Do you believe that you are one of the top 10% performers in your workplace? 90% of us do.
A recent poll in BusinessWeek (view the slide show that accompanies this article) reveals an alarming disconnect between our own perceptions of our performance and statistical reality. While only 1 in 10 of us can actually be "top 10%" performers, 9 out of 10 us believe we are. Our self-confidence is much greater than our actual performance.
Poll: Are you one of the top 10% of performers in your company?
| Percent of Employees Answering Yes | |
| Companies greater than 1000 employees: | 83% |
| Middle Managers: | 84% |
| Female: | 89% |
| Overall: | 90% |
| Male: | 91% |
| Age 65+: | 93% |
| Companies with under 50 employees: | 96% |
| Executives: | 97% |
This gap in perception highlights a problem: a lack of regular, consistent performance reviews. When managers are not specific in their communications with workers, then workers do not know how well they actually perform within their organizations.
The other side of this story is that, clearly, not all workers can be superstars. In fact, the "ditch diggers" of an organization–perhaps those in the middle percentiles–are the real backbone of a project workforce because they simply get work done.
This poll also highlights an opportunity. If workers could apply their confidence to a career that is a good fit, a career that leverages their strengths, this gap between performance and perception could be reduced. In a post titled "Seven Survival Skills for the Flat World," I recommended ways that workers can increase their value in a world where jobs are being outsourced and internal competition is intensifying.
For project workers who want to survive in the flat world, I recommend a "reality check" to understand where you rank in performance. Don’t be afraid to admit to yourself that you are not a top 10% performer, because too few can be. Build skills, take advantage of your own strengths, and prove value through consistent performance in the project workforce.
