The Gold You Forgot to Mine: Unlocking the Power of Underused Talent at Work
Article shared by Bethany Hatton – Author Preventing Addiction Clearinghouse (coming soon).
Contact - [email protected] - https://preventaddiction.info/
It’s an old truth dressed in a new language: most workplaces are iceberg environments. What you see on the surface, job titles, meeting contributions, performance reviews, is just a fraction of what lies beneath. Some of the best people on your team are the ones flying just below the radar, waiting to be noticed, waiting to be unleashed. The task for you as a leader isn't just to manage what's visible, it's to develop an eye for what's been overlooked. That begins with recognizing underutilized employees and knowing how to bring them into the center of your company’s mission.
Watch for energy, not just output
You may have an employee who checks all the boxes, meets all the deadlines, and never causes waves, but that doesn’t mean they’re working to their full capacity. Sometimes the most overlooked people are those whose potential far exceeds the demands of their current roles. The trick is to watch how they engage: do they light up during brainstorms, offer thoughtful feedback in one-on-ones, or tinker with innovative ideas in the margins of a project? Pay attention to those subtle sparks, because they often point to employees who are quietly capable of much more than their job descriptions suggest.
Redefine value beyond performance reviews
Too often, managers rely on quarterly reviews to evaluate employee contributions, but these snapshots rarely capture the full picture. Talent isn’t always loud; it doesn’t always speak in bullet points or metrics. Look instead at the roles people informally take on, who do colleagues turn to for advice? Who smooths out conflicts before they escalate? Who makes everything around them work just a little bit better? Value lives in those invisible contributions, and the sooner you recognize them, the faster you can elevate your team’s true MVPs.
Ask questions that get real answers
A direct “How can I support you?” can sound like corporate wallpaper, especially if it’s followed by nothing. Real questions, the kind that open doors, are specific, empathetic, and timely. Try asking, “What part of your work feels the most energizing?” or “If you could spend 20% of your time doing something different here, what would it be?” Questions like these cut through formality and get to the heart of what drives people. When someone tells you about a skill or interest that doesn’t fit in their current role, that’s your cue to get creative.
Create conversations that matter
Keeping the channels of communication open isn’t about installing another Slack plugin, it’s about building trust in small, consistent ways. When employees feel like their voices matter, respect becomes the foundation of every interaction, not just an HR buzzword. Casual company lunches or regular one-on-one chats can do more to build that culture than an annual survey ever will. The real power comes when feedback flows both ways, and employees know they’re not just being heard, they’re being taken seriously.
Give room to experiment without penalty
Potential does not thrive under surveillance; it needs room to run. If someone on your team shows promise in a new area, say, data analytics, UX design, or public speaking, let them explore it. Give them a short-term project or a stretch assignment and make it clear that failure will not be punished. It’s amazing what people will show you when they know they won’t be penalized for trying. You may even find new revenue streams, internal processes, or creative strategies sparked by these low-stakes experiments.
Build micro-pathways for growth
Not everyone wants, or needs, a promotion to feel fulfilled. Sometimes all it takes is a new challenge, a cross-functional team, or a project that taps into an employee’s dormant skills. One underrated way to build engagement is by creating “micro-pathways”: small, intentional opportunities for people to expand their toolkit. A side project that aligns with their personal interests or mentoring a junior colleague in a skill they have mastered. The goal is to create a culture where talent feels seen and utilized, not shelved.
Treat change as a leadership competency
When it comes to optimizing talent, knowing how to lead through change is essential. Change is not just external, new markets, modern technologies, it’s also internal, like adjusting how you empower your team. That’s why it’s smart to invest in change management training, such as the kind offered by X4MIS. Their courses don’t just teach you how to navigate change; they show you how to foster adaptability within your team, making it easier to realign roles, redistribute responsibilities, and unlock the talent you didn’t know you had.
Celebrate the whole person, not just the role
Finally, if you really want to see someone flourish, show that you value who they are beyond the work they do. Celebrate the skills they bring from other domains, parenting, side hustle, community leadership, and integrate those strengths into their work when possible. When people feel like they’re being recognized for their whole selves, they don’t just work harder, they work happier. And a happy, valued employee is more likely to bring their full potential to the table.
Every team has its quiet geniuses, its hidden creatives, its under-the-radar strategists. The challenge is learning how to see them. It takes curiosity, courage, and a willingness to move beyond the checklist view of your workforce. But once you start investing in underutilized employees, not just with resources, but with real belief, you will uncover a level of energy and innovation that no performance review can measure. And in today’s competitive world, that’s not simply good management, it’s survival.
