If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

F1 teams bet on potential.  Most corporates wait for proof.

What I love about Formula 1 is the intersection of 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Most commentary focuses on the machine.
🏎️ The car.
⚙️ The technology.
🌀 The aerodynamics.

Sure, the car matters.

But the 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻.

There are now 22 drivers on the grid.
Just 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆-𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁 trusted with those seats.

During a typical 90-minute Grand Prix, drivers operate in something close to 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱.

✔ experiencing ~𝟲𝗚 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀, making their head effectively weigh 𝟯𝟱 𝗸𝗴

✔ maintaining heart rates of ~𝟭𝟴𝟬 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲

✔ losing up to 𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 during the race

✔ making 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

All whilst travelling at an average speed of 𝟮𝟯𝟬 𝗸𝗺/𝗵.

There are 𝗻𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀.
No commercial breaks.

Just 𝟵𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

This isn’t just athletic performance.
It’s 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

And one of the most fascinating aspects?   𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗲.  Average = 27.

Because F1 teams do something many organisations struggle with:
They identify potential early
…and develop it relentlessly.

Elite coaching.
Structured learning.
Constant feedback.

As evidence: 𝟭𝟵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗞𝗶𝗺𝗶 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

Which raises a question.

Why do so many organisations still discount younger talent because they haven’t yet had their “five years of experience”?

For many startups, backing young talent is actually the 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

But let me be clear.
I’m 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵.

What I am advocating is something much more intentional:
🔎 a clear method for identifying potential early
📈 a structured program for developing it over time

Because talent doesn’t just appear.
It is spotted early… and developed deliberately.

So, who is the 𝟭𝟵-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱 (𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟳-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱) in your organisation that you’re overlooking?

𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.

💬 Where have you seen young talent outperform expectations?

Written by Jonathan Stern
ICF Certified Coach | Gallup CliftonStrengths Certified | Former MuleSoft ANZ Leader
I coach high-potential leaders and high-potential scale-ups.
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