As leaders, we are always looking for quality talent to add to our teams. We are also continually evaluating our current team members for potential promotion from within. Oftentimes, we have a difficult time quantifying or putting into language what we see or intuitively feel regarding their performance.
During John Middlekauff’s February 2, 2024 3 and Out podcast, he was describing the evaluation process of quarterbacks. I found his comments profoundly insightful from a leadership perspective.
Though he used different terminology and was speaking in generalities regarding NFL quarterbacks, I built the following template for identifying varying levels of performance based upon his comments.
The Four Levels of Performance for Those on Your Teams
The following are four levels of performance:
Non-Performance
You simply do not mentally or physically possess the skills necessary to do the job or capacity to learn it. Things do not come easy at this stage. You are not a natural talent for the position.
Classroom Performance
A smaller percentage of performers do well explaining their job. This is the mental side.
Middlekauff said, “When you’re in a meeting room, I (the quarterback) can tell you what to do against this coverage. What’s this play called? What to audible in when you get this look.” He notes a lot of players can do that in a meeting room, on a whiteboard, or with a quarterback coach.
Coaches often think at this stage, “He knows what he’s talking about. This person can talk about football like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.”
This ability to process information and explain the fundamentals of the job provides them the opportunity to get on the field.
As a side note, Middlekauff says the best thing young players can do is know the team’s playbook so they can be where they are supposed to be on the field.
For more on the leadership of Manning and Brady, read 60 Leadership Quotes From Tom Brady And Peyton Manning.
Practice Performance
This is a controlled environment. An even smaller percentage of players can take what’s on a whiteboard and execute it in practice. This will cause you to impress people.
The ability to process, explain, and perform in controlled environments affords you the opportunity to lead on the highest level and with the most visibility.
Game-Time Performance
Regardless of the industry you are in, controlled environments like practice are completely different than game-time situations where the consequences are real.
Most quarterbacks who make it into a regular season NFL game quickly find there is a difference between a bland (pre-season, practice) look and a real game-plan look.
They are now facing the most brilliant defensive coaches in the world who give multiple new looks that the quarterback did not see on tape or practice against. Unlike practice, the quarterbacks did not know these new challenges were coming.
Middlekauff asks, “Can you still function when you don’t know the answers to the test?” This is the difference between average quarterbacks and elite ones. It is also the difference between average and elite employees in your organization.
He notes this is what makes Brock Purdy special. Purdy knows what to do in big spots and is an instinctive player. Middlekauff also added that Patrick Mahomes is a quarterback genius.
For more on the leadership of Purdy and Mahomes, read How Do You Spot An Emerging Leader? Here Are 7 Things To Look For. and 7 Things That Make Patrick Mahomes Special (Other Than His Physical Gifts).
Conclusion
When you are evaluating your personal performance or those on your team, do a clinical evaluation and determine if they are a non-performer, explainer, practice player, or ready to perform at the highest level.
This decision will position both the team member and organization for success.
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