Just as each sheep has its particular shape or makeup, so does each person in the company. Therefore, examine their SHAPE to make sure they are a good fit. Do not fit a square peg into a round role!
Strengths – Place people where they can operate out of their strengths and not their weaknesses. Understand the strengths of the people on your team or those about to join it.
Heart – Put people in areas that reflect their passions. They will then think of their job more as a cause than as a place to draw a paycheck.
Attitude – People with a good attitude are usually team players. They typically have a teachable spirit. People with negative attitudes do not have a learner’s heart.
Personality – Each one of us has been hardwired with a distinct personality. Some of us are wired to be extroverts; others, introverts. Some people love repetition, and others thrive on change. The point is to put a person in a position that reflects his or her personality.
Experiences – each person you meet is a product of their life experiences. Often the key to understanding an individual, and the key to knowing where to place them on your team, is to learn something about the person’s various experiences.
Make the right choices about who will be a part of your team and make sure they are placed in an area that reflects their SHAPE. That allows each member of your team to work in an area where they know they can make a difference. Not only will they be effective in their work, but they will also enjoy a measure of fulfillment in it.
An excerpt from the Way of the Shepherd
Grow In God's Grace 