Opinion: How to spot excellence before it’s obvious

Andrea Battaglia

Some of the best people I’ve ever hired didn’t look perfect on paper. Not by a long shot.

They weren’t the most polished or the most experienced. And many didn’t see how good they could be. But I did. I knew they had something I couldn’t teach: fire, desire, a spark. I knew that I could help them become the best version of themselves, and I knew what I needed to do: pour into them, challenge them, believe in them and help them become what I already saw: someone remarkable.

That’s how I’ve built my best teams over the last almost 30 years. Not by chasing perfect hires, but by developing people who didn’t know how great they could be.

I promise learning to do this is within your reach. I want to show you what to do.

And your people? They deserve that kind of leadership.

What to look for
True excellence doesn’t always walk in with confidence and credentials.  Sometimes it’s quiet, unfinished and raw.

But you can spot it if you’re paying attention.

Look for curiosity and hunger. The way someone lights up when they problem-solve or take feedback seriously. Look for the fire in their belly, not just the polish in their pitch.

Hiring for potential takes more work than hiring for experience. But waiting around for the perfect person to show up? That’s not leadership. It’s lazy. And it usually leads to disappointment.

Why it matters
If you’re only looking for the people who already know how to lead, you’ll miss the ones who are ready – and willing – to grow into it. And you’ll keep recycling the same talent everyone else is chasing. That’s not a winning strategy.

But when you train your eye to spot excellence before it’s obvious, you don’t just fill seats – you build teams. You give someone a shot they’ll never forget. And you multiply your own impact in the process.

Seeing excellence sooner

1. Watch how people respond to feedback. The people you want lean in, ask clarifying questions and try again. That’s solid gold.
2. Assign small stretch projects early and see what shows up. Don’t wait until someone is ready. Give them something challenging and the confidence to move forward. Then observe how they think, adapt and follow through.
3. Don’t mistake shyness for lack of star power. Some of your best thinkers won’t speak up in a group setting, but they’ll blow you away one-on-one.
4. Ask this in interviews: “Tell me about a time you taught yourself something.” The answer will tell you more about potential than any degree ever could.
5. Create simple opportunities to grow. Things like shadowing, leading a small meeting and cross-training let you test for curiosity and spark.
6. Celebrate when someone exceeds expectations. Tell them this: “Here’s what you did, and here’s why it mattered.” It shows them, and others, what’s possible and reinforces that growth is part of your culture.
7. Trust your gut and verify with behavior. Liking someone isn’t enough. They still have to do the work. See how they show up, try and get results – not just how much you believe in them.
8. Recognize what you want repeated. Say it soon, say it specifically and say it sincerely. That might be just what they needed to keep going.

The truth is, there’s no such thing as a perfect hire.

Sometimes you don’t get the results you want. Sometimes the return isn’t immediate. And sometimes it’s better than you could have ever imagined.

But I promise you this: No matter the outcome, it is always worth the effort to grow talent instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. The long-term payoff? It’s huge for you, for them and for your culture.

So, if you see the spark – don’t wait. Fan it, shape it and lead in a way they’ll never forget.

Andrea Battaglia is the chief excellence officer at Abacus in Springfield and an SBJ Trusted Adviser and Most Influential Woman. She can be reached at abattaglia@abacuspro.com.