Managing to Make a Difference

Chapter 16Optimize Fit

If your goal is to accelerate people's growth, it is critical to optimize fit. We touched on this idea in the previous chapters. Aligning expectations to people's talents and themes creates optimal fit, and optimal fit increases the power of any investment you make in people's growth. This is so important to accelerating people's growth that we are unpacking it a little further in this chapter. Here is a story to get us started:

The Scorpion and the Frog

A scorpion and a frog were chatting on the riverbank. The scorpion wanted to go to the other side of the river, but scorpions cannot swim. So he asked the frog for a lift.

Scorpion: “I want to cross to the other side. Will you give me a lift? I can ride on your back if you'll let me.”

Frog: “I am afraid you'll sting me and I'll die.”

Scorpion: “Why would I do that? If I sting you, we'll both die!”

Frog: “That makes sense. Okay, hop on.”

Halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog.

Frog, with his last breath: “Why did you do that? Now we're both going to die!”

Scorpion, with his last breath, said: “I'm a scorpion. It's my nature.”

Lesson

There are things a person can't do.

There are things a person can do.

There are things a person will do.

There are things a person can't not do.

Scorpion can't swim. And he can't not sting. Is there another way to get him across the river? Is there a way to get him across the river that aligns with something he can do or will do or can't not do to ...