Deficiency Management – Why is strengthening your flaws the slowest way to achieve effectiveness?
This striking episode challenges the traditional method of “deficiency management” – consisting of identifying and filling in weak points. Drawing on her experience in human resources, Eve explains why this approach is often too slow, even “unreachable,” and proposes a managerial approach: working on strengths to generate “champions.”
The Excess of a Quality: The Flaw as Intensity
The central thesis is that a flaw is nothing but an “excess of a quality” or an “excess of style.” A quality is a continuum of intensity: if you press too hard on a quality, it inevitably becomes counterproductive. The guests give precise examples: the fast person becomes impulsive if in excess, while the methodical person becomes nitpicky.
To align themselves and function at their full potential, the individual must not change the core of their personality, but learn to self-regulate and “ease off” when overloaded.
Speaking the Truth vs. Hurtful Criticism
The episode denounces systematic criticism – often seen as a national sport in France – which presses right where “it hurts.” Using the vocabulary of deficiency or flaw is “useless for the individual” and hurts them, preventing them from progressing.
Managers should instead adopt “speaking the truth” with deep respect. In a review, it’s more effective to tell an employee they are “too fast” – a simple truth rather than manipulation – and help them understand that this excess of style creates an imbalance within the team. The strength of a manager lies in their ability to give others the method to confidently self-assess.
Leadership and Organizational Challenges
The discussion also addresses two major challenges of the modern organization:
- The Equivalence of Values: The belief that it is more valuable to be a manager than a technician pushes excellent technicians to become bad managers for the wrong reasons (notably financial ones). Technical and managerial professions must be valued equally.
- The Myth of the Charismatic Manager: Effective leadership does not lie in the leader’s “superstar side” or ego. A good leader must be aware and responsible for their role, capable of erasing their ego and having a vision (the “vista”) to bring their team along and help them grow in skill and engagement.
Listen to this episode to transform your approach to feedback, abandon deficiency management for the art of self-regulation, and turn your teams into aligned champions!