Talent, Effort, and Skill: Is There a Formula to Success?

Imagine your ideal employee. They are talented, they have an in-demand skill set, and they are always ready for a challenge. I know what you’re thinking: talent and skills. Aren’t they the same thing? When we say that someone is talented, don’t we also mean that they’re skilled?

In a word, yes. People who are talented are also usually skilled, but an important distinction exists between the two. Understanding the subtleties between talent and skills, as well as their relationship to effort, leads to an interesting discussion about formulating success. You can apply this to your life, your business, or even cultivating employees. It’s not as simple as it sounds (sorry) but having a grasp of these basic tenets is the first step in understanding what it means to be successful.

Skills Versus Talents: What’s The Difference?

We all have talents and skills — this is part of what differentiates us from one another. While we use the terms interchangeably, they’re fundamentally different. A talent is something that is innate. Michael Jordan has a talent for speed, a high jump, and hand eye coordination. Skills are something that you can learn. Think shooting, dribbling, mastering plays. You need both talent and skills to make it to the NBA, but even the most technically skilled players aren’t making it to the top level of play without talent. ( I just finished watching The Last Dance you should totally watch it)

Why does this distinction matter? For one, businesses often prioritize the one over the other when making hiring decisions (perhaps to their detriment). Second, recognizing talent offers the opportunity to create success with the help of (1) coaching and (2) effort.

The Angela Duckworth Formula

Maybe at this point you’re panicking. What if you don’t have an innate business sense? Relax. Most of us aren’t child prodigies. Michael Jordan, William Shakespeare, Leonardo Da Vinci, Bill Gates — these people are not the norm, which is why they are regarded as some of the most talented people in history.

Enter Dr. Angela Duckworth. She is here to tell you that talent is only one aspect of success. A MacArthur “Genius” fellow, Dr…