Leadership Lens: The Danger of Underestimating Potential

This week, I read a fascinating article about new research showing that bumblebees can use tools to solve problems. Scientists found that bees could manipulate objects to access rewards - demonstrating a level of problem-solving ability many researchers had not expected to see.

Reflecting on the findings, Dr Olli Loukola, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Oulu and senior author of the study, said:

"Our findings show that miniature brains can generate flexible solutions to novel problems in ways we are only beginning to understand."

What struck me wasn't just the intelligence of the bees; it was how easily potential can be underestimated.

For years, assumptions about what bees could and couldn't do were influenced by what researchers expected to find. Yet when given the right challenge and opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, they surprised everyone.

How often does the same happen with people?

In workplaces, education and sport, we can make assumptions about capability based on how someone communicates, learns, processes information, behaves under pressure, or fits into systems designed with a narrow view of what "good" looks like.

This is particularly relevant when we think about neurodiversity.

Too often, talented individuals are overlooked during recruitment because they don't present in the way we expect, interview in the way we prefer, or fit the mould of those already in the organisation. In doing so, employers may be dismissing exactly the strengths and perspectives their teams are missing.

The same can happen after recruitment. Managers can become focused on what someone finds difficult rather than developing what they do exceptionally well.

Yet when individuals are given the right environment, time, support and psychological safety to be themselves, incredible things can happen.

Belonging is often the missing piece.

True inclusion isn't simply being invited into the room. It's feeling valued, respected and able to contribute in a way that works for you.

Inclusive leadership isn't about lowering standards.

It's about challenging assumptions, looking beyond traditional definitions of talent, removing barriers, and creating the conditions where people can demonstrate and fulfil their potential.

The danger of underestimating potential is that we never get to see what people are truly capable of achieving. The opportunity for leaders is to build teams that benefit from different ways of thinking, lived experiences and strengths, because innovation, creativity and progress rarely come from everyone thinking the same way.

At Collectively Diverse, this is exactly what we help organisations do through neuroinclusion, psychological safety, mental health and inclusive leadership training and consultancy.