I am baffled by the proliferation of the “average mindset.” You know, the mindset that handcuffs individuals and businesses to a minimum effort standard. It’s everywhere and it prevents everyone from elevating output to a higher level of excellence. As a matter of fact, average and excellence are diametrically opposed. Whenever I encounter this “average mindset” with a new client, my first reaction is a feeling of disquiet, as I wonder why the client would want to tolerate the effect of this cultural failure on its brand. Then, of course, I snap out of this contemplation and remind myself that this is part of the journey to service excellence. Shifting the sands of mental fixation with “average,” so that the contamination can be reversed.
When a business gets lost in the “average” mindset, it becomes buried under the inertia of a prevailing minimum effort cycle. Average is its norm and this spells trouble for its image, its operations and its relationship with customers. Ultimately, the business may become unviable, due more in part to an act of omission, rather than an act of commission. The act of omission being failure to rise consistently to new levels of excellence.
It’s everywhere and it prevents everyone from elevating output to a higher level of excellence. As a matter of fact, average and excellence are diametrically opposed.
What happens when “average” is accepted as a norm in a business? Let me count a few of the ways.
In a business where “average” is the accepted status quo, talent entrapment becomes one of the major casualties. Employees who are talented find themselves trapped in a holding pattern, pending the creation of gateways for their potential to bear fruit or waiting for their recognition and reward. Down the road, the possibility of talent flight becomes a risk. The business will be left with an unremarkable culture and ultimately, may lose its ability to attract “new blood.”
The converse of talent entrapment can be present, as well. As a transformation consultant, I see a sign of “average” that is hidden in plain sight, the systemic propagation of underperformance. It’s found in the performance management system that many businesses use to assess an employee’s performance and to plan for his or her continued development (well, this second part is not always executed effectively).
When a business gets lost in the “average” mindset, it becomes buried under the inertia of a prevailing minimum effort cycle. Average is its norm and this spells trouble for its image, its operations and its relationship with customers.
Many employees are given a three, out of a rating scale of one to five, with the latter being the highest rating on the scale. This means that each employee has delivered a “satisfactory” or, yes, you guessed it, an “average” performance.
In many cases, the three rating is a default rating, given by managers and supervisors who have failed in their duty to monitor and measure employee performance over the particular period. The go-to rating therefore, is a three. What is even more alarming, is the fact that many employees receive this rating, year after year, without any improvement.
When no alarm is sounded about this state of affairs, the inconspicuous malignancy of “average” becomes further rooted in the character of the business.
A growing workplace practice called “bare minimum Mondays,” that glorifies a go-slow approach to completing work tasks, further complicates the matter, by contributing to creating a culture where institutionalized minimum effort goes unpenalized.
Ultimately, a business that is riding on “average” fuel, may find itself in a state of suspended animation. This means going through the motion of business functioning.
Another complication that may arise for a business, through its acceptance of “average,” will be the forfeiture of competitive advantage within the marketplace. If a business cannot boast of having above-average experience differentiators, it will have no value chips with which to bargain to win customer favour.
Ultimately, a business that is riding on “average” fuel, may find itself in a state of suspended animation. This means going through the motion of business functioning, with repetitive loops that do not yield commercial growth.
An inconvenient truth is that the businesses that occupy this universe may be unaware of their perilous existence, because there is a constant hub of activity. What should not be missed however, is the mounting effort required to achieve commercial growth and the level of attribution of this effort to an “average” approach to business operations.
No business should be imperilled by a debilitating mindset that is out of step with the demands of the day.
As you can well imagine, the cost of residing in this state can only spell trouble for the well-being of service excellence and customer experience. Customers will not leave raving about their average experience and for sure, they will not be returning to get additional helpings of it.
In a world where disruption in every area of life and business is the new normal, no business should be imperilled by a debilitating mindset that is out of step with the demands of the day.
Any business in this situation should begin to feel an extreme level of discomfort.
Why? Because what we are locked in to (focussed on)……..expands.