Hidden High Potentials and Underachievers – There is a Blog for You!
By Michelle Malay Carter on March 26, 2009
My friend Forrest of Requisite Writing, a blog aimed at hidden high potentials aka underachievers, thinks the advice I offered young, high potential leaders about using wait time for character building in my last post was a bit naive, maybe uninformed – my words, not his.? He did, however, give me credit for being well intentioned.?
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Forrest is passionate about this subject, and I thought his comment deserved highlighting.? Here’s what he had to say.? I encourage you to visit his blog for more on the subject.
“You?re well-intended [Michelle], but I don?t think you understand the psychic damage of never being understood. These hidden high potentials outpace us all; they have no one to talk to. It?s all well and good to tell someone who is effectively ostracized to love everyone back, but being always left out will take it?s toll. Can you imagine never having been really seen by anyone?
I have met few hidden high potentials (Mode 7 and above*) who didn?t have character in truckloads. Otherwise they?d have suicided. If they won the lottery, they wouldn?t become failures again because they aren?t flash in the pans: they?ve been working hard. And these instances of instant success killing you are when the recipient does not have the capacity to manage the new situation. Hidden high potentials don?t have that problem.
It?s true that there?s almost nothing that they can do. And that success, if it has not come early, will likely never come in our present society. They have to find love for people who hate them, put up with insults and condescension, suffer never having a real friend who sees them or mentors to help, and then if they do find success, they must ?embrace it humbly, and then use your position, power, or prestige for the benefit of humanity.?
Why do we expect Perfection out of them but are willing to have everyone else be imperfect humans?
Why, if these hidden high potentials who have such developed character are so much better, do we not look for them and raise them up to lead us, but instead look for the flashy high potentials who have always known success?
Stan?s right that it makes greater leaders. But it destroys them in the process.
I pity anyone not ?tapped? who?s Mode 7+. Most of them do indeed wait in a ?just as soon as? state, as did the ancients, waiting for a Messiah or for one to return.”
I’m OK.??You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.? Are you an untapped high potential underachiever?
*Mode refers to the level of cognitive capability one will reach at the end of their careers.? These map to work levels.??Thus, a Mode 7 person would be cognitively capable?of work at work level 7 at the end of his/her career.
Filed Under Employee Engagement, High Potential, Requisite Organization, Talent Management
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3 Responses to “Hidden High Potentials and Underachievers – There is a Blog for You!”
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I worked in an organisation at the senior management level for five very long years, where I was the one ostracized. I was the first female manager in a very male dominated and competititive global organisation. I did try the “love them all” approach and it got me through, although when I left the organisation I took a whole year off. I was exhausted. During my time there, the behaviour of the other managers towards me was extraordinary and included anger and shouting, harassment, a whole suite of broken promises and work expectations that far exceeded those placed on my peers.
I left that organisation with my confidence damaged, and a feeling that I had “lost my voice”. It took quite a while to regain that.
I have since established a very successful consulting company. Our growth is tremendous and we are well respected for the quality of our work. I am currently planning the establishment of a second business. My previous place of work could have tapped into my ability but chose not to.
Why did I stay if it was so rough? For several reasons including that fact that the training provided was extraordinary, I travelled a lot to very interesting places and the ability to work globally was fantastic.
Thanks for posting this. For all those talented but unrecognised employees out there – take your talent elsewhere.
Hi Ganga,
Thank you for sharing your story. As they say, success is the best revenge. Congratulations.
I too was underutilized for a decade before becoming an independent consultant. I found in several situations, my managers recognized my talent and tapped if for their own purposes but endeavored to keep it hidden from others because I made their lives easier (in short term, while I could keep my attitude in check). I even remember a Director saying to me one day after I had to finish a project for my boss when she was out on bereavement leave, Oh, I thought you were just a secretary. I wrote about this situation here: http://www.missionmindedmanagement.com/talent-management-systems-drive-talent-hoarding-not-talent-promotion
Anyway, this is why it is important to create a requisite talent management system that is designed to keep two sets of eyes on each employee – the manager and the manager once removed – with the manager once removed accountable for the talent pool development of two levels down. It helps organizations from “showing their young, high potentials the door”. See: http://www.missionmindedmanagement.com/succession-management-whose-eyes-are-focused-on-talent
Thanks for the comment.
Regards,
Michelle
Kudos to Ganga for getting out and not allowing it to destroy her!
For all my bluster, Michelle, you and Glenn are still at the very top of my list of “People I Recommend Without Hesitation”, and the one for “Best Seminar I’ve Ever Attended”. If only more people would create requisite talent management systems! It would go so far to reduce the stupid suffering in the workplace and _increase productivity_.
You know, sometimes it would include showing these folks the door, because like Ganga they are capable of doing much more than they would be capable of in that company.