Two P's in a Pod–Performance and Productivity

Business is a sinner. We create and allow working environments where people aren't productive to their potential. An employee who puts out 100 percent is happier than one getting by at 70 percent. Putting one's heart and soul into an assignment is less tiring than coasting. Busy people are more creative, energetic, enthusiastic, and productive. Imagine being underemployed. What kind of feelings would you have about your abilities, your chances for promotion, or financial progress? Odds are they wouldn't be positive. 

People participate in distracting activities when they aren't busy. They become involved in office politics, grow defensive, and form personal power bases to increase their feeling of job security. 

Too often we restrict performance and productivity by having too many people doing too little. Ask fewer people to do more. Allow them to perform to their potential. They will feel good about it. Most of America's workforce would rather their supervisors depend upon them too much than too little. Productive work environments exist where every participant is fully engaged. Each feels important because he or she is making a needed contribution. 

What are you doing to maximize performance and productivity? What productivity level do you require? What incentives do you provide? Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? 

Let's not look to the other guy. We can talk all day about the quality of workers. Let's look at the quality of leadership. Many employers are underutilizing workers within a system that has inadequate expectations and fails to link productivity to pay. 

Surprisingly, when given a choice between challenge and boredom, many people will choose challenge. Don't let them down.