Find the Silent Geniuses

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Who really makes things happen in your organization? I’ve been hearing some interesting stories about what happens when leaders take a closer look at who’s really working, and who’s working together. It’s an inventory that can come with a surprise.

Unless we’ve already been watching the whole ecosystem we use to do work these days — on all the channels from Slack to Basecamp (as a for-instance) — we don’t know who the true rock stars are. That came up recently on a recent #WorkTrends podcast, when Performica CEO, Alex Furman, relayed how a team of engineers ran some due diligence and found that the heavy hitters were going unnoticed, or more to the point, unheard. 

"There are two types of people in every organization,” he said. “The squeaky wheels and the silent geniuses. The issue is the wheels don't mind telling you what's on their minds, but they are not the people with the great ideas; the silent people are. So how do we get them to talk more and speak up?"

How, indeed? In Performica's case, 50% of the most important people were flying below the radar. What’s more, everyone knew but leaders and management. It’s a phenomenon I’m seeing even more now that we’re in hybrid and remote workplaces. In essence, we need better tools so we can truly hear people. We need to hear the silent geniuses.

Get beyond the bias  

HR has an amazing toolbox when it comes to engaging the workforce. We have sophisticated management, rewards and recognition systems that work together to identify and celebrate great work and dedication. I’ve talked to tech innovators on the qualities we tend to measure: not just hard performance data but softer metrics like innovation, initiative, and motivating others. That’s all terrific. It’s an evolution I championed and will continue to support.

But we’re not necessarily finding the stealth superstars. If they’re not good at self-promotion, or they’re not engaged in mutual praise on various channels (25 points for helping me finish that presentation, Derek!), we may miss them. We need tools to get beyond the bias and make sure we’re not just cheering on the cheerleaders. 

Also, we need to make sure our vision into what’s really happening isn’t filtered by bias, unintentional as it may be. “It wasn't the straight white guys who were doing great work and being unrecognized,” Alex told me. But certain demographics may be more comfortable at self-promotion, and that’s something we need to think about. And if we’re only promoting the self-promoters, we’re not helping our workforce be the most diverse — and successful — it can be.

Get candid, get curious  

In many of my conversations with leaders, especially in the HR tech and HR practitioner space, one thing comes up again and again. It's essential to learn as much from failure as from success. Like those silent geniuses, failure can be quieter. But it’s also extremely effective at prompting us to simply move on.

We shouldn’t. We need to be as curious about our failures as our triumphs. I love what psychologist Gemma Leigh Roberts said about this recently on the TalentCulture blog: “The best leaders learn from experiences — including failures …. see challenges as opportunities, as opposed to threats, proactively seek knowledge to stay up-to-date in a rapidly shifting professional environment, and are curious to identify areas for development and try new ways of doing things.”

What are we not hearing from our workforce? I propose we all put our ears to the ground and listen. What changes are you willing to make once you discover the voices of those silent geniuses on your team? Have you already uncovered fresh insights and initiated change for the better? In the spirit of curiosity, please share what you’ve learned.

Like this topic? Great! You can learn more about it and get more details on a recent podcast. Just click here to listen.

Best,

—MMB

If you enjoyed this issue of The Buzz, check the TalentCulture #WorkTrends Podcast, where I talk with leading HR experts, innovators, and practitioners about key issues and opportunities we’re facing in the modern world of work.