That which we tolerate. . . is repeated and often multiplied.

I can’t help but reflect on performance speaker and author Dave Anderson’s assertion that, “The wrong people are your greatest catastrophe, and mediocre people are your greatest drain on resource.”

It has been estimated that the typical team has the following make-up:

            30 percent                   Superstars – Keep them Happy

            50 percent                   Rising Stars – On the Right Path
            20 percent                   Falling Stars – Energy Drainers

Regardless of the percentages, the labels might be helpful. The question is: “Where is the minimum level of acceptable performance? What is the lowest acceptable standard? And, the answer is: it must be falling stars ‘IF’ they are still on our team.

The second question is: Am I giving most of my time to the people who produce 80 percent (superstars and rising stars) of the results? Or, do my falling stars (20 percent) suck up the bulk of my time and energy?

Smart leaders quickly establish behavioral and attitudinal boundaries. Energy is invested in what is sustaining a positive culture and people are empowered inside these boundaries to achieve desired results.

Negativity, toxic personalities, and other poisons have a limited life span, like milliseconds. The best leaders establish a culture where negative attitudes and behaviors have no chance of survival. They are extinguished upon surfacing.

The leader’s job is to nourish, encourage and reward superstars. Re-recruit your winners frequently! Reinforce clear expectations and provide direction, training, and coaching to your rising stars. The leader’s job is NOT to lower the standards by adjusting for and accommodating the falling stars. That would be considered condoned incompetence.

What Will You Tolerate?

I must decide on what type of person is not an asset to the team. If I don’t deal with the falling stars today, my superstars may be gone tomorrow. Even if the superstars and rising stars don’t leave, they will be naturally demotivated to continue their stellar performance. What’s the use!  You can get more attention by not doing anything . . .

“The culture of any organization,” suggested education experts Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker, “is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.”

That which we tolerate. . . is repeated and often multiplied. Be totally intolerant of apathy, mediocrity, or behaviors that conflict with the mission and values. For goodness sake, don’t reward the falling stars by giving them far too much time and attention.

The powerful, positive standards you create are also infectious. Either create a culture that rewards your stars or falling stars will create the culture for you.

Tolerate or Fumigate. Time to decide. We can never build a great team around marginal people. 

As business leader and author Harvey Mackay reminds us, “It isn’t the people you fire who make your life miserable, it’s the people you don’t.”

Questions to Ponder:

Who are my falling stars? What action do I need to take? 

What tools, encouragement, and /or resources could I provide for my rising stars?

How can I reward and empower continued all-star performance?