Today's Business Lessons
The mediocrity class
It is a fact and business leaders know this very well. This is a reality one cannot deny.
The problem with it is that it could easily incite anger. The
challenge with it is that it can be misconstrued as bad mouthing people.
And the most difficult factor behind this issue is that no one would
admit to being a part of this large group of menace that is taking away
the energy andresources of the business organization.
The issue, the reality and the undeniable fact is that the worst
people in the work place are those who are not too good to be promoted
yet not too bad to be fired. These are the people who belong to the
Average Class.
You know, my 9-hour flight to Abu Dhabi weeks ago made me think of
this: there is Business Class and there is Economy Class, but you can’t
find an airline that offers “Average Class.”
In many airlines, this class does not exist yet in many business organizations, they are the major party.
Why is the “Average Class” or better yet, the “MEDIOCRITY CLASS” so prevalent?
I have three theories.
1. MEDIOCRITY IS UNDER THE RADAR
Leaders tend to notice the excellent performers and may be irritated
with the poor performers, but at least they see them. The mediocre or
average performers fly past leaders without being noticed. They are like
your average office fixtures that when you glanced at, they are there,
but look away and you don’t see them anymore.
They are compliant but that’s it. They are neither early nor late.
They leave work with the precision of an expensive Swiss watch and check
out on the dot upon dismissal time.
They may have ideas, but they will never suggest them, because this
would mean additional work for them. When they see the bosses, they
become invisible. They are so afraid that they might be noticed and
given additional work.
These loyal soldiers of the “Average Class Division” are experts in
camouflage. They love the status quo and hate being challenged.
That’s all they have and they are contented.
If an average employee’s entire career is a high school test, then his score would surely be 75 percent. Passing!
2. MEDIOCRITY REQUIRES NO COURAGE
Good leaders hate status quo. They know that a ‘status quo’ type of
thinking dulls the mind. Status quo also induces everyone into a state
of artificial security and good leaders will never allow this to happen.
Good leaders know that business is warfare and every soldier must be
fit, prepared and well-trained to battle an enemy that does not sleep.
Here is the key word: training. Good leaders are all for nonstop
improvement. They continuously train themselves and their subordinates,
risking the ire of some people by stretching them with expectations.
Good leaders possess the courage to let the average people who are
refusing improvement go and be replaced by those who are hungry for
change and improvement.
3. MEDIOCRITY IS A CULTURE IN THE COMPANY
Average is expected! Do not rock the boat! Why fix it when it is not broken? We have always done this in the past!
In some business organizations, these sentiments are almost never questioned, because they are the norm.
Good people and high potential talents hate this. Idealistic young
people, who join the work force eagerly, later discover that the work
culture is bad and either leave or stay and be shaped by the culture of
mediocrity.
We can remember or even criticize the lagers yet no one actually
notices the mediocre ones especially in an organization wherein average
is not only tolerated, but is the norm.
Change happens when one can remember, talk about or aspire to be the leader, the excellent performer or the achiever.
Stop the leak. Drive the leaders to lead. Leadership skills should be
updated and upgraded. Set high expectations and be serious with the
delivery. Do soft skills training. Challenge everyone in the
organization to level up and achieve peak performance through personal
growth and development.
‘Average’ is bad value. ‘Good enough’ will make no one or nothing marketable.
What leaders can do for their people is to make them understand that they can always be better.
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