Remember Hermey, the misfit elf from the animated Christmas classic, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer? An aspiring dentist, Hermey languishes away in Santa’s workshop, trying to make toys. Lacking the talent and desire for toymaking, poor Hermey bogs down the workshop’s finely tuned assembly line. His ineptitude catches the eye of the workshop foreman, who fusses and fumes at the young elf. Tired of being the target of his boss’s verbal barrages, Hermey quits his job and strikes out on his own.

How many Hermeys do we have in the workplace? Would-be dentists struggling to make toys? Square pegs trying in vain to jam themselves into round holes?

As a leader, you have responsibility to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the people on your team. If they are slotted in the wrong place, then getting angry at their underperformance won’t solve anything. It’s up to you to help them find a niche.

As a practical application, have your team complete a strengths inventory and personality profile. Review the results. Who appears to be positioned in the right role? Who might be misplaced?

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