{"id":2387,"date":"2023-11-10T09:43:50","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T08:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webdev.raffaelloventrella.com\/emabackup\/?p=2387"},"modified":"2024-05-11T09:58:53","modified_gmt":"2024-05-11T09:58:53","slug":"focus-on-potential-not-on-deficit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ema-partners.it\/en\/insights\/focus-on-potential-not-on-deficit\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on potential, not on deficit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Become aware of our key resources so we can develop them to their fullest potential, becoming the best version of ourselves without trying to be someone else. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is the foundation of the methodology created by an American psychologist, Donald Clifton[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's a matter of perspective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clifton had the insight to shift people's focus toward the things they did well<\/strong> by identifying the tools they used and had at their disposal, rather than working on areas of failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He achieved extraordinary results by developing potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, he changed the perspective by focusing on their potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positive psychology is the foundation of everything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

He was the precursor of positive psychology<\/em><\/strong>, which later developed in America with Martin Seligman<\/em>, who in 1975 coined the term \u201clearned helplessness<\/em>\u201d to describe that persistent and all-encompassing sense of distrust<\/strong> that leads one to give up on tackling a problem or situation because similar challenges in the past were met with negative outcomes, focusing instead on what didn\u2019t work, what we did wrong, or what we failed to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We think that we are not capable of handling most of the things<\/strong> that happen, ultimately undermining our potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is human nature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We are wired to avoid what is dangerous<\/strong> or painful in order to survive, and therefore our cognitive system leads us to identify experienced mistakes and dangers, making them more salient in our memory compared to successes, merits, or positive events, so that we can recall them more easily for defensive purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this can often become a major obstacle to the expression of our potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

List your qualities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"List<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We are so accustomed to this approach that if we are asked to list our faults, we have no difficulty recalling the areas in which we struggle to perform<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone, however, knows how to identify their areas of strength, the resources available, the ways in which we succeed, or our habitual successful behaviors. We take them for granted<\/strong>. We think these are traits that everyone possesses, while when it comes to our \"faults,\" we label ourselves poorly as if only we struggle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, to identify potential, we might need help, an external perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Clifton and Gallup Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Clifton and Gallup created a test that has now been taken by more than 25 million people<\/strong>, reaching a truly high level of validity and statistical reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two authors identified the talent areas and gave each one a clear name and description, grouping them into 4 macro-areas<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. making things happen; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. building relationships;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. cognitive and mental aspects, known as strategic thinking; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. influencing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Behind these large clusters, there are many different talents and possible behaviors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What are talents really?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    They are our recurring and natural ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving<\/em><\/strong> that we often use unconsciously, but which, once recognized, we can harness in a conscious and effective manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Talent is who we are<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    They are aspects of our personality. We can become the best version of who we are by greatly improving what already exists within us, without having to become someone else. Clifton and Gallup say that the greatest chance of success lies in investing in who we are, our talents and our resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    70 years of research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"Test<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Gallup conducted a longitudinal study, interviewing thousands of people for about 70 years<\/strong>, year after year on the same aspects. The interviewees were divided into two groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n