What differentiates a star from an average performer?

The technical term we like to use for a star performer in a business context is “positive deviant,” someone whose actions deviate from the rest which in turn yield a positive outcome. However, a true star is so much more than that. Stars are highly respected top performers. They are admired by their peers for who they are and what they achieve. They are your “go to” people for knowledge, inspiration and everything else that may arise. We recently had several experiences during Wisdom Discovery sessions at a few clients that illuminated several other very important differences. Many people said that they had to be formally recognized by management in order for them to work their hardest. These same people mentioned they would wait for direction before completing a task. Neither of these traits are found in true stars, they are always internally driven. Stars find out what needs to be done, and do it without being told. They are self-starters. They believe that they can and should drive the agenda even when others are caught up in inertia. They work hard because they are driven by a personal, compelling purpose. Although, they do like to be recognized, external recognition is irrelevant to their motivation. They are doing the work because it’s valuable. Unfortunately, because these are such internal personal perspectives it’s very hard to tell if someone is thinking this way. A substantial portion of our work is to encourage everyone to think and act from internal motivation. We do so by helping people realize and utilize the power of control that is inherently theirs, rather than giving it away to others. Wouldn’t it be great if all your employees were stars? Think just how smoothly your organization would run! Give us a call to discuss how we can help you make that happen.  ]]>