The Invisible Skill That Holds Everything Together

We talk a lot about performance. Outputs. KPIs. Results.

But being good at your job isn’t just about being good at the tasks.

There’s a whole category of skill that rarely makes it into appraisals or gets mentioned in promotion panels — and yet it quietly shapes everything around it.

Let’s say you work in a call centre. You’re measured on how many calls you get through and whether customers were satisfied. If you lean too far into speed, customers feel rushed. If you take time to really help someone, your numbers suffer. Eventually, most people settle somewhere in the middle. Short but friendly. Tick the box and move on.

But what about the person who spends time getting to the root of a customer’s problem? Who listens, reassures, investigates — and leaves that customer feeling truly seen and helped? They might not win on volume, but what if their approach prevents three future calls? What if their insight helps fix the system?

And what if they’re not just good with customers — but with colleagues too?

Here’s the bit that’s missed the most: the contribution someone makes to the culture around them.

Some people are the heartbeat of a team. They lift others up. They create ease. They welcome the new starter, sense the unspoken tension, or lighten the mood with a perfectly timed comment. They model the kind of behaviour that makes work feel bearable — even enjoyable — on tough days.

These people are rarely the ones shouting about their impact. Often, they’re quietly holding things together. And if we don’t notice it, we risk losing it.

Of course, there are also high performers who do shout — people who hit every target, win big clients, and impress up the chain. But if they leave behind a trail of stress, insecurity, or resentment, how much is that performance really worth?

Because no one operates in a vacuum. A toxic high performer can tank the energy of an entire team. And the damage doesn’t show up on spreadsheets — at least, not right away.

That’s why it’s time to stop treating “culture fit” or “good energy” as bonus points. They’re essential.

And there are ways to surface this insight without turning it into another form or checkbox.

One idea? Use your 1:1s better.

Instead of just asking about performance or goals, try asking this:

“Who’s making a really positive contribution to the culture here? Who do you love working with?”

People won’t always feel safe pointing fingers. But they’re almost always happy to lift someone up. You plant the seed that this matters — and you start gathering a map of who’s quietly making work better for others.

From there, act on it. Find those people and tell them:

“You’ve been identified by several people as someone who contributes meaningfully to the culture here. Thank you. What can we do to help you continue that — or even do more, if you want to?”

That conversation alone is a reward. But it doesn’t have to stop there.

Offer mentoring roles.
Invite them to help shape training or induction.
Offer them courses that deepen their impact — like mental health first aid or facilitation skills.
Give them a bonus or a gift, sure — but more importantly, give them purpose.

This isn’t fluffy. It’s not a “nice to have.” It’s not another training module or a borrowed-from-Google wellbeing initiative.

It’s the human infrastructure that holds everything else together.

And if we don’t notice it, invest in it, and honour it — we’ll lose it.

This is the real work. Not a workshop. Not a slogan. Not a form to fill out.

But a conscious decision to see the humans behind the output — and to build a culture that values what makes them human.

So here’s the challenge:
Start tracking what really matters. Ask better questions. And let people know that being good for others is part of what it means to be good at your job.