Great Leaders Are People Finders

“Developing people is like mining for gold. You have to move tons and tons of dirt to find it—but you don’t look for the dirt; you look for the gold.”

I have always loved this quote it captures everything I believe about leadership. Great leaders aren’t obsessed with flaws—they’re fascinated by potential. They don’t look for what’s wrong; they look for what’s hidden beneath.

Looking back over my career, I can say without hesitation that my greatest satisfaction never came from the stores I opened, the awards I won, or the numbers on a report. It came from the people I helped rise. Over the years, I helped hundreds of individuals move ahead—some earned promotions, some transferred into new departments, and others found the courage to step into leadership for the first time. Watching them grow was more rewarding than any personal milestone I ever reached.

Even before I held a title, I believed in helping others get ahead. As a peer, I never feared competition. I never tried to block anyone’s success or hold back someone who had potential. In fact, I encouraged it. I knew that when those people eventually moved up, they wouldn’t be threats—they’d be allies. That attitude shaped my entire approach to leadership. When you help people climb, they don’t forget who gave them a hand. And more often than not, they’ll reach back down and help the next person. That’s how you build real teams—through trust, not fear.

Developing people isn’t easy work. It takes time, patience, and a good eye. You have to look past rough edges and see something others miss. Anyone can point out the dirt. It takes someone with vision to spot the gold buried underneath. I’ve seen promising employees overlooked because they were quiet, shy, or didn’t fit the mold. Those were often the ones I took the most interest in, because I saw something deeper—a spark waiting to be developed.

When I think about the people who rose under my watch, the pattern is clear. They didn’t need perfection; they needed belief. They needed someone to tell them, “I see something in you.” That’s all it takes sometimes. Once people feel seen and trusted, they’ll surprise you with how far they can go. And when they do, everyone wins—the individual, the team, and the company.

There were times I took criticism for promoting people who weren’t quite “ready” by corporate standards. But potential doesn’t always come with a résumé. You can train skill; you can’t train heart. I’d rather take a chance on someone who’s hungry to learn than someone who’s simply content to maintain. Some of those risks turned out to be the best decisions of my career.

I’ve always believed leadership is less about authority and more about stewardship. You’re entrusted with people for a short time, and what you do with that responsibility says everything about you. Some leaders spend their energy keeping control; others spend it building confidence. The latter group—the people finders—leave behind a legacy that lasts long after they’ve moved on.

When I look back, the things I’m most proud of aren’t the stores or the numbers—they’re the people who went on to achieve things I never could. That’s the true reward of leadership. It’s not about being the best—it’s about helping others become their best.

So when I think about that old quote—“You don’t look for the dirt, you look for the gold”—I can honestly say I’ve lived it. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when you focus on people’s potential instead of their imperfections. You uncover something priceless. You find loyalty, pride, and growth. And in the process, you discover that the greatest leaders are never just managers—they’re miners of human potential.

Please comment, share, like or subscribe Thank you