Talented Under-Achievers [2006]

Question: What do you get when you populate a country with people of great resourcefulness and extreme modesty and humility? Answer : A talented under-achiever of a country with tremendous potential but little vision and a slight whiff of "could do better".

If only we could combine our trademark strengths of being hard-working, laid back and can do with a little more confidence and far-sightedness, this place would really take off. Right?

Modesty and humility is actually one of 24 "signature strengths" identified by Martin Seligman in a quiz on his website www.authentichappiness.org,

Apparently it can lead to greater happiness - I wouldn't know - on the quiz that I did, modesty and humility came 24th out of 24. But the idea of identifying your signature strengths is interesting - simple really - if you do what you do easily and well, life suddenly becomes easier and more interesting.

We delight in working with firms and organisations that fall into the category of "talented under-achievers".

They're the clients that manage to cleverly hide their lights under a bushel [only deliberate biblical reference in this newsletter] and simply fail to see how good they are - or could be.

Or the perfectionists who only see their internal chaos – as if they were the only one to have it – and don't notice the things their customers love about them. Those are always good feedback sessions – "No, see – they like you".

Or harder, the ones who suffer from past glories, desperately in need of a shot of 21st century realism, but for now resting heavily on their laurels, their smugness so palpable it feels like inertia, but could well be fear.

Fear is also a factor for organisations that have a big mistake lurking somewhere in their past, who now find the smallest deviation from normal incredibly difficult, despite their professed intentions.

And perhaps fear is also behind the inaction of those New Zealanders who traffic in reflected glory. Peter Jackson has made it - and it's almost as if I had too. "Sam Morgan made $700 million - now I don't have to". We all do that a bit. Role models are great but only if you do what they do.

Talented underachievers are everywhere. We estimate almost 85% of New Zealand firms and organisations fall into this category –

innovative little firms that could grow, but don't . .
helping organisations that could make a big difference, but don't. . .
high quality domestic suppliers that should export, but don't want to.

The most important thing to realise about them is that there's a reason they under-achieve. You can't just tell them they're great, scribble them a marketing strategy and expect them to get on with it. They don't. You need to work on their psyche.

Authenticity is one of the key elements they need to embrace: we use research and internal consultation to find out who our clients really are and then convince them to try just being that. The very best version of that.

Evolutionary approaches are essential to overcome qualms. It's much easier to start with small changes that lead to burgeoning possibilities rather than go for the big revolution. Like Lotto winners, the victims of a new broom revert to normal as soon as they can.

Importantly, you need an Integrated approach – inside and outside; identity and capacity. If they can get over their contempt for marketing and communication, management consultants prove to be remarkably good partners in dealing with talented underachievers.

And likewise, when communications specialists realise that good HR is more than just "mumbo-jumbo", they're very effective partners too. Because as Hillary said, it takes a village!

Ultimately, the practice of full on achievement works because it's Easier. Easier than doing nothing or doing the same old thing or taking no risks at all. That's how it seems to clients anyway if they get the other elements right – though they're probably actually working much harder.

But it somehow just seems easier. You're just being yourself doing what you do.

How hard can that be?

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"You can't just tell them they're great, scribble them a brand strategy and expect them to get on with it. They don't. You need to work on their psyche."