You Can’t Expect a Fish to Climb a Tree: The Cost of Ignoring Uniqueness in People and Organizations

Introduction

In a world that celebrates innovation and individuality, it’s ironic how often people are still expected to conform to rigid molds. Whether in schools, workplaces, or social settings, there's a persistent tendency to compare individuals, expecting them to behave, perform, or think like someone else. This impulsive need to fit people into predefined boxes not only stifles creativity but also leads to chronic underperformance and dissatisfaction.

Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” This quote encapsulates the core issue: when we ignore individual strengths and uniqueness, we set people up for failure—and organizations for mediocrity.

The Impulsiveness of Comparison

Human beings are wired to compare. From childhood, we’re measured against peers—grades, sports, behavior, and later, job performance, salaries, and lifestyles. This impulsiveness to compare is often driven by:

Social conditioning: We’re taught that success looks a certain way.

Fear of uncertainty: It’s easier to follow a known path than to explore uncharted territory.

Cognitive shortcuts: Our brains prefer patterns and familiar benchmarks.

But this impulsiveness becomes dangerous when it overrides thoughtful evaluation. When managers expect every employee to be like the top performer, or when parents expect every child to excel in the same subjects, they ignore the rich diversity of human potential.

The Trap of Expecting Sameness

Expecting people to be like someone else is not just unfair—it’s counterproductive. Here’s why:

1. It Undermines Confidence

When individuals are constantly compared to others, especially in areas where they don’t naturally excel, it chips away at their self-esteem. They begin to question their worth and abilities, leading to anxiety, burnout, and disengagement.

2. It Suppresses Innovation

Innovation thrives on diversity of thought. If everyone is expected to think and act the same, creativity is stifled. Organizations that fail to embrace different perspectives often miss out on breakthrough ideas.

3. It Leads to Misaligned Roles

When people are placed in roles that don’t align with their strengths, they struggle. A brilliant strategist may flounder in a sales role; a creative designer may feel suffocated in a data-heavy job. Misalignment leads to poor performance and high turnover.

The Power of Uniqueness

Every individual brings a unique blend of skills, experiences, and perspectives. Recognizing and nurturing this uniqueness is not just a feel-good philosophy—it’s a strategic imperative.

1. Strength-Based Development

Research by Gallup shows that people who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged at work. Organizations that focus on identifying and developing individual strengths see higher productivity, better morale, and lower attrition.

2. Psychological Safety

When people feel safe to be themselves, they’re more likely to contribute ideas, take risks, and collaborate effectively. Psychological safety is a key driver of high-performing teams.

3. Authentic Leadership

Leaders who embrace their own uniqueness and encourage others to do the same foster trust and loyalty. Authenticity is magnetic—it inspires others to bring their whole selves to work.

What Organizations Must Do

To unlock the full potential of their people, organizations must shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more personalized, human-centric model. Here’s how:

1. Identify Individual Talents Early

Use assessments, interviews, and observation to understand each person’s strengths, motivations, and working style. Don’t wait for performance issues to arise—be proactive.

2. Customize Roles and Responsibilities

Where possible, tailor roles to fit people’s strengths. This doesn’t mean creating a new job for everyone, but rather allowing flexibility in how tasks are approached and executed.

3. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

Provide ongoing support to help individuals grow in their own direction. Coaching helps people gain clarity about their strengths and how to apply them effectively.

4. Celebrate Diverse Contributions

Recognize and reward different kinds of excellence—not just the loudest or most visible. Celebrate the quiet problem-solvers, the empathetic team players, the behind-the-scenes organizers.

5. Create a Culture of Curiosity

Encourage managers and teams to ask, “What makes this person unique?” rather than “Why aren’t they more like X?” Curiosity leads to understanding, which leads to better collaboration and performance.

Real-World Examples

Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety, not individual brilliance, was the most important factor in team success.

Netflix famously allows employees to shape their own roles and responsibilities, trusting them to know where they can add the most value.

Zappos encourages employees to bring their whole selves to work, resulting in a culture of creativity and customer obsession.

The Role of Individuals

While organizations play a crucial role, individuals must also take responsibility for embracing their uniqueness. Here’s how:

Know Yourself: Reflect on your strengths, values, and passions. What energizes you? What drains you?

Speak Up: Advocate for roles and projects that align with your strengths.

Stop Comparing: Your journey is your own. Learn from others, but don’t measure your worth by their path.

Support Others: Encourage your peers to be themselves. Diversity is not a threat—it’s a strength.

Conclusion

Expecting a fish to climb a tree is not just unrealistic—it’s cruel. Yet this is what we do when we ignore individuality and force people into roles or expectations that don’t fit them. The cost is high: disengagement, underperformance, and lost potential.

But the solution is within reach. By recognizing and nurturing the unique talents of each person, we create environments where people thrive—and when people thrive, organizations flourish.

Let’s stop asking fish to climb trees. Let’s start building ecosystems where every creature can shine in its own way.