Build From Your Strengths!

As change agents, leaders are constantly engaged with supporters, detractors and watchers. Depending on the specific issue(s) an individual may be a supporter on one issue while being a detractor to another.

These groups are typically easy to identify as the supporter is the person who shares the leader’s vision and understands the benefits of moving forward with that vision. The detractors on the other hand are those who are comfortable with the status quo and feel they have more to lose following the new direction and have no interest in change while the watchers are those on the fence, waiting and watching before they declare which camp they will align themselves.

It is difficult to turn detractors into supporters.  Instead, leaders should work to turn supporters into champions, watchers into supporters, and neutralize detractors, turning them into watchers or making them simply go away.

In other words…don’t waste your time with your donkeys…stroke your thoroughbreds…and build from your strengths…

Be good to yourself…