“Who or what is in danger when all of the talent (in the team or the organisation) is utilised to its full extent?”

Systemic leader Barbara Hoogenboom:

“I am convinced that people withhold some of their talent in organisations. What could be a good reason for that? I think this happens because if people were to use their full potential or all their talents, it would have an effect on the order of things within the organisation. You might then find that people who are in a position lower in the hierarchy bring in or are able to do things that might endanger the position of someone higher in the order. The position of the supervisor may be in danger. As a leader, you may discover that the person you are leading is much stronger or tougher than yourself.

Have you got the courage to handle that? As a leader, do you really dare to invite all the talent present in people, knowing that this is healthy for the person themselves as well as for the organisation as a whole? And are you willing to discover that this can have an effect on your own position?

Of course, the question for yourself as a leader is also: are you making full use of your own talent? What happens when you make full use of your talent? What happens then, in the relationship with your manager, if you have one? Or what happens in the relationship with your organisation, if you are its owner or founder? Can you use your full talent, or does it also feel like you are in too tight a jacket?

And if that is the case, the question is also: why do you stay in that jacket that is too tight? What would happen if you took off that jacket and used your full talent? What risk are you running then? And what advantage or freedom does it give you?

It could also be the case that if someone really deploys their full talent, and that turns out not to fit what the organisation needs, that person will leave. Ultimately, that is also a good move. Because people who have to constantly restrain themselves within the organisation or are not allowed to use their talents are damaging to their own health and perhaps ultimately to that of the organisation.”

This question originates from the Systemic Leadership fan-deck. The fan-deck contains 224 questions regarding 45 themes. Each question has the potential to help you take the next step.