A Comparative Analysis of Average Employees and Great Employees: Behavioral Traits, Workplace Impact, and Organizational Outcomes

 

Abstract

The success of any organization is significantly influenced by the quality of its employees. The infographic under review highlights a stark contrast between “average employees” and “great employees,” categorizing their behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes. This article analyzes these traits in depth, linking them to organizational productivity, employee well-being, and long-term sustainability. Case examples and research-backed interpretations are provided to establish practical insights.

 

1. Introduction

Organizations thrive not merely on systems and processes but on the people who execute them. Employee effectiveness is often determined by behavioral patterns, intrinsic motivation, and adaptability. The visual framework presented categorizes employees into two broad groups: average and great. While the former often act as bottlenecks to growth, the latter emerge as catalysts of innovation and efficiency.

 

 

 

2. Traits of Average Employees

Average employees are characterized by patterns that restrict both personal and organizational progress. These include:

1.    Work for Paycheck Only

Such employees lack intrinsic motivation. Their contribution is transactional, limiting creativity and innovation.

Example: An employee who clock-watches for 5 PM rather than focusing on task completion reduces team morale.

2.    No Desire to Learn

Resistance to upskilling makes them obsolete in dynamic environments.

Example: An IT staff member refusing to learn cloud technology risks redundancy in a cloud-first world.

3.    Resist Change & Don’t Plan

Average employees often oppose new strategies and fail to anticipate challenges. This delays organizational transformation.

4.    Poor Teammates & Idea Contribution

Collaboration suffers as they rarely offer innovative solutions, making them liabilities in brainstorming sessions.

5.    Poor Health Habits

Declining productivity and increased absenteeism often result from poor lifestyle management.

6.    Blame Culture

Average employees externalize problems, weakening accountability.

 

7.    Fear-Driven Motivation

Compliance is based on fear of punishment rather than passion for excellence.

 

3. Traits of Great Employees

Great employees, conversely, embody qualities that align with organizational excellence.

1.    Love for Great Work

They derive satisfaction from performance itself, driving intrinsic excellence.

2.    Constant Learners & Readers

Lifelong learning ensures adaptability.

Example: A finance professional pursuing certifications like CFA continuously adds value to the firm.

3.    Embrace Change & Plan for Success

Change is seen as opportunity, and planning ensures resilience against uncertainty.

4.    Team Leadership & Idea Generation

Great employees inspire and influence peers positively.

Example: In agile IT teams, idea-driven leaders improve sprint outcomes significantly.

5.    Health & Responsibility

Strong physical and mental health habits enhance consistency in delivery. Taking responsibility ensures accountability culture.

6.    Motivated by Excellence

Unlike fear-driven employees, they work for mastery, purpose, and recognition, not just rewards.

7.    Efficient Time Use

They detest wasting time, ensuring higher productivity levels.

 

 

 

 

4. Comparative Analysis

The contrast highlights a psychological and behavioral divide:

Dimension	Average Employees	Great Employees
Motivation	Paycheck-driven	Passion and excellence-driven
Learning	Static, resist new skills	Continuous learners
Adaptability	Fearful of change	Embrace change
Contribution	Rarely contribute ideas	Idea generators
Team Impact	Demotivating presence	Inspiring leaders
Health	Neglectful habits	Strong health culture
Accountability	Blame and justify	Take responsibility
Time Use	Wasteful	Efficient

 

5. Organizational Impact

1.    Productivity

Teams with great employees outperform by fostering innovation and collaboration, whereas average employees slow processes.

 

2.    Culture

Blame and resistance create toxic cultures, while accountability fosters trust and resilience.

3.    Sustainability

Organizations reliant on average employees face stagnation. Firms investing in great employees through training and recognition ensure adaptability to future challenges.

 

6. Real-World Case Examples

• Average Employee Impact:

Nokia’s decline (2000s) is often attributed to resistance to change among middle management, reflecting "average employee traits."

• Great Employee Impact:

At Google, the "20% time" policy encouraged employees to contribute ideas beyond their regular tasks, resulting in products like Gmail and Google Maps.

 

8.   Recommendations

 

1.    Talent Development Programs: Encourage learning and reading cultures.

2.    Health Initiatives: Introduce workplace wellness programs.

3.    Leadership Opportunities: Empower employees to lead small projects.

4.    Cultural Shifts: Promote accountability over blame.

5.    Recognition: Reward idea generation and time efficiency.

 

8. Conclusion

The contrast between average and great employees underscores the importance of behavioral patterns in organizational success. Great employees transform workplaces into innovative, resilient ecosystems, while average employees risk stagnation. Organizations must cultivate environments where excellence, responsibility, and continuous learning are the norm.

 

v  Key Insight:

Organizations don’t just need employees; they need great employees. The journey from “average” to “great” is not innate but fostered through training, culture, and leadership.

 

5 Powerful Problem-Solving Tools Every Manager Should Master

In today’s dynamic business environment, managers are expected not only to supervise operations but also to solve problems effectively. The ability to address challenges with structured methods can make the difference between temporary fixes and sustainable success. Here are five proven tools that every manager can apply to lead with clarity and impact.

1. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – Solving Problems at the Source

Too often, managers deal with recurring issues because only the symptoms are addressed. RCA helps dig deep into the underlying cause.

How managers can use it:

• Identify the symptoms.
• Trace them back to the root cause.
• Validate findings.
• Develop corrective strategies.

✅ Example: If customer complaints keep rising, instead of only compensating them, managers can identify whether the root issue lies in product design, service delay, or communication gaps.

2. Design Thinking – Putting People First

Modern managers must adopt a user-centric mindset. Design Thinking fosters creativity and ensures solutions are built around real needs.

Steps in practice: Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test.

✅ Example: When developing a new service line, managers can involve end-users in brainstorming sessions, test prototypes, and refine the offering based on feedback.

3. Six Thinking Hats – Seeing from All Perspectives

Complex decisions demand a multi-angle view. Edward de Bono’s Six Hats technique helps teams explore problems through different lenses: facts (white), emotions (red), caution (black), optimism (yellow), creativity (green), and process control (blue).

✅ Example: A leadership team deciding on a market expansion can balance enthusiasm (yellow) with risk analysis (black) and creative ideas (green) before making a sound decision.

4. SWOT Analysis – Turning Insight into Strategy

SWOT remains one of the most practical strategic tools. By mapping Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, managers gain a holistic view of their position.

✅ Example: A retail chain entering a new city may use SWOT to leverage its strong supply chain (strength), work on limited brand recall (weakness), tap into growing demand (opportunity), and prepare for aggressive competitors (threats).

5. Value Stream Mapping – Eliminating Waste, Improving Flow

Efficiency is central to managerial success. Value Stream Mapping allows managers to visualize the flow of materials and information, spot inefficiencies, and redesign processes.

✅ Example: In logistics, managers can map the delivery chain, identify unnecessary delays, and streamline the process to ensure faster service at lower cost.

Conclusion: The Manager as a Problem-Solver

A manager’s true strength lies not in reacting to problems, but in solving them systematically. By mastering these five tools—RCA, Design Thinking, Six Thinking Hats, SWOT, and Value Stream Mapping—leaders can foster innovation, efficiency, and long-term organizational growth.

In practice, these tools also send a powerful message: that managers are not just task supervisors, but architects of solutions.

Leadership vs Management – A Simple Understanding

 

In every workplace and in our daily lives, we often hear two words: Leadership and Management. Many people assume both are the same, but in reality, they are quite different. Let’s understand this difference with simple examples.

 

1. What is Leadership?

Leadership means inspiring, guiding, and motivating people towards a common goal.

·         A teacher who not only teaches lessons but inspires students to dream big – that’s leadership.

·         A cricket captain who builds confidence in players and leads them to victory – that’s leadership.

ü  In short: Leadership is about leading people.

 

2. What is Management?

Management means organizing time, resources, processes, and tasks efficiently.

·         A school principal who ensures the timetable, fees, and exams are well arranged – that’s management.

·         A project manager in a software company who allocates resources and meets deadlines – that’s management.

ü  In short: Management is about managing things.

 

3. The Big Difference – People vs Things

·         People have emotions, creativity, and dreams. They need to be led.

·         Things like systems, machines, money, or processes don’t have emotions. They need to be managed.

Ø Example:  A farmer must manage water, seeds, and fertilizers. But when it comes to his workers, he must lead them with motivation and trust.

 

4. Why is this Difference Important?

Some managers make the mistake of treating people like machines that can just be “managed.” But people are not robots. They think, feel, and innovate.

·         If you only push people to “work like machines,” they lose interest.

·         If you inspire them with a shared vision, they deliver outstanding results.

5. Conclusion

Both Leadership and Management are important.

·         Without management, things fall into disorder.

·         Without leadership, people lose energy and direction.

A true professional balances both:

·         As a Leader, you win people’s hearts.

·         As a Manager, you ensure smooth operations.

Ø Example: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar showed leadership by guiding society towards justice and equality. At the same time, he showed management skills while carefully drafting the Indian Constitution.

    Leadership = Showing the way.

    Management = Ensuring things run smoothly.

Those who master both become truly successful.

Leadership is of Building Leaders, Not Dependents

 

A true measure of leadership is not how much control one holds over a team, but how much independence and confidence that team develops under one’s guidance. The quote in the image captures this essence perfectly:

“If your team can’t make decisions without you, you haven’t built leaders – you’ve built dependents.”

 

1. Leadership vs. Dependence

A leader’s responsibility is not to be the sole decision-maker but to cultivate decision-making abilities within the team. When leaders centralize authority, team members hesitate to act without approval. This dependency may give the illusion of control, but in reality, it weakens the organization.

Example: Imagine a manager who insists on approving every minor task. The team becomes slow, fearful of mistakes, and reliant. In contrast, a leader who empowers the team encourages initiative, accountability, and innovation.

 

2. Empowerment Through Trust

Leadership thrives on trust. When a leader trusts the team to make decisions, it signals confidence in their skills and judgment. Trust doesn’t mean absence of guidance—it means providing a framework of values and principles within which the team can act independently.

Example: A sports coach cannot play the game for the players. But by instilling strategy and confidence, the coach ensures that the team can perform on the field without constant instructions.

 

3. Developing Decision-Making Skills

To avoid creating dependents, leaders must mentor their teams in decision-making. This involves:

• Clarity of Vision: Helping the team understand the bigger picture.
• Encouraging Initiative: Allowing team members to propose and test solutions.
• Learning from Mistakes: Creating a safe space where errors become lessons, not punishments.

 

4. The Long-Term Benefits

Leaders who build leaders create a culture of resilience. Even in their absence, the team remains productive and effective. Such teams adapt quickly to challenges, innovate naturally, and show strong ownership of results.

Contrast: A dependent team collapses when the leader is unavailable; a leadership-oriented team thrives regardless.

 

Conclusion

The goal of leadership is not to create followers who wait for instructions but to nurture individuals who can carry the vision forward independently. As the saying goes, “Great leaders don’t create more followers, they create more leaders.”

Empower your team, encourage independent thinking, and celebrate decisions made with courage and responsibility. That is how legacies are built—not through control, but through trust and empowerment.

11 Laws of Kind Leadership – A Path to Inspiring Teams

Leadership is often misunderstood as simply being in charge or giving directions. But true leadership, as Simon Sinek beautifully said, “is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.”

In today’s dynamic work environment, kindness is not a weakness—it is a strength that builds trust, inspires loyalty, and fuels growth. Amy Gibson’s 11 Laws of Kind Leadership highlight how leaders can blend compassion with responsibility to create thriving teams.

 

1. See the Human First, Employee Second

Behind every role is a person with hopes, struggles, and dreams. Great leaders recognize this and treat their people with humanity before professionalism.

Example: When an employee faces personal challenges, flexibility in work arrangements shows genuine care.

 

2. Give Feedback that Helps People Grow

Constructive feedback is not about pointing out faults—it’s about guiding people to improve. A kind leader gives feedback that motivates, not discourages.

Example: Instead of saying “This is wrong,” say “Here’s how we can make it better.”

 

3. Make Space for Quiet Voices to Be Heard

Not everyone speaks up in meetings, but every voice matters. Leaders should encourage quieter members to share their insights.

Example: Asking introverted team members directly for their ideas creates inclusion.

 

4. Respect Your Team Members’ Boundaries

Work-life balance is crucial. Leaders must respect personal time and not expect availability 24/7.

Example: Avoid sending late-night messages unless truly urgent.

 

5. Ask “How Are You?” and Truly Listen

Showing care goes beyond formal check-ins. Listening with empathy helps leaders understand their people’s real needs.

Example: A genuine conversation over coffee can sometimes mean more than a performance review.

 

6. Show Up with Care When Times Get Tough

True leadership shines in crises. Standing beside employees during difficulties builds trust and long-term commitment.

Example: Supporting staff during layoffs or personal loss with compassion and assistance.

 

7. Celebrate Growth, Not Just Results

Numbers matter, but progress matters more. Recognizing effort and improvement boosts morale.

Example: Applauding a team member who has improved skills, even if the final outcome is still in progress.

 

8. Show Appreciation in Small Ways Daily

Simple gestures—like a thank-you note or a public acknowledgment—go a long way in making people feel valued.

Example: Sending a quick message saying “Great job today” can brighten someone’s entire week.

 

9. Make it Safe to Be Human at Work

Employees should feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment.

Example: Allowing mistakes to be treated as learning opportunities rather than punishments.

 

10. Lend a Hand When Teammates Need Help

Leadership is about collaboration, not hierarchy. Helping teammates fosters teamwork.

Example: A manager jumping in to help complete a task before a deadline.

11. Stand Up for Your People, Every Time

Loyalty is a two-way street. Leaders who defend their teams earn respect and devotion.

Example: Supporting a team member’s ideas in front of senior management builds confidence.

 

🌿 Conclusion

Kind leadership is not just about being nice—it is about creating an environment where people feel safe, supported, and motivated to do their best work. When leaders embody kindness, they don’t just manage teams—they inspire movements.

👉 A kind leader doesn’t just lead with authority, but with humanity.