Empowering people and enabling performance.

The German Medical Journal publishes several professional articles by me in the current year. The first has been released – and it addresses a topic that I encounter repeatedly in my work. Not only in the everyday clinical routine, but everywhere people lead and bear responsibility: the conscious focus on the strengths of employees.

I have not only been able to deepen this topic in writing, but have also already discussed it several times in the Medical Journal podcast Until the Doctor Arrives. The conversations clearly show how much leadership in healthcare – and beyond – is under pressure. And how great the leverage is when we start to lead people not primarily by their deficits, but by their abilities.

What applies to female doctors, male doctors, and interdisciplinary teams also applies in other industries: Modern leadership arises where people are seen – not out of kindness, but because that is what enables performance.

Focusing on weaknesses rarely leads to peak performance

Many leaders can immediately name the weaknesses of their employees. The strengths, however, often remain unspoken – because they are taken for granted. In employee discussions, it quickly revolves around corrections, expectations, and deviations from the ideal image.

Employees feel this. And they enter discussions that should actually allow for development with a queasy feeling.

What is often underestimated: Those who continuously attempt to eradicate weaknesses remain in the middle and rarely achieve peak performance. Excellence occurs where people can direct their energy toward what they are truly good at – and where leadership creates space for exactly that.

Strengths-oriented leadership in the everyday clinical routine – and beyond

Not only in the clinical setting does it become evident how crucial it is to consciously perceive and utilize different strengths. High time pressure, complex decisions, and tight dependencies do not call for as many "uniform" employees as for complementary skills in the team.

An example:
A senior physician who remains calm even in critical situations, organizes complex issues, and creates safety through clear communication. His strength lies less in administrative efficiency and more in orientation and coordination. When he is purposefully involved in interdisciplinary case discussions and handovers, everyone benefits: less friction, more clarity, and a tangible relief in the team.

Or a resident physician with high analytical depth, who needs more time for standard procedures, but excels diagnostically in complex cases. Instead of evaluating this working method as a deficit, her strength is utilized – for instance, in case analyses or quality circles. Quality improves. And with it, the learning culture in the team.

This logic does not end at the clinic door.
It applies equally to businesses, administrations, project teams, and leadership boards. Because people need exactly that – appreciation and a focus on strengths. Over time, heterogeneous teams with the most diverse characters and abilities also emerge.

Modern leadership today - people in focus – for good reason

The time we live in does not increase predictability but rather complexity. Responsible leadership thus means less control and more wise utilization of potentials. Those who deploy employees according to their strengths can delegate responsibility, need to intervene less, and create real effectiveness. For that, I must also focus on strengths rather than weaknesses as a leader.

Nevertheless, strengths-oriented leadership does not mean ignoring weaknesses.
It means consciously shifting the focus: to what people can do – and to the conditions under which this can have an effect.

The complete professional article "Strengths-oriented Leadership in Everyday Clinical Practice" was published in the German Medical Journal; December issue 2025 and forms the basis of this contribution.