That 'Star Employee' Who Sucks After a Transfer

You know that person who was an absolute ace at their old job, but then they move teams and suddenly can't do anything right? 🤔

It’s a whole thing. A recent piece on Diamond Online talked about this, and it explained a lot. The opposite happens, too: someone who was invisible on your team gets transferred and suddenly becomes a superstar. It's not that they secretly got better or worse. It’s about the environment.

The Card Game

The author calls it 'card thinking.' Everyone has a set of skill 'cards' — things like 'great at presentations,' 'fast decision-maker,' 'good with numbers,' or even 'great speaking voice.' But having a strong card only matters if the game you're playing actually needs it.

Success isn't about just *having* ability. It's about being in a place where your specific abilities are exactly what's needed. When your cards match the environment, you enter what the author calls a 'genius state.' You're not actually a genius, you just perfectly fit the situation. For a little while, anyway.

It's Not You, It's the J-Office

This feels especially true in Japan. Maybe at your old job back home, the 'speaks up with bold ideas' card was a winner. Here, that same card might get you labeled as 'disruptive.' The winning card in your new department might be the 'builds consensus quietly before the meeting even starts' card. It’s a completely different game.

The person who was a sales legend might get promoted to a management role and crash. Why? Because the 'hit individual targets' card is now useless, and they don't have the 'patiently develops subordinates' card. The person hasn't changed. The game has.

The Delusion of Being 'Excellent'

People who get stuck are the ones who think, 'I succeeded because I'm just plain excellent.' They don't see the role the environment played. So when they move to a new company or a new country, and their old tricks don't work, they get frustrated and blame everyone else.

But the people who keep growing are different. They think, 'Okay, I'm doing well *here*, but is that just luck? Will these skills work somewhere else?' They're always trying to pick up new cards because they know the game can change at any moment. A new boss, a new project, a global pandemic… you get it.

It’s kind of a hopeful idea, really. If you're struggling at work, maybe you're not actually bad at your job. You might just be sitting at a table that doesn't value your best cards. Yet. 😉