#320 duality

As I think about what makes an employee successful, I am reminded of a graph that a former colleague shared with me.  On one axis is competence, and on the other is relationships.

To be a valuable contributor to a team, a person must have both high competence and high relationship marks.  Someone who is technically proficient, but can't communicate with others is often relegated to the proverbial back room and doesn't add much value to the overall team. Someone who is well liked but ineffective finds themselves lacking as well.  

It is easier to fire the first person, because in all probability, they aren't well liked, but it is equally as important to divest of people who are lacking on either axis.  Examples come to mind of both types of employees, and neither images are positive.

To be an effective employee, you must be proficient in both variables. On which aspect do you rate yourself higher?  What can you do to ensure that you are tending to both aspects of the equation to help your organization advance?

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Idea from Wanda Ryan