The Vozinha Effect. The Misplaced Kid on the School Bus

When Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha became an overnight sensation, millions of people suddenly discovered his talent.

The funny thing is, Vozinha didn't become better that day.

The world simply noticed.

I've spent most of my career looking for the organizational equivalent of the misplaced kid on the school bus.

You know the one.

The kid sitting quietly in the back who should be leading the science club. The future athlete buried in the band section. The natural leader who has somehow convinced themselves they're average because no one has ever put them in the right seat.

Organizations are full of these people.

Some are hidden by the wrong role. Some are buried under the wrong manager. Some are stuck doing work that drains them instead of energizing them. Many have been told for so long what they can't do that nobody has stopped to ask what they could become.

That's where leadership comes in.

My job has never been to create talent. My job has been to find it.

Over the years, I've learned that the best leaders do three things exceptionally well:

Evaluate. Activate. Elevate.

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