You want peak performers to be on your team, right?
The problem is, there are few who are really peak performers and many who are professional posers. How do you tell them apart? That's what we'll dive into.
Peak performers point to others; professional posers point to themselves.
The peak performer recognizes what they contributed. They aren't afraid to say exactly what they accomplished, but they are humble enough to recognize the efforts of others. True peak performers know the value of every single person they work with, and they are excited to point out the successes of others.
The professional poser, on the other hand, wants you to believe that they are the glue that held the project together. They will point out all of their efforts, how they made sure everything got done and how everything they did was instrumental. But you know who they won't mention? The rest of the team, except to talk about how their own efforts might've helped other members succeed. They don't highlight the abilities and successes of others, they just want you to know how great they were (likely because if you don't, you'll actually see how little they did).
The results show.
Peak performers understand the value of results. It doesn't matter if you recognize their efforts (though they do want recognition); they will get results, period. If you look at their track record, you will see their results improve and goals get achieved. If goals aren't achieved, the peak performer will likely notify you early how things are looking and will tell you how they plan to get better results shortly before driving toward those goals. They will also likely get upset at themselves when goals aren't reached.
The professional poser doesn't actually care about the results, and if you look over their track record, you will see that they have pretty lackluster results (unless they happen to have an amazing team behind them). They don't want you to recognize them; they demand that you recognize them. They will make sure to highlight every little thing that is going well and will continue to show those highlights until they believe you have recognized them. But when things go wrong? They disappear, and when you find them, they won't be upset at themselves but will be upset with everyone else or the circumstances that prevented them from having their success. They will point in every direction except themselves.
They're on the offense vs. the defense.
The peak performer loves to be told how to improve. They desire a mentor and coach to drive them to higher levels of success. They aren't afraid of weekly meetings or reviews -- they thrive on them. They also aren't afraid to take the blame for others' mistakes. They may say something like, "Sure, Bob could've done that better, but it was because of x-y-z that I did/didn't do that we really didn't succeed." When you give them something wrong, they become offensive and look for ways to improve or overcome the situation at hand.
The professional poser hates reviews and weekly meetings, and they'll let you know. They will say the reason more doesn't get done is because of meetings like this, and then they'll give you reasons for everything that didn't go right, none of which have to do with them. And the thing is, they are really good at making others believe that it had nothing to do with them.
Think of: "Well, I tried to show Suzie why what you're saying would be the best option, but she was so convinced that it had to be done the other way. I put my trust in Suzie, because I'm a team player and think we succeed as a team, and even though I wasn't fully convinced, I gave 100% to do it her way." This is how professional posers tend to stay in organizations; they make leaders believe others led them astray, or others wouldn't listen to them or others are set against them and that's what the results failed. Sadly, many good people get released from organizations because professional posers convinced leaders the other person was the problem.
Look at those around them.
If you stop listening to the person you're trying to identify as a peak performer or a professional poser and you start listening to everyone around that person, you'll begin to find the true story of what is going on. Peak performers inspire their teammates and drive them to success. They help out however they're able and don't ask for recognition from their team. The people around peak performers are always thankful for the peak performer's presence.
On the other hand, the professional poser tends to have people around them who don't trust them, aren't thankful for their presence and often are silent of their opinions. Why? We live in a polite society, so most good people would rather be silent than say something bad. This is where 360° assessments and similar tools have become useful for my clients. Allowing people to have a voice but not be forced in the spotlight allows leaders to begin to hear the truth of what's going on.
What should you do with professional posers?
Most people believe that firing the professional poser would be the best option, but I think there is a bigger problem.
Most professional posers actually want to become peak performers; they just don't know how to yet. Often you find professional posers in organizations that haven't created an environment for success that is able to turn individuals into peak performers.
That means, as a leader, you need to evaluate your organization, your culture, your teams and figure out what you need to do to help people become peak performers. That is what the future generations are looking for: a business that creates peak performers, and it's sadly not what they are receiving.
How does your organization create peak performers? Is your system succeeding? If not, who can help you create peak performers?
