Life is…

“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” ~Unknown

As Forrest Gump’s Mama once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” That is certainly true in a workplace filled with people possessing a wide variety of knowledge, skills, and drive; you get the high and under achievers all mixed together and this makes it more difficult to achieve a level of consistency and excellence in all that you do. So, does that mean that as leaders we just take the good with the bad and keep buying a box of varied chocolates? Or do we work to fill our box of chocolates with what we need to succeed?

Personally, I appreciate working with high achievers. They consistently deliver outstanding results. They set goals for themselves and their teams, striving for excellence in their work. You can see the pride of ownership. They seek out opportunities to gain experience, adapt and improve their skills, actively contributing to continuously improving the organization. You don’t have to ask them to read a book, listen to a podcast or get out of their comfort zone, because they are doing it…. consistently.

Most high achievers demonstrate leadership qualities. They take initiative, inspire their colleagues, and are willing to take on challenging tasks. Identifying and developing such employees can lead to future leaders within the organization. They create a positive influence on the culture by being productive and growth focused.

“Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on Discipline.” ~Jocko Willink

Low achievers often lack discipline and exhibit inconsistent work performance. Without clear expectations or personal standards, their work will lack quality and consistency. Without personal or professional standards, these employees will lack motivation and fail to set challenging goals for themselves. Usually, these employees require constant supervision and guidance. They struggle to take initiative or make decisions independently, potentially impacting overall team efficiency. This may demotivate high achievers who value excellence and could lead to frustration among team members who rely on consistent and high-quality contributions from their colleagues. High performers wonder if leadership is paying attention to who is doing the work.

As leaders, we encourage and equip our people to move to the next performance level. And this is where we can work to fill our Box of Chocolates with, not just what we GET, but what we WANT. We must address the low achievers and not be content with their lack of production. Ignoring them or failing to find sound solutions negatively affects the organization and erodes the leader’s credibility.

“Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Keep growing great leaders,

Jeff