Merative

I’ve always believed in the old adage: never judge a book by its cover. But it’s been reinforced recently in the most unexpected way. I’m currently looking after 70kg Great Dane for a couple of weeks as his owner suddenly became unwell. At first glance he’s enormous, imposing and you might assume he’d be more than a handful to manage. In reality he’s the most affectionate, gentle, intelligent and easy‑going character you could hope to meet. A giant soft soul who just wants company and a warm spot to nap. It reminded me how often this happens in our work environment too: I’ve fought to hold on to an inherited ‘underperforming’ team, as I believed they could thrive after being TUPE’d into a new environment that would finally set them up for success. And I’ve championed and developed overlooked employees; often people others had ignored for years, who became the most valuable members of my team once they were given trust, clarity and the right conditions. The pattern is always the same: Capability is often not the issue, but conditions are. And what we see on the surface almost never tells the full story. Whether it’s people, teams or even a 70kg Great Dane, the real potential is usually found just below the surface, but only if we’re willing to look. #Leadership #FutureOfWork #PeoplePotential #TalentStrategy #HumanLeadership