harvest the potential

[Nina579]

Hi,

Can I say:

We can learn a lot from each other if we only harvest the potential of our employees.

Is this expression natural?

Thanks!

Nina

 

[The Newt]

It's okay. I'm not sure what "only" is doing in that context.

 

[Nina579]

I guess it was meant to put emphasis on how it's such a simple but unexplored thing to do. Do you suggest I get rid of it?

 

[The Newt]

I guess it was meant to put emphasis on how it's such a simple but unexplored thing to do. Do you suggest I get rid of it?

The problem is that it isn't clear whether it means "simply" or "exclusively" (that is, harvesting the potential of our employees alone, not those of other people outside the company). You could probably just omit the word.

 

[Nina579]

Sure thing, thanks for your input

 

[Edinburgher]

I think that the "simply" meaning is likely to be that intended. The sense is: Harvesting their potential is all we need to do to learn a lot from each other.
If so, then "if only we" would have been better than "if we only".

 

[Glenfarclas]

We can learn a lot from each other if we only harvest the potential of our employees.

I think what you mean is "harness the potential." "Harvest" sounds bizarre.

 

[The Newt]

I think what you mean is "harness the potential." "Harvest" sounds bizarre.

Good point. "Harvest" might make sense but "harness the potential" is the expected idiom.

 

[Myridon]

Good point. "Harvest" might make sense but "harness the potential" is the expected idiom.

When you harvest something, you remove it from its source. After harvesting apples, the trees no longer have apples on them. After harvesting the employees' potential, ...

 

[Nina579]

Thank you all, it's a good think that I haven't sent that yet! It's supposed to go out tomorrow haha.