Average Better Than Excellent

I spoke with a friend Manoj Sharma regarding the concept of excellence, and something struck me. It appears that the Law of Averages is the Law of Excellence.

 

You see, when you are in an organization, there are about 10-20% of employees who are top performers, earning 80-90% of the orgnaization’s revenues. The others end up filling in the remainder. But while I know the Pareto Principle may be a significant theory to fall back on, I think that Averages is a law that applies across many places. This is also known as ‘equilibrium’ or ‘homeostasis’ – whatever you want to call it.

 

Every individual gravitates toward Average. But at the same time, being average is the company’s most significant clue to its excellence. Without average people, the organization would not be able to function. Honestly, you can look at top performers and just keep them in the company. With top performers only, the organization will NEVER run. But with a mass of Average employees, the organization not only runs, it runs CONSISTENTLY.

 

So in reality, average employees are the boon to the organization… and any steps to build them into top achievers will usually be for naught. However, the maintenance in terms of training, developing and building them is an important function. Average employees need a better culture and system to sustain their balance, if not things may taper off the other way, especially if they don’t have a means to remain happy at work.

 

Just a thought!