The End of Average - Elevating the Magic of your Middle Performers
- Beth Torres
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
TL;DR
Growth comes from elevating the performance of everyone, including your middle tier. By focusing on coaching, clarity, and systems, leaders can shift the performance curve and unlock the hidden potential of their “B players.” This approach builds high-performing teams, drives scalable results, and helps organizations break through growth plateaus.
Why Middle Performers Hold the Key to Growth
When organizations hit a growth plateau, leadership often doubles down on their top talent, the “A players.” While high performers matter, research shows that the real growth opportunity lies in the middle. According to the Harvard Business Review, 85% of employees admit to not working at their full potential.
The real challenge is that the middle performers, who make up the vast majority of the workforce, are underleveraged. They represent untapped potential that, when unlocked, transforms the whole team’s output. High-performing teams absolutely celebrate their best, but they ALSO create systems that help the middle rise.
Leadership as the Catalyst
Leadership is the difference between stagnation and breakthrough. Ineffective leadership overlooks the middle, creating an “us vs. them” culture where only the top contributors are rewarded. Effective leadership, however, builds clarity, creates fair accountability, and invests in coaching that elevates the entire curve.
I have personally seen that companies that invest in growth, skill development, and reward systems that are tied to accountability and an ownership mindset not only retain talent but also accelerate performance across all levels. When leaders focus on scalable systems that set clear expectations, provide consistent coaching, and ensure data-driven accountability, they break through plateaus and foster sustainable momentum.
Coaching, Clarity, and Systems: The Triple Force
Coaching
Middle performers benefit most from consistent, structured coaching. Not micromanagement, but development-oriented feedback that builds confidence and skills.
Clarity
Ambiguity kills performance. When employees know exactly how success is defined, their ability to deliver increases. High-performing teams thrive on leaders who communicate goals, roles, and outcomes with precision.
Systems
Sustainable improvement comes from embedding accountability into the operating rhythm. From performance dashboards to weekly check-ins, systems institutionalize progress.
Breaking Through Growth Plateaus
The growth ceiling many organizations hit is not a market problem, but a performance distribution problem. By shifting focus from just rewarding stars to enabling the middle, organizations not only raise their baseline but also create a culture of continuous improvement.
The best companies drive performance by building systems where leadership consistently supports employee ownership and continual growth at every level, not just at the top. In practice, this leads to stronger retention, greater innovation, and ultimately, more resilient high-performing teams.
Final Thought
The ‘end of average’ is about refusing to overlook the middle. Leaders who invest in coaching, clarity, and systems elevate everyone around them! The results are high-performing teams that shatter growth plateaus and position the organization for long-term success.
If you’re ready to unlock the hidden value in your team, start by asking: What would happen if your “average” performers became 10% better? The answer is often the growth you’ve been chasing.
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