Let’s take a couple of behaviors that are almost universally seen as negative – beating people up and lying.

Can you think of any kinds of roles in which beating people up is actually considered a good behavior that can drive success?

How about a role in which being a very good liar makes you a top performer?

Consider the very specific contexts of boxing…and undercover work.

Context matters, and optimizing fit is all about context.

In the real world, how can you have a positive impact on people’s lives by helping them find the right fit?

And how can you make their lives better by helping them get out of situations in which they are in the wrong fit?

Listen in as Larry Sternberg, Taylor McMaster and Kyle Bruss discuss how to create the ideal fit between people’s natural gifts and the expectations managers have for their performance.

On all our podcasts and blog posts, you have an opportunity to talk back to us through comments and emails. We hope to hear from you! Until next time, manage to make a difference every day!

+ Larry Sternberg, J.D. and Kim Turnage, Ph.D.

This post highlights Chapter 16 of Managing to Make a Difference (Wiley), a handbook for hitting the sweet spot of middle management. Next up: Set the Right Expectations. Connect with Kim Turnage and Larry Sternberg on LinkedIn to see their latest updates.

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