I'm interested in how different people use the word 'talent'. Some appear to mean special individuals with excpetional capabilities, capabilities that would prove successful in virtually any environment. Some seem to mean the distinctive gifts or capabilities that each person has developed or is endowed with.
I'm curious about the former definition because it begs interesting questions about what constitutes 'successful' and what the relationship is between talent and environment.
For instance, it's possible to imagine a very capable person with exceptional expertise who nevertheless has an unhelpful attitude, dubious ethical character or feels no engagement with or commitment to the team or organisation and its goals. It's equally possible to imagine a person who is very capable and successful in one environment but fails to succeed in a different environment.
So, when we consider questions of talent, I believe it's also useful to consider wider questions of attitude, character, engagement and fit.
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