Page 111 - The extraordinary leader

88 • The Extraordinary Leader

what they do differently from everyone else. In every activity in an
organization being performed by a number of people, one person
figures out extremely efficient ways to get the job done. That may
consist of clever shortcuts or streamlined work processes. Or, it may
consist of more efficient ways to work with colleagues in other
departments. Research on the productivity of workers shows huge
differences between the people doing essentially the same tasks.

To discover what these star performers are doing differently requires care-
ful observation of them, along with interviews about their thought processes
and techniques. Then, using these same people (or other trainers), teach
everyone in the firm to adopt the best techniques of these top performers.
This extremely obvious and logical method for improving performance has
met with great resistance. Few organizations use this obvious means of lifting
performance to the rafters. That resistance comes from the “mind-set” many
managers have that sets major boundaries around what the average person is
capable of becoming or producing. Executives just cannot believe that nearly
everyone can perform at a high level. Most executives think that peak per-
formance is reserved for just a few. These executives believe that we simply
cannot expect or attain high performance from the great majority of our
people—including our managers and leaders.
Rigidly defined competencies also may have the unintended consequence
of creating cookie-cutter people inside the organization. If the competency sys-
tem was implemented, would everyone appear to be cut from the same mold?
How, then, does the organization attract and retain the maverick who is so valu-
able in challenging the status quo? Are the wild ducks killed just after they
hatch? The concern is that, over time, sameness creates a homogeneity that
becomes mind-numbing, and the culture devolves into one of anti-innovation.

4. Poor Execution

The basic premise of competencies was that they would be created from
extensive analysis of hard data, not senior executives’ personal speculations.
However, that has not occurred. Indeed, as one writer observed, “Most of the
current activity going on under the banner of competency modeling is really
only list making.” 3
What had promised to be extremely rigorous has evolved into a process
of compiling the collective beliefs of some senior managers regarding the