Performance is Personal

Yes, you can beat the law of averages. 

You can flip a coin 10 times and it can come up heads every time. There is no guarantee it will come up tails 5 times. Sure, mathematically it plays out eventually [think infinite number strings]. But, anyone hoping the law of averages will work in their favor in the Talent Development department is sidestepping the challenge to outperform.

The graph below charts the management performance of 10,000 companies.[i] Most are in the middle. You know...average.

How about this next one? It graphs the level of work engagement 50,000 employed adults. Most are “sort of” engaged. How would you like a surgeon who is ‘sort of engaged’ while repairing your torn ACL? Don’t answer that.

And we know most people are sort of engaged because the data says so. Look at this one; it charts the distribution of about 1.5 million SAT scores. Most are in the middle. Are you seeing the picture? [No pun intended.] Performance scores tend to cluster.

The Question is 'How?'

So how do organizations beat the average? Leaders of “better than average” organizations often are very intentional in how they lead. They set high goals and ask; “What does the organization need to do to reach these goals?” They recognize that they need to get the best out of the people in the organization so they spend time identifying individuals who have high potential or are high performers. They get to know these individuals, understand their strengths and rely on them to help raise the average. How? These leaders equip individuals to excel by building on their strengths, providing them with ongoing support, and providing them with a wide array of opportunities to shine. A leader’s support of key individuals in an organization can go a long way toward beating the average.

As part of my work I interview remarkable men and women, perceived to be high potential or high performers, who were fortunate to work with bosses, mentors, or leaders who helped them make the most of their strengths. In doing so, they got the most out of each individual and elevated the performance of the entire organization. They raised the average.

Take Jane [not her real name]. Jane had a mentor in her company, several tiers above her. He recognized she had a sharp analytic mind and saw in her a willingness to take on more responsibility. He offered Jane numerous opportunities and, with her consent, put Jane into challenging situations. Jane saw that he had confidence in her ability to rise to the challenge. And she did. She poured energy into her work.

The organization was experiencing difficult times and struggling with big change. Jane was one of those who pushed the turn around. When Jane came up against senior leaders who questioned her ability or her authority, she knew she could count on her mentor for his support.  Importantly, rather than interceding on her behalf, he encouraged her to stand up for herself. And she did. His belief in her, his accessibility, and ongoing support provided Jane with what she needed to work through tough challenges.

Trust and Challenge are Key

Jane described her mentor as someone who knew where the business was going and how to use the staff to get there.  He held Jane and others, to a very high standard.  Jane was one of the people who, in his estimation, could help raise the average. This leader – and Jane’s successes – demonstrate the enormous impact of focusing on employees as individuals. By building on strength and requiring high performance, we raise the average. He was clearly committed to her development and trusted her to deliver. And deliver she did… so much so that she now heads a critical function. This sort of experience is powerful. In recalling the role of her mentor, Jane was inspired all over again and vowed to recreate the experience for others.  

The investment in individuals is key.  Leaders who keep a sharp focus on enabling individuals raise performance and beat the law of averages.

[i] Bloom, Sadun, Reenen; National Bureau of Economic Research, May 2007