This is part 13 of a series of 18 articles I wrote for Entrepreneur.com.

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My daughter didn’t know she wanted to study psychology until I nudged her into an AP course she was resisting. She’s now in graduate school. My underperforming engineer didn’t know he’d be a great team lead until I moved him to a role that aligned with what actually excited him.

Parenting and leadership share the same core challenge: finding the intersection of passion and ability in someone who can’t always see it themselves. When someone’s struggling, most managers write them off. Parents don’t get that luxury — you have to dig deeper. Why are they struggling? Is it the work, the role, the context?

The investigation matters more than the verdict. Ask probing questions. Reposition before you abandon. The person underperforming in the wrong seat might be your future star in the right one.

Read the full article on Entrepreneur.com

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Previously: The One Overlooked Coaching Skill | Next up: Channeling Competitiveness