{"id":5309,"date":"2024-05-29T09:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T07:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stefduplessis.com\/?p=5309"},"modified":"2025-01-31T08:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T06:55:17","slug":"the-top-dogs-vs-the-under-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stefduplessis.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/29\/the-top-dogs-vs-the-under-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top Dogs vs The Under-Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why high-performing teams can be disruptive<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Top performers are the poster children for success. They set the bar. And deservedly so. But what happens when the elite team tips the scale? There\u2019s nothing wrong with working hard and leveraging team accomplishments \u2013 until workplace culture kicks in and the very qualities that define a dream team in the eyes of an organisation also cause discontent.<\/p>\n

A double-edged sword<\/h6>\n

On one hand, high-performing teams are powerhouses of productivity and innovation. They push the boundaries. They deserve every high-five they get. But on the flip side, their relentless drive can be off-putting \u2013 even, in some cases, disrupting team dynamics and overshadowing under-performing individuals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen the underachievers must work harder!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fair enough, but\u2026<\/h6>\n

Let\u2019s say your 30-year-old civil engineering firm faces the following conundrum…<\/p>\n

Richard, a walking encyclopaedia of old-school tricks and Da Vinci-level improvisation (think duct tape and baling wire), has been with you just over 29 years.<\/p>\n

Enter Sadie, a more recent hire brimming with modern know-how. She\u2019s mentored by Richard but soon builds her own team, blending new and old tactics.<\/p>\n

Eventually, someone\u2019s getting promoted. But who?<\/p>\n

Team S hits all the targets, budgets and clients with laser focus, while Team R holds steady with the three clients they\u2019ve had since the PalmPilot was a big thing.<\/p>\n

Richard has the loyalty and experience but lacks agility and, let\u2019s face it, youth. He knows it, too. But he dedicated his career to becoming head of the department and can\u2019t stand the thought of a much younger hire, someone he taught, becoming his boss.<\/p>\n

Potential outcomes: Promote Sadie and her innovation and risk Richard\u2019s resentment, sabotage or badmouthing. Play it safe with Richard, bearing in mind looming retirement and tech reluctance, and risk losing Sadie altogether. Because she knows she\u2019s the best person for the job, so she\u2019ll take her dynamite somewhere else if you pick Richard.<\/p>\n

Blame the high performers<\/h6>\n

You can write a Harry Potter series about the scenarios that emerge from this dilemma, but the point is to think carefully about your top teams\u2019 impact on your business.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n

The under-dog factor<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s perfectly natural for less successful teams to resent high achievers. They see the praise, recognition and often, additional resources allocated to the top dogs, and this can breed jealousy and a desire to see the golden team crash and burn.<\/p>\n

Unstable office politics<\/strong>
\nOrganisations are infested with politics. Managers with less successful teams see high-performing teams threatening their territory or advancement (ahem, Richard) and this can lead to \u201cre-organisations\u201d where under-performing people are inserted into top teams.<\/p>\n

The Peter Principle*<\/strong><\/a>
\nPromotions are often based on past success, not future potential (ahem again, Richard). So the charismatic leader who guided your team to victory is snatched up for a higher position, in which they underperform, and their replacement can\u2019t handle the new role either.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s often best to keep dynamic leaders in thriving positions instead of stirring the pot.<\/p>\n

The \u201cunbeatable team\u201d myth<\/strong>
\nEven the best teams need the occasional tweak. You can\u2019t keep a team as is, forever, and expect infinite growth. Strategic adjustments are critical to avoid inevitable stagnation.<\/p>\n

Bearing all this in mind, think about shifting your culture to one that supports high-performing teams constructively rather than disruptively. Celebrate and share the successes but ensure the behaviours that lead to them are clearly understood and encouraged.<\/p>\n

* Canadian educational scholar and sociologist Dr Laurence J. Peter\u2019s \u201cPeter Principle\u201d: When a recently promoted employee is unable to fulfil the requirements of the new position, this may not be the result of their general incompetence as much as the result of the position requiring different skills than those the employee possesses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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