Dealing with different levels of performance

It is not always fair, but it is human that leaders expect a higher performance of those who are capable and have proven that they deliver. 

Shouldn’t everyone contribute in the same way? Ideally yes - that should always be what we strive for on a higher level. However, in reality it is not possible to ask the same of everyone, given that each individual is different. This applies to workload, speed, structure, communication, and skills. 

Yet, it is dangerous to rely and depend on a few, if the majority is different. An organization should not break if some individuals are missing. At the same time, high achieving individuals must see a personal benefit for their high performance to feel rewarded. And money is only one part of the game. 

As a leader, when it comes to those without exceptional performance, watch out and listen to different perspectives: The balance between respecting lower standards and individuals getting used to some kind of comfort zone is small. If there is too much comfort zone, the risk of demotivation for the highly engaged increases. If you expect the same high standards of every individual, general productivity will decrease, as the majority won’t be able to keep up with the pace.