Comments on: Sometimes Mediocrity Won't Cut It

By: Why You Should Set Yourself on Fire | Transformational Leadership

Why You Should Set Yourself on Fire | Transformational Leadership — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 02:46:49 +0000

[...] Mediocrity at work and in one’s life is not caused by a lack of skills or lack of opportunities. It’s a case of not finding one’s purpose in life. When you lack purpose, you lack passion! [...]

By: Havard Lillethun

Havard Lillethun — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:28:30 +0000

I really do agree with you and wanted to post this link to a YOuTube video I just watched today. Actually it was after watching that video that i google mediocre and came across this link.

Here is the video:

Enjoy!

By: J Davis

J Davis — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:47:57 +0000

I see nothing wrong with an employee coming to work, doing the work that is assigned to him/her, then going home on time at the end of the day. After all, this is all the company is paying us for. It’s a trade-off, the employer is expected to pay me for 8 hours of work a day, and that all they are going to get out of me. I have been in the position of busting my butt working overtime trying to get everything done on time. Guess what…..it didn’t get me a big raise or a promotion. I decided then that it was foolish on my part to “give more than 100%” when they employer wasn’t willing to reward my hard work.

So all I am willing to do is show up on time, do the work that is assigned to me, and go home on time. That’s all you get paid to do, so why bother doing more. Work life is not the most important part of my life. There are things I enjoy doing more than working and I’m not going to sacrifice my ability to do those things just so I can work extra hard for an employer who doesn’t give a rats butt about me or my life outside of work.

By: Blogging Is Not Writing | Modite

Blogging Is Not Writing | Modite — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:23:47 +0000

[...] recycling and digesting of ideas. It is the darling of the open culture ideology of the web, where mediocre collaborations have produced a destructive new social contract, reports the New York [...]

By: Exit Interviews: Closing the Barn Door? « HRart

Exit Interviews: Closing the Barn Door? « HRart — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:37:06 +0000

[...] exit meetings? Some are. Others hold back out of fear of burning bridges. Then there are the mediocre employees or the disgruntled; how much time should we invest figuring out why they left? Not too [...]

By: Tweets that mention Sometimes Mediocrity Won’t Cut It | Rehaul by Lance Haun -- Topsy.com

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:08:53 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by . said: [...]

By: Tweets that mention Sometimes Mediocrity Won’t Cut It | Rehaul by Lance Haun -- Topsy.com

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:50:15 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SarahRobinson, Alexandra Levit, Alexandra Levit, Laurie, Rebecca Thorman and others. Rebecca Thorman said: RT @thelance: New Post: Sometimes Mediocrity Won’t Cut It http://bit.ly/5wuK2J [...]

By: Gabriel Gheorghiu

Gabriel Gheorghiu — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:03:53 +0000

Do you know how many people are not passionate about what they do? Most of them – in my opinion, it’s the rule, not the exception. Are they are not happy with it.

There are too many circumstances that can make you succeed or fail and you cannot control all of them. Just saying that someone who does not succeed did not have the ambition to do it is too simplistic.

I do not believe in fairy tales saying that if you really want something, you can do it! It is much more complicated than that and if you look around, you’ll realize that most people did not make it (just because you have a house, a car and cable TV doesn’t make you non-mediocre).

Finally, in case you wondered, i consider myself pretty successful, i am passionate about what i do, but i still think i’m mediocre.

By: Sarah White

Sarah White — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:16:08 +0000

Lance – Awesome Article – Glad someone did this post after yesterday…There are a lot of people who choose to be mediocre on a daily basis and are happy for it. They don’t have a passion for what they do, they don’t understand people like us and that is OK. While not everyone can be – there is definitely a place for B players in organizations – the challenge comes when recruiters hire and A for a B role or a B for and A role.

@Gabriel – I disagree with two of points made in your comment:
1. I believe in personal responsibility and accountability. Even if you work for a mediocre company in a mediocre industry you do NOT have to do a mediocre job.
2. Personal “limits” are really just excuses people make up for not wanting to be better. I am a 1st generation American, had kids way too young by most standards, grew up in foster care & with extended family so I had no one to pay for my education and you know what? I am not mediocre. People need to get over their “problems” and realize everyone has them – they just tackle them differently.

By: Paul Hebert

Paul Hebert — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:04:16 +0000

Okay…. I’ll jump in.

A couple of comments mentioned “depends on definition of mediocre” – well here’s the dictionary.com definition:

1. of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.
2. rather poor or inferior.

But the Latin root is the middle height… in other words – sorry Lance – mediocre is a relative (read ranked) designation. You can’t be mediocre if you don’t rank people or performance. No ranking, no middle, no definition of mediocre.

But the question of whether people choose to be mediocre – I’d say no. But they can, and are, trained to provide mediocre work/performance. Managers enable and allow people to perform mediocre work – again – relative to the group.

The fact of the matter is that in ANY group you will have mediocre performers. The real question is do you have people who perform above the standards established for the job/function/role.

Mediocre is irrelevant. Above standards (and hopefully above a standard that continues to get higher) is the goal.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.