In every workforce, there is a group within a group. On the surface, its members seem underwhelming. Some may misconstrue their contributions as mediocre and relegate them to similar status. But with some personal attention and the right developmental investment, this group of almost-greats can fulfill hidden potential.
A well-known saying tells us some people are born to greatness, others achieve it and still others have greatness thrust upon them. But there is also a fourth category.
Call them the "almost great" — those who need a guiding hand or a deeply personal interaction from a mentor or someone they respect to achieve the greatness that dwells within.
A great deal of attention is paid to the top 20 percent of an organization's workforce — the high fliers. Talent managers also focus energy on remediation or removal of the bottom 20 percent — those whose performance lags too far to the left of a standard bell curve. That leaves the bulging part of the bell — the 60 percent of employees who are average performers, or just slightly above or below average.
Neither hot nor cold, these employees do their jobs without distinguishing themselves in any way. But within the group dwells another roughly 20 percent who deserve attention. This group has as much raw talent and smarts as the top-tier or the high-potential group, but it does not rise to the performance level it could attain. Some of these employees are mired in a personal crisis or have introverted personalities in a workplace of sparkling stars, and they struggle to be noticed. Or perhaps they just need a few additional skills, a bit more self-confidence or someone's understanding to soar.
Quite often this 20 percent is lost amid the noise of daily tasks, celebrations of the stars' accomplishments and the million other things competing for talent managers' attention in the workplace. This group does not include employees who only perform well when someone is holding their hand. But there are probably millions of people walking around today who could have been great for their organizations, but their supervisors were too busy or preoccupied to give them the personal attention they needed to take their rightful place among the top performers.
Tap Into the Power of the Lost 20 Percent
Turning an average performer into a great one doesn't always involve long hours of training, performance reviews and the like. In fact, many turnarounds come down to defining moments. For example, Paul Massih, vice president of supply chain management for Shell International Exploration and Production, said early in his career, when he led a large global organization, there was a man on his staff in his late 50s. A staff veteran and a great raconteur, the man carried himself in an "I've seen it all" kind of way, and as retirement loomed a few years away, his work started to deteriorate.
"All of a sudden I started getting complaints — not only from his project managers but from customers, as well," Massih said. "He was coming in late, missing deadlines, and his work was shoddy." Massih followed the right protocol, speaking to the man's supervisor in an attempt to assess the situation and rectify it.
Finally, as the complaints mounted, Massih called the employee into his office. "I had all the background paperwork prepared ahead of time, and the first thing I said to him was, 'If you want to leave the company, if you're ready to retire now, I've got the papers right here; all you need to do is sign them and we'll shake hands and part ways.'" Massih had the man's attention.
