Author Shane Parrish wrote some very insightful lines on success and environment.

“Success is often a product of the environment.

While a polar bear might thrive in the arctic, it would not thrive in a desert. People are no different. The person who excels in one environment fails in another.

Understanding how environments impact performance changes how you hire. Employees who thrive in one environment easily fail in another if their performance was contingent on the workplace conditions. This is why hiring a superstar away from a competitor, without understanding the role of the environment on performance, often fails.”

This is spot on. I have experienced this first-hand. A superstar at a bank might not thrive in an independent financial services firm. Similarly, the reverse is also true.

This perspective from Shane Parrish underscores the critical importance of considering the environment when evaluating talent and potential. It’s not just about the individual capabilities but also about how those capabilities align with the environment of your organization. As leaders, our challenge is not only to recognize talent but also to foster an environment that allows it to flourish. Whether it’s transitioning someone from a structured large bank to a dynamic independent firm, or vice versa, understanding and adapting to these environmental nuances is key to achieving sustained success.