We have a highly valued manager who is in the right seat on our Accountability Chart, but they lack the natural analytical strengths to move their weekly scorecard metrics. How do we help them own their numbers when data analysis is not their natural talent?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

According to the StrengthsFinder framework, true excellence comes from refining an individual's innate talents, not trying to fix their weaknesses. If you have a manager who GWC's their seat but lacks strong analytical talents, forcing them to become a data analyst will only lead to frustration and poor performance.

Instead of trying to change their natural talents, you must support them by pairing their strengths with the right tools and partners. First, separate the tracking of data from the execution of the work. If your manager is a natural Relator or Activator, their strength lies in motivating people and driving action. You can assign a supporting team member with strong analytical talents to help them collect, format, and interpret their weekly scorecard data.

Second, focus their scorecard on behavioral leading indicators rather than complex mathematical formulas. Give them clear, simple metrics that measure the activities they can directly control through their natural strengths, such as client check-ins conducted or team coaching sessions completed.

By structuring their scorecard around their natural talents and providing analytical support, you empower them to own their numbers successfully. This approach respects their unique strengths while maintaining absolute accountability for their results.