The quiet high performers you might be missing

The most revealing 1-1 check-ins aren’t with the loudest or the lowest performers. They’re with high performers who keep their spark low-key.

I just wrapped up quarterly 1:1s with my 14 direct reports — the last round before year-end reviews, so it carries more weight. People reflect harder, own their stories more, and you start to see where confidence and doubt really sit.

Fourteen is a solid enough base to notice patterns. And this time, three stood out clearly.

1️⃣ Some were genuinely excited — proud of what they’ve built, clear about their impact, and confident about what’s next.

2️⃣ Some admitted to a slower quarter — whether because of shifting priorities, blockers, or just burnout — and were already thinking about how to bounce back.

3️⃣ And then there were a few who’d put in solid effort, delivered strong results… but spoke about it almost casually.

As a manager, it’s easy to celebrate the excited ones or coach the struggling ones.

But the quiet high performers? They’re not disengaged. In fact they care deeply — you can tell. And if we’re not paying attention, they’re the ones who often slip through.

Because performance isn’t always loud.
And leadership is about noticing the ones who don’t need to be noticed — but deserve to be.