Would you believe me if I told you that one of the greatest baseball players of all time was almost overlooked at the start of his career? Albert Pujols, a future Hall of Famer with over 700 home runs to his name, was drafted in the 13th round as the 402nd pick- a pick so low that nearly no one expected him to make an impact. But through relentless development, coaching, and dedication, Pujols became one of the sport’s legends, ranking fourth on the all-time home run list and achieving numerous other accolades throughout his stellar career.
In sports, the journey never ends with identifying talent; it’s often just the beginning. Teams invest heavily in scouting to identify top talent and also spend huge amounts of resources on training and development. Star kids sometimes shine bright but sometimes fizzle out, the underdogs become champions, and the near-retired veteran comes back to give the best performance of his life. Identifying talent is just one part of the story. Pujols is a shining example of this- proof that sometimes the best talent isn’t obvious but rather revealed over time.
The same holds true in business. While identifying and attracting highly performing employees is paramount to most recruiting processes, sometimes a promising recruit might not stand out immediately. But given the proper guidance and opportunities, they could evolve into a high-performing leader. So the question arises: what’s more important? Identifying talent or developing talent?
Well, let’s take a look at what would happen if either wasn’t present.
Consider an organization that solely focuses on raw potential. New hires who impress in interviews and initial projects are selected and paid top of the line for their potential. However, if programs and opportunities to develop and invest in this talent are not present. What might be the outcome? Sure, there may be one or two exceptional candidates who continue to perform well, but the vast majority will never reach their full potential. It is unlikely that any of us ever reaches our fullest and greatest potential without someone investing in us both in the form of time and resources.
Additionally, most of your employees will likely be disappointed that the organization is not investing in developing their talent. They will feel that their potential is not valued enough and will likely start feeling less confident in themselves. A lack of effort in developing talent will end up destroying talent.
On the other hand, an organization that emphasizes development but doesn’t place emphasis on identifying the right talent will be making an investment that will almost never pay off. Apart from the exceptional cases where employees naturally excel despite a lack of fit or initial assessment, most will struggle to meet expectations. Without the core skills, motivation, or alignment with the organization’s values, these individuals may not fully benefit from development opportunities. This will harm not just your organization, but also your employees as they struggle to meet unrealistic standards.
Ultimately, the answer isn’t choosing one over the other. A great leader, both in sports and business, will find the right synergy between identifying talent and developing it. Just as in sports, where Albert Pujols went from overlooked to legendary through a combination of (late) talent recognition and dedicated training, you need to strike a balance in your organization.
The key is to remember that talent is not always immediately obvious, nor that talent always equals successful growth. Finding employees who are both skilled and possess the right character, and more importantly, want to grow both professionally and personally is essential. These employees are the ones who will benefit the most from development opportunities and contribute significantly to the organization over time.
As a leader, it’s your duty to align talent with ambition. When you look for people who are not only capable but also eager to learn and adapt, you create a foundation for sustainable success. This combination transforms talent into excellence and separates underdogs or prodigies from legends.
