The All-Too-Common Unintentional Misrepresentation of Strengths

The Context 
An impressive and strategic entrepreneur, who we'll call Emily, was seeking an administrative partner—someone detail-oriented, thorough, and capable of developing and executing workflows that would streamline her operations and support her expanding business.

She interviewed a candidate, who we'll call Logan, who seemed to check every box. Logan confidently expressed a passion for operations, a track record of detail-focused roles, and a tireless commitment to excellence. On the surface, Logan appeared to have the trifecta that often signals a strong hire: natural talent, genuine enthusiasm, and a powerful work ethic.

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Impressed and encouraged, Emily brought Logan on board.

Logan was indeed hardworking and sincerely committed to self-improvement. But her results in previous roles had come not from innate alignment, but from sheer effort and perseverance. And this new role was more difficult than her previous one. 

While Logan started out enthusiastic, she quickly became disengaged and visibly frustrated. The tasks that required precision and consistency were draining Logan. Despite her commitment, she struggled to meet expectations—not for lack of effort, but because these traits weren't natural strengths. 

The Action

Emily recognized the shift and sought support from Thrive Purpose to better understand Logan's authentic strengths and explore whether a better fit existed within her team.

 

Thrive Purpose held a casual chat with Logan and was able to provide Emily with the insight she needed.

 

The Insight
We often see this: individuals mistake what they've worked hard at or have experience in for what they're naturally wired to do well.

People can perform for years in roles that aren't a fit, struggling unnecessarily and feeling unfulfilled. The misalignment between their core strengths and their daily responsibilities leads to underperformance, low morale, and missed potential—for both the individual and the organization.

The Result
With insight into Logan's true strengths and clarity on how these could best be applied in her business, Emily transitioned Logan into a marketing role—a space that allowed Logan to tap into her creativity and ability to communicate with empathy and nuance. Though new to the function, Logan's natural aptitude became immediately apparent, and she scaled rapidly. She flourished in the role, gaining confidence and contributing meaningfully to the business.

Emily's decision not only helped Logan thrive but also demonstrated to her team what great leadership looks like: discerning, empathetic, and committed to developing people in alignment with who they truly are. The culture of trust and growth deepened, benefiting the team and the business.