The Hidden Gems on Your Team (And How to Find Them)

Challenging surface assumptions to develop exceptional retail talent.

Is there someone on your team you've already written off as a person who just doesn't want anything more?

Maybe they turned down a promotion opportunity before. Maybe they went quiet when a development conversation came up. Maybe every time you mention next steps, they find a reason why it won't work for them. So you moved on and identify others for development and future promotions. You don’t ignore that other person, they just no longer come up in developmental or promotional discussions.

But what if there is something else happening behind the scenes? What looks like a lack of ambition can sometimes be something else entirely. It may be a deeply held belief that people in their situation don't get those kinds of opportunities. And if that's what's actually happening, moving on without addressing it means you may be walking away from exactly the kind of talent you've been looking for. After all, there was a reason you were asking those questions of them previously.

The Real Cost of Missing This

Research from KPMG found that on average, employees from lower socioeconomic backgrounds take nearly 20% longer to earn promotions than peers from more advantaged backgrounds. That gap doesn't exist entirely because of performance differences. A significant part of it comes down to who puts themselves forward, and who doesn't.

The employees who hold back aren't always less capable. They are often less certain that opportunities like that are meant for them. And if their leader doesn't recognize that distinction, the talent gap quietly grows while the real potential on the team goes undeveloped.

What You're Actually Seeing

When someone says "people like me don't become managers" or "that's not really for someone in my position," they're are likely not being lazy, indifferent, or even scared. They may be telling you something about what they believe is available to them. I covered some of this in a previous article, People Like Me: The Mindset That Keeps You Exactly Where You Are.

That belief usually builds over a long time. It comes from the environment they grew up in, the opportunities they saw, or didn't see, and the story that got repeated around them. Their parents, siblings, or even grandparents may have told stories about their humble beginnings and hard work. They may have assumed opportunities didn’t exist and they made the most of their hands on roles. Even if they ended up being supervisors or entry-level managers, they may have felt that more senior positions were just never in their cards. By the time they're standing in front of you, it feels less like a choice and more like just how things are.

Your job as a leader is to recognize when that's what you're dealing with, and to not let it be the end of the conversation.

What the Conversation Actually Looks Like

When someone pushes back on a development opportunity, most leaders either push harder or move on. Neither tends to work well here. What works better is staying curious. Ask the next question: "What do you mean when you say that's not for you?" Then listen. Sometimes it sounds like "I didn't finish school," or "I've never seen someone like me in that role," or "I wouldn't even know where to start." Those are openings, not dead ends. That's where the real coaching begins.

It also helps to remind people of something they may have lost sight of: nobody arrived in their leadership role fully formed. The store managers and district leaders they've worked with didn't just appear in those positions. They had opportunities, they worked at it, and they kept taking steps even when they didn't feel completely ready. Leadership isn't something you have, it's something you grow into.

I always love hearing stories where someone started part-time, never imagined being a manager, and found themselves years later running a store, opening a new location, building a team from scratch. The pride within the stories is so real, so genuine. They are proof that the assumptions those people started with weren't the whole truth.

The Difference Between "Not Now" and "Not Ever"

Not every hesitation is a limiting belief, and good leaders know the difference. Sometimes people have real reasons for passing on an opportunity. They could have unique family responsibilities, schedule constraints, circumstances that make the timing just wrong. Respect that. Keep developing them where they are, stay in the conversation, and often when they're ready, they'll come to you.

The phrase used is your clue. "It's not the right time for me right now," is a timing issue. "People like me don't do that," is a belief issue. They need different responses. When it's a belief, don't let it stand unchallenged. You don’t want anyone to feel pressured or even time constrained, but you do have to keep asking questions and making sure they know the door is open in both situations.

Your Job Is to Develop What's Already There

The hidden gems on your team aren't always the ones pointing at themselves, jumping up and down, or the ones already asking for more responsibility. Sometimes they're the ones who've quietly decided that kind of opportunity isn't for them, while showing you every day that they're capable of so much more.

Think about your team right now. Who has talked themselves out of their own potential? Who keeps their head down and delivers but never raises their hand for more? Who responds to development conversations with, "I don't think that's really for me"? That's where your next conversation needs to happen. Not a pep talk, a real conversation. Ask the question. Listen to the answer. And when someone is ready to take a step, even a small one, make sure they don't have to take it alone. The talent is there. Your job is to find it.

How do you ensure you’re always looking for great but hidden talent?

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