Isn't Everyone High Potential? 🚀

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” —Albert Einstein

We’ve all been there—sitting through endless staffing sessions, watching people forced into quadrants on a rigid performance-potential matrix based on subjective assessments. While these conversations help with calibration, do they truly serve the employee?

Adam Grant, organizational psychologist at Wharton, argues that the best leaders aren’t cheerleaders or critics—they’re coaches. They recognize hidden potential, acknowledge weaknesses, and help individuals focus on their strengths. This approach transforms potential into high performance.

True leadership isn’t about managing or serving—it’s about inspiring. I believe in lighting the fire within, not the fire behind. Radical Candor®—caring personally while challenging directly—raises expectations and fosters growth. Feedback should be immediate, caring, and constructive, not something delayed until a performance review. Imagine a basketball coach waiting until halftime, or worse, after the game, to give feedback. That’s neither actionable nor motivating. And as Grant puts it, if feedback is a surprise at a performance review, leadership has failed.

One of my favorite coaching techniques is a 3:1 method: highlight three strengths that signal potential and one key area to unleash it. A wise leader once told me: “You’ll never excel by fixing what doesn’t energize you. Instead, refine what you’re already great at.”  Besides, our strengths naturally expose our weaknesses, so we get a 2-for-1! 🤓

My greatest successes came from this mindset—reinforced by the best coaches, who believed in me, knew when to push, and when to pause. The same coach who challenged me head-on one day might take me for a coffee and a walk the next, helping me reflect and grow. It wasn’t about a single style but about meeting me where I was to bring out my best.

Beware, don’t ever be the one saying, “I have no biases.” We all have biases—often implicit—and they blind us to potential in others. To truly see someone’s gifts, we must take time to understand who they are, what they love, and how they best sharpen their strengths. Helping others become their best selves is the true measure of leadership.

“Understand the Pygmalion Effect: Leaders should always expect the very best of those around them. They know that people can change and grow.” —Warren G. Bennis

Adam Grant’s own journey proves this. He began as a springboard diver with zero natural ability, yet an extraordinary coach and relentless effort propelled him to All-American status. His words sum it up best: “Focusing on where people start causes us to overlook the distances they are capable of traveling.”

Believe your people can fly and be pleasantly surprised by how far they soar! 🦋🚀

Unlocking Hidden Potential | Adam Grant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxn8W1hyyoo

© Nuri Dimler 2025