning to maximize them is vital to our success. This past week, I felt honored to learn from the masterful leadership skills of Dave Scott.