Being a hard worker might hurt your career

New scientific evidence has emerged that your hard work may not be paying off — at least in the eyes of those observing you.

A study from the University College London states there “may be a preference for ‘naturals’ over ‘strivers’ in performance judgments.”

This makes a certain sense. When we observe a virtuoso performance, we marvel at the performance, not the effort. We only see someone who makes it look easy. We don’t immediately think of all the steps it took for Mark Cuban to become a judge on “Shark Tank.” We just assume he landed there on pure talent.

In the age of social media, many document every move — each step they take and every extra ounce of “hustle” in the process is out there for the world to see. The intense beat of startup life may be doing a profound disservice to their businesses and careers.

According to the study, “people tend to pass over better-qualified individuals in favor of apparent naturals.”

The study goes even further, stating that “despite being presented with entrepreneurs equal in achievement” those perceived as naturals are selected.

The implications of this study are profound for your career, and your business.

If you’re managing a team, this research should inform you as a manager. Perhaps those who seem like naturals aren’t the most competent.

If you’re running your own business, you should never lose sight of your own climb to the top. Understanding the effort it took for you to get to where you are should help inform your perception of those who struggle to excel. This understanding will inform your hiring, and management decisions.

If you’ve reached a certain level of success, it may be more important than ever to speak to your team, and clients about your path. Sharing your journey, hardships and hard work will help break down your aura of natural talent.