Is There A Jeremy Lin In Your Company?

By now you may have heard about Jeremy Lin. He's a point guard for the New York Knicks. Two weeks ago he was unknown, sitting on the end of the bench, playing a few minutes here and there. Then the Knicks temporarily lost their two best players. The coach had no choice but to use Lin more. Fast forward two weeks. The Knicks have won seven games in a row with Jeremy Lin at point guard. Lin has put up all-star numbers during that time and even won a faceoff with the Lakers and NBA great Kobe Bryant. Saying that Lin has caused a sensation is putting it mildly. Yet two weeks ago the Knicks, the fans, and the two NBA teams that had previously cut Lin had no idea that his skills were that sharp.

All of this makes me wonder how many Jeremy Lin's there are floating around the business world. How many people with modest pedigrees, but stellar skills are languishing in low-impact positions of little importance? Lin played college ball at Harvard which is not known for churning out future pro ball players in any sport. Lin wasn't drafted. Those two factors right there make him an unlikely NBA star. Players destined for greatness always seem to be on the radar for one reason or another. But Lin wasn't and yet the skills he is showing now were available to his coach and team all the time at a fraction of the cost of your average star NBA player. Lin's emergence is really a fluke since NBA teams don't routinely give guys at the end of the bench a chance to start. That's understandable because every night there are many thousands of people watching and no coach wants to answer to the fans, the media and management if the bench player has a poor game and the team loses.

The average business doesn't have so many people watching all the time. So while it may make sense for the NBA to not rotate talent and give non-stars opportunities I think that businesses should have some approach that gives employees the opportunity to show what they can do. Some employees might shy away from such an opportunity. Others might accept it but not perform as well. Finally, some will accept and excel. Whatever happens, in the end you will know more about your employees' desires and capabilities. You may also find a diamond in the rough (or even not so rough) that can help propel your business to new heights. 

My final thoughts on the topic are these. Business owners and managers should create an environment where the person with a modest pedigree and qualifications can contribute in a meaningful way. Likewise, employees who aspire to do more need to be ready and willing to get in the game when they are requested to do so by their company.