Optimize Fit
June 8, 2017
Hosted by Larry Sternberg, J.D. and Kim Turnage, Ph.D.
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Guest Information
Episode Description
This week we continue discussing how best to accelerate people’s growth with a focus on optimizing fit. What is fit? It is a strategy that involves aligning people’s talents with the expectations of a specific role. It is important to note that there are things a person cannot do, thing a person can do, thing a person will do and things a person cannot not do. Therefore, it is your responsibility as a manager to ensure your expectations of your employees match their natural talents. By optimizing fit you are ensuring the growth of that individual and the organization. So if you are having problems with an employee, perhaps it’s not their fault as much as it is your fault. Perhaps it’s time to quit trying to fix people and instead change your expectations to meet people where they are at. Listen in to Managing to Make a Difference to learn more from Kim and Larry’s colleague and expert on employee selection and development, Taylor McMaster.
Managing to Make a Difference
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As a manager, do you want to make a significant, positive difference in your employees’ lives? If so, this program is for you. Based on their upcoming book, "Managing to Make a Difference," Larry Sternberg, J.D. and Kim Turnage, Ph.D., discuss principles and practices supported by both research and experience, providing you with practical ways to apply the lessons and learn from your own experience. Join Larry and Kim every week for dynamic and thought-provoking conversation that will help you take action to grow as a manager and leader.
Larry Sternberg, J.D. and Kim Turnage, Ph.D.
Having been with Talent Plus(r) since 1999, Sternberg has served in a variety of capacities beginning as a management consultant and in-depth analyst. He has held leadership positions as chair of management consulting, leadership consulting and client engagement, and most recently president. He is now a Talent Plus Fellow performing duties as an oft-requested speaker and consultant.
Sternberg has been instrumental in helping clients build Talent-Based Organizations. He has designed and conducted training programs on a variety of topics for thousands of executives and managers and has served as a facilitator for numerous organizations to articulate their mission, vision and values. His areas of expertise include selection, training and development, employee engagement, empowerment, self-directed work teams, strengths management, mentoring and leading change.
A longtime champion of Talent Plus, Sternberg utilized The Science of Talent(r) in his roles prior to joining Talent Plus as vice president of human resources with The Portman Hotel Company and as a general manager with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He pioneered self-directed work teams, achieving remarkable improvements in financial results, guest satisfaction and employee satisfaction. Sternberg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Hamilton College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Kim Turnage has spent her career figuring out where people naturally excel and connecting them with opportunities to stretch those talents. She first joined Talent Plus ® in 1997 as a Senior Research Analyst and Leadership Consultant. At that time, she directed research, statistical analysis and reporting of results, including the design, initial validation and ongoing validation of selection instruments. She also consulted with clients to develop and implement measurement strategies to help them understand the impact of talent-based selection and strengths-based management on their business outcomes.
She now serves as a Senior Leadership Consultant at Talent Plus. In this capacity, she works with client partners in the selection, development and retention of top leadership talent, including succession planning. She has consulted with global clients including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), Harman Management Corporation, the United States Air Force and Gensler.
A graduate of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Kim earned a B.A. (1990) in English and Psychology, an M.S. (1994) in Psychology, and a Ph.D. (1997) in Experimental Psychology. She was a Presidential Fellow in 1997. During her time as a graduate student and later as an adjunct faculty member, she taught undergraduate courses in Research Methods and Data Analysis, Perception, Cognition and Introductory Psychology.
