The Bell Curve - Is it America’s Problem?



Green Bay Packers - 2011 NFL Champions



Have we created a generation – or two – of employees, workers, citizens that are complacent and willing to live in the middle-ground of performance? Many of my generation complain about the younger generation’s “attitude of entitlement.” But, before we are hasty with that assessment – accurate as it may be – we should be wary of our own generations “entitlement”. I know many of my peers that a) do not vote, b) sit on Boards yet never voice an opinion, c) take a paycheck but do not give total effort, d) are awaiting someone else to take care of them in later years, or e) complain about our military efforts that protect our every freedom.

Maybe you have read my comments regarding “The Bell-Curve of Employee Performance”. If so, you know that I believe that organizations that wish to be the competitive leaders must determine how to “shift their Bell-Curve”.  So, how does that enterprise philosophy apply to America’s status as a world power, as the economic leader?... as the most innovative society?

America was founded by innovators and leaders that were not ‘comfortable’ with the status quo. They believed that we could build a country that allowed individuals, families, and enterprises to excel beyond the constraints of the norm. And they believed that “taxation without representation” stifled creativity, prosperity, and excellence.

Successful enterprises know that allowing creativity and innovation is tantamount to economic success. They also know that creating cultures that encourage performance beyond the norm causes differentiation from competition. So, why is it that we seem to try so hard to make everyone in America fit into the middle of the Bell Curve?

We tax more those who are more successful. We legislate against competitive innovation. It’s as if America does not want any Americans to exist in the upper 10% of the Bell Curve. We seem to shift our focus to lifting those who won’t even give effort. It’s as if we would feel better about ourselves if we bring everyone into the lower-middle of the Bell Curve.

Now, don’t get me wrong! I embrace helping those who are disadvantaged. I believe it is our Christian responsibility to love and nourish those who are less fortunate. But, I don’t believe that was meant to force the top performers into constraints of AVERAGE!

Champions build environments that allow leaders to lead, creators to create, innovators to innovate… Such cultures create a sense of challenge for all others. When everyone is challenged the organization grows to a new level of accomplishment.

The Green Bay Packers are the NFL’s newest champion for 2011. They have some amazing talents on that team including outstanding leaders such as Charles Woodson and Aaron Rodgers. But, they have had about 16 players that have fallen to injury during the season. Others have taken their place on the active team and have contributed. I suggest that a championship would not have happened without an environment that encouraged individuals to excel – that provided a platform for a player to ‘raise his game’ in order to contribute to the overall team. What DOES NOT exist on The Green Bay Packers is the organizational attitude that you can take a place on our team and ‘We will provide for you.’

America needs to become a “Championship Team” again. We need to invigorate the innovation and leadership that made us a great country. We need leaders that understand to motivate individuals to accomplish great things as individuals, as companies, as organizations. Those attitudes will yield a country that will again “shift the Bell Curve” to a higher level of performance against the competition.

And, don’t for a minute fall into the trap that this is not a competition. We have allies around the world that generally agree with our principals. But, there are numerous countries and groups that want us to continue into our deep trench of creating an average country built with average citizens.

C’mon America! Let’s again move the Bell Curve!