Blindspots in Restorative
In this month's instalment of our Dark Side of Strengths series, we're exploring how Restorative can move from being a superpower to becoming exhausting. And never forget, of course, that your Restorative will show up differently to others’ based on your other leading CliftonStrengths. And if you’re curious how your Restorative might show up and frustrate others, read our white paper on conflict and communication.
Introduction to Restorative
The power of leveraging individual CliftonStrengths to enhance personal and professional success cannot be underestimated. However each CliftonStrength comes with their own set of blindspots. Triggered by discussions in recent workshops, I’m gong to focus on BLINDSPOTS, and to get started thought I’d start with Restorative, because a recent cohort of 126 participants 48% of participants had it in their Top 5. Imagine, in one session there was a whole room full of problem finders, fixers, and perfectionists! In this blog, we’ll explore the dynamics of CliftonStrengths and shed light on potential blindspots, specifically honing in on the Restorative strength. We’ll discuss examples of how Restorative blindspots may manifest and offer insights into partnering with other CliftonStrengths to create a HARMONIOUS and PRODUCTIVE approach. Afterall, Restorative is an executing theme. And bad team vibes would not lie well with it. Creating another problem.
It’s the strength that says:
“Let’s figure out what’s gone wrong – or not right – and fix it.”
Remember. Not every problem requires your intervention.
Understanding Restorative:
Restorative is a strength characterized by the ability to solve problems and find solutions, often thriving in crisis situations. Individuals with high Restorative talents possess a natural inclination to identify and fix problems, bringing a sense of order and resolution to chaos. While this strength is undoubtedly valuable, it can lead to blindspots when overemphasized or misapplied.
The gift of Restorative
- While many people can identify that something is wrong, Restorative is motivated to do something about it. The gift of Restorative is transformation.
At its best, Restorative brings:
- Problem-solving: quickly identifying causes rather than symptoms.
- Resilience: remaining calm when others feel overwhelmed.
- Improvement: finding ways to make things work better.
- Practicality: focusing on solutions, not endless discussion.
- Recovery: helping people, projects and teams get back on track.
I often see Restorative shine in engineering environments. People with Restorative are drawn to places that demand problem solving when a system fails, a process breaks, or maybe a customer escalates an issue.
Most people see disruption, but those with high Restorative see something worth investigating, understanding, and improving. It is the strength that sparks the question in your head:
“How do we make this better?“
Innately, you have the capability to restore confidence, rebuild trust, and solve difficult problems. The world, and every team, needs you.
But every strength has a shadow.
The dark side of Restorative
The challenge with your Restorative talent is that it triggers you almost permanently to focus on what’s wrong. When your attention instinctively moves towards problems, it becomes easy to overlook what is already working. You could become the person who always sees the negative.
You can also easily become the person everyone brings their issues to. And soon you’re carrying a weight of problems, half of which were never yours to own. This blog was the first ‘dark side’ in the series, that started in 2023! So we’ve updated it and reworked it to identify 5 challenges. Which have you encountered?
Challenge 1: Seeing problems everywhere
The gift of Restorative is noticing what needs attention. The downside is noticing it all the time.
- You walk into a meeting and immediately see the process flaw.
- You review a report and spot the risks.
- You join a project and identify fifteen improvements before anyone has discussed what is already going well.
Others may see opportunities. You see vulnerabilities.
Over time this can create fatigue, both for you and the people around you.
Sometimes a team needs improvement. Sometimes they need encouragement.
The Jedi shift
Ask yourself:
“What is working well that we should preserve?”
Before identifying a problem, identify a success. Balance creates credibility.
And like many engineering teams, having a trouble shooting list, and recording the urgency level of addressing it and potential impact helps everyone know what could be done and what needs to be done.
Challenge 2: Becoming the team fixer
People quickly learn that Restorative means you are capable and can solve problems. The result? Every issue finds its way to you.
Before long, you become the unofficial troubleshooter for everyone else’s challenges. And while at first this feels rewarding, eventually it becomes tedious. Because the danger is that others start depending on your expertise rather than developing their own capability.
The result: You become indispensable. And exhausted.
Jedi shift
Move from solving to coaching. Instead of: “Here’s how I’d fix it.”
Try: “What options have you already considered?”
Helping others develop their own problem-solving capability creates far more long-term value. And boosts confidence among your colleagues.
Challenge 3: Fixing people who haven't asked for help
This is the fine line between helping and interfering.
This one catches many people by surprise. Restorative often sees potential. You can see exactly what would help a colleague, partner, or indeed friend move forward. And this can depend on your other top CliftonStrengths.
The problem? They may not want fixing. Or they may not be ready. If you find your Restorative is supported by a group of the blue, Relationship Building Domain themes, beware of this, and if you also have high Empathy, be doubly cautious!
Your good intentions can accidentally become unsolicited advice. And while your intention is that it feels supportive, on the receiving end, it may feel critical of them.
You are the one that is the listening ear for strained relations – your Harmony ‘supercharges’ the need to mend disagreements and restore calm. Your Empathy both attracts dissatisfied colleagues and also can over feel their pain.
Jedi shift
Remember: Awareness does not create permission. So before offering solutions, ask:
“Would you like me to listen or help you think through possible solutions?”
That small question can transform relationships and outcomes for both of you.
Challenge 4: Chasing perfection through continuous repair
When improvement becomes obsession to rival Maximiser. And if you have Restorative and Maximiser, seriously watch out for this.
Your Restorative talent is in the Executing Domain. It is driven to do things. And as a result. often struggles to leave things alone. Even when something is functioning adequately, you can see ways to improve it.
Then improve it again.
And again.
The danger is that projects never feel finished. There is always one more optimisation. One more adjustment. One more fix.
At some point improvement becomes a diminishing return.
Jedi shift
Ask: “Is this problem important or merely interesting?”
Not everything requires optimisation.
Sometimes “good enough” is genuinely good enough.
Challenge 5: Carrying other people's problems home
Restorative cares deeply about solving challenges. Unfortunately, the brain doesn’t always switch off. The conversation you had at 10am is still circulating at 10pm. You replay the issue. Explore possible solutions. Run scenarios. Mentally troubleshoot.
The problem may belong to someone else.
The mental load doesn’t get the memo.
Jedi shift
Create deliberate closure rituals. Write down actions. Capture next steps. Park unresolved issues before finishing work.
Your brain doesn’t need to hold every problem overnight.
Remember… your job is not to fix everything
One of the biggest lessons for people with high Restorative is recognising that your value is not measured by the number of problems you solve.
You’re not responsible for repairing every broken system, process, relationship, or project around you.
- Some issues belong to other people.
- Some require patience rather than intervention.
- Some are simply outside your control.
The goal is not to fix everything.
The goal is to bring your problem-solving gift where it adds the greatest value.
Wisdom is knowing which problems deserve your energy.
Reflection questions: a moment for honest inventory
Take time this week to consider:
- Which problems am I carrying that don’t belong to me?
- Where am I focusing on faults instead of strengths?
- Who am I rescuing instead of coaching?
- What am I trying to perfect that is already good enough?
- What would happen if I solved one less problem this week?
Double jeopardy - two strengths are in their blindspot zones
How might Restorative and Intellection cause each other a challenge?
Under pressure, this partnership can become focused on solving immediate problems, making longer-term thinking and deep analysis more difficult. If these themes are in your Top 10:
- Develop reflective habits such as journaling.
- Partner with people strong in Strategic or Context.
- Seek intellectual discussion and fresh perspectives.
- Use structured approaches to break down problems.
- Engage diverse viewpoints to strengthen solutions.
Final thought
The world needs your Restorative talents. It needs people who can remain calm when systems fail, projects derail and challenges emerge. It needs people who can bring order to complexity and solutions to uncertainty. Leaders who remain calm in a crisis – at what ever level of seniority.
The true power of Restorative isn’t solving every problem. It’s choosing the right problems. The Jedi side of Restorative recognises that strength is not found in fixing everything. It’s found in knowing where your energy will create the greatest impact.
Because sometimes the most powerful solution is not repairing what’s broken.
It’s recognising that some things are strong enough already. And my Restorative heavy workshop? We worked together to help them see the power of choosing the problems to work on.