Comments on: You Are a Superstar: 90% of Managers Are In the Top 10%

By: Dan Rust

Dan Rust — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:40:40 +0000

Of course we think we are in the top 10%, because no one every clearly and explicitly tells us that we;re not. One of the most difficult yet powerful management development practices is to rank every manager, at least once a year, into a forced decile ranking. Forcing a clear (and hopefully fair) identification of your top 10%, plus each decile below that down to the bottom 10%, is a painful, arduous, frightening process for most executives. But when it is done right, everyone gets a clear picture of where the stand, and everyone has a better shot at improving their ranking the next year. Dan Rust Frontline Learning LLC http://www.frontlinelearning.com http://www.phoneskillstrainer.com

By: Chris Young

Chris Young — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:32:24 +0000

We see this all the time in our practice... People who think they are better than they really are. How should one overcome this challenge? Incorporate "Survival Is Not Enough" by Seth Godin as a "corporate strategy". Eat your own "dust". Rock on! Chris Young Founder, The Rainmaker Group, Inc. http://www.maximizepossibility.com http://www.therainmakergroupinc.com

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:25:46 +0000

Some good questions have been posed about what places someone in the top 10%. What qualifications would be specified for a scientific study?

A solid number of those interviewed may truly be in the top 10% of performers in their company, but my experience with past managers leads me to believe that a large number have their own view of reality.

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:48:26 +0000

It’s the other 10% that I am interested in. I’ll bet many of these people are the risk takers, the ones that are not puppets to the machine, the ones who push the envelope just a bit too much; the creative and innovative problem solvers. Or what some might label INCORRECTLY – the problem children or “bad boys/girls.”

By: Mike Chitty

Mike Chitty — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:14:31 +0000

The sad truth is just how easy it is to get into the top 10% of managers in my experience. By doing some basics around communicating (that’s listening as well as telling), providing feedback, coaching and delegating the vast majority of managers can massively improve their effectiveness and really stand out as high performers. It is not about charisma, vision or flair. It is about consistently doing the basics well.

By: a

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:53:00 +0000

This is possible as most people have different perspectives/values/priorities on what constitutes “performance”.

By: pawnking

pawnking — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:34:13 +0000

Is it at all possible that these managers are, indeed, in the top 10%? That is, they are not being asked if they are in the top 10% of all managers (where by definition they would have to average at 50%), but rather against others in their company.

If someone has risen to management or executive level, it is likely they have distinguished themselves in some way (or many ways) over their peers. This might give way to their belief that they are, indeed, shining stars in their own companies. Indeed, it would be strange for them to think otherwise.

And if you follow the theory that those who rise to the top generally do so on their merits, their Boards of Directors probably would agree with them.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:03:00 +0000

You hit the nail on the head, leaders are often not encouraged to face reality. It’s encouraged to project confidence (even if you are fundamentally insecure). Often those who get promoted are those who overcompensate for their insecurity by “acting” confident, thus playing the role of the leader.

What so many leaders lack is wisdom, which is generally unsung, and rarely is recognized in corporate cultures that emphasize short-term results (and this is perpetuated further by leaders who are fundamentally insecure and cave in to Wall St.’s fickle demands).