{"id":4218,"date":"2023-09-19T05:51:19","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T09:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/lowering-standards-is-a-fools-errand-frank-sonnenberg\/"},"modified":"2023-09-19T05:51:19","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T09:51:19","slug":"lowering-standards-is-a-fools-errand-frank-sonnenberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/lowering-standards-is-a-fools-errand-frank-sonnenberg\/","title":{"rendered":"Lowering Standards Is a Fool\u2019s Errand \u2014 Frank Sonnenberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

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If you want everyone to clear the bar, just lower it, right? Folks who embrace this fairy tale strategy won\u2019t have a happy ending. They believe if you want to reduce complaints, don\u2019t ask for feedback<\/a>. If you want kids to have good self-esteem, offer praise \u2014 regardless of whether they do something right or wrong. And, if you want employees to feel good about their performance, don\u2019t hold them accountable. In other words, instead of rewarding them based on performance, pay them for just showing up. They believe if you make everyone a winner, you won\u2019t have losers. The problem is that lowering standards is a fool\u2019s errand.<\/p>\n

Taking down the \u201cOut of Order\u201d sign doesn\u2019t fix the problem.<\/p>\n

Lowering Your Standards Accomplishes Nothing<\/em><\/h3>\n

What do you gain by lowering your standards? What do you achieve by excusing poor work performance, ignoring bad behavior, or passing students who don\u2019t make the grade? If you don\u2019t hold people accountable for their actions, you\u2019re condoning their behavior. After all, silence is a form of acceptance.<\/p>\n

When you lower the bar, poor performers may feel good<\/em>, but you\u2019re not doing them any favors. There\u2019s no incentive to improve, no impetus for them to change, and when they are rewarded for showing up instead of earning their keep, it reduces their confidence, promotes dependency<\/a>, and robs them of their personal dignity.<\/em> When any part of the human body hasn\u2019t exercised properly, it will atrophy. The same is true of the human spirit.<\/p>\n

Helping people too much makes them helpless.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, what message are you sending to those who work hard, follow the rules, and do what\u2019s right? They\u2019re the ones who bust their chops while their colleagues \u201cwork\u201d on personal matters; they\u2019re the ones who play by the rules while others game the system; and they\u2019re the ones who give back to the community, while others sponge off it.<\/p>\n

Instead of showcasing and rewarding excellence, you\u2019re signaling that mediocre<\/a> behavior is acceptable.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n

Think about hard-working folks who do everything asked of them. If you think they\u2019ll feel cheated, you\u2019re right. If you think they\u2019ll get discouraged, you\u2019re right again. And, if you think they\u2019ll stop trying\u2026you\u2019re about to find out.<\/p>\n

If you reward people for doing nothing, why expect anything?<\/p>\n

When leaders tolerate mediocrity, it\u2019s a cancer that spreads like wildfire. If you want excellence, you must recognize and reward it. Period. People stop trying when there\u2019s no benefit for being exceptional and no consequence for being mediocre.<\/p>\n

This is a wake-up call.<\/p>\n

When you take excellent people for granted, you place their goodwill in jeopardy. As the saying goes, \u201cPeople say you don\u2019t know what you\u2019ve got until it\u2019s gone. Truth is, you knew exactly what you had\u2026you just never thought you\u2019d lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Time to Raise the Bar<\/h3>\n

Are we doing folks a favor by making their life\u00a0unrealistically<\/em>\u00a0easy, or are we making it impossible for them to succeed in the future? What will happen when they\u2019re expected to raise their game, be accountable for their actions, and pull their weight? That\u2019s when reality will hit them right between the eyes.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t cost more to strive for excellence,
but if you settle for mediocrity, it\u2019ll cost you dearly.<\/p>\n

Some people think that lowering standards is a kind thing to do. I strongly disagree. Sometimes, well-intentioned plans have unintended consequences. Even though our efforts help recipients in the short term<\/em>, we are making them dependent on our good graces, rather than preparing them to be self-reliant and accept responsibility for their future.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t help people by lowering the bar, excusing bad behavior, or giving them a free pass. You make them weak. While they\u2019ve obtained some trappings of success, they can\u2019t<\/em> take pride in knowing that it was earned through hard work<\/a>, determination, and sacrifice. As President John F. Kennedy said, \u201cDo not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.\u201d Lowering standards is a fool\u2019s errand.<\/p>\n

Check out Franks NEW book,\u00a0Leadership by Example: Be a role model who inspires greatness on others<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Are You Lowering Your Standards?<\/h3>\n

Please leave a\u00a0comment<\/a>\u00a0and tell us what you think or\u00a0share it with someone who can benefit from the information<\/b><\/p>\n

Additional Reading:
Never Lower Your Personal Standards. Never!<\/a>
Are You Sabotaging Your Success?<\/a>
The Consequences of No Consequences<\/a>
Are You Preparing Your Kids for the Real World?<\/a>
May the Best Person Win<\/a>
Why Work If You Don\u2019t Have to?<\/a>
Step Up Your Game<\/a><\/p>\n

If you like this article, subscribe to our blog so that you don\u2019t miss a single post. Get future posts by RSS<\/a> feed, email<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>. It\u2019s FREE. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Profit<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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