If I were in the in the shoes of a business owner and had to choose between hiring a slacker who can be extremely talented when they’re at their best (Avery), or a consistent person but lacks the talent to go above and beyond (Jaime); I would choose Avery. I would choose Avery because I hope to believe that if I were an actual business owner, I would be able to get Avery to perform at the high level they are capable of on a more consistent basis. Whether this be through incentives or just motivation, I think I would be able to them to slack less and work more.
Although I think I would hire Avery in most cases, I think Jaime could be a better choice for jobs that only require consistency. For example, jobs like being a barista, waitress, receptionist, server, etc., that ask the same thing of their employee every day, I think someone like Jaime would do just fine. I think Jaime would be a better hire for this job because there are very rarely situations that arise that call for more than what their job descriptions ask them to do.
On the other hand, I think a person like Avery would be great for a job that requires a lot of thinking and problem-solving, skills that are difficult and unique to many individuals. This would mean that if a clutch situation did arise, Avery’s skills would help pull-through. I think Avery would be a better hire for a job in which the description calls for people willing to be put in tough situations.
One reply on “Typical vs. Maximal Performance”
Grace,
I also said that I would hire Avery. I think with the right motivation and type of work, this can help push Avery to reach their maximum potential more often. For very routine tasks, I also thought that Jamie would thrive more in that type of environment.
After watching the lectures this week, my opinion started to change and I was going back and forth on who I would like to hire. I think overall what ismost important is knowing how to identify these diferent skillsets and being able to place people in the roles that will have an environment in which they’ll be most successful and add the most value to an organizaiton.