Greatness

The Olympics open this Friday.

It’s amazing to see what humans can accomplish after a decade of intense training. The skill level of these elite athletes is astounding.

And yet, most of the people who will compete are not household names. They are not earning millions from endorsement deals. And competing in the Olympics is probably the peak of their careers, even those most will not win a medal. All of their talent and efforts have been channeled into this small block of time that will play out in the next two weeks or so.

Consider the people on your own team in your company. Consider the decades of education and experience that are in the room. Remember the talents that each person brings. Some talents might have direct applications in your work; for example, strong math and spatial abilities really help in engineering. But also consider the talents that might be “work-adjacent,” such as communication, or making people feel included as part of the team, or being able to “read the room,” or the resilience to keep going, even in the face of adversity.

You have great people around you. Some people are using their talents. Others might need some guidance to draw those talents out. Look for their potential. Look for their aptitudes. Build their confidence and give them opportunities to develop and use the greatness within. The competitors in the Winter Olympics have two weeks to shine. Your people could shine for decades, if you can elicit that greatness.

(image generated using Midjourney)