Follow Us on Google
He’s one Nigerian with calm disposition. He’s humble. He speaks and treats everyone equally regardless of who they are or their background.
We are friends and he trusts me to an extent. He asked that I join him and his HR team when his firm was recruiting. He taught me a lesson on mediocrity.
He single handedly hired most of his Human Resource team but avoided others on grounds that they look rich and won’t be humble to learn.
He believes they know too much or are too smart. He refused to employ average persons or mediocre workers. He went for smart and knowledgeable people.
He is very result oriented, if he gives you a task to undertake, he needs you to get your job done. It doesn’t matter that you get the door slammed on your face or you are walked out. He wants you to get your job done
These are the type of people he employs. They are result driven, you can tell them ‘no’ a million times and even insult them but they will not cave neither will they take your insults to heart until you have sorted out their demand. They will stay put at your door till you are tired and listen to them.
No mediocre will take such because mediocres are common, uninspiring, average and full of excuses. They are comfortable performing less than their best and below capacity because it is easy to be normal.
Mediocres will always aim at recruiting people they are better than, they have self-esteem issues. They are threatened by those who know better, look better and smarter than they do.
They look for avenues to victimize or make such persons redundant by refusing to delegate them to take up tasks they are good at. This line of thought has left many businesses and people stunted.
Unfortunately, many mistake mediocrity for humility, but no, it is not inspiring. It is common and mostly a subtle way people glorify poverty in this clime. It’s almost like there is a sense of satisfaction with average people who achieve little or nothing. Not striving to be the best above normal, but just satisfied with ordinary is not something people should aspire.
I have grown to like and appreciate smart people. If a 30-year-old with PhD has what I am looking for, smarter and very knowledgeable, I want that person on my team. I love to roll with them because they have something I don’t have that I need.
Mediocrity is the trap of average life and it creeps in on you unconsciously. Many have not made any meaningful impact because they are stuck there. Mediocrity boils down to your self-esteem and emotional tolerance.
It should upset you to remain in the company of birds of the same feathers. Birds of the same feathers company will give you the impression that everything is okay. Their words only re-enforce your comfort zone beliefs, measuring your success on the achievements of those around you, rather than those breaking records. This is the bane of our society.
In the words of Criss Jami “Creative people are often found either disagreeable or intimidating by mediocrities”. Mediocrity breeds envy, it will cripple you if you let it.
While mediocres are busy analyzing smart people, pride, ego, who is better and who’s not, smart people are busy calculating on how to deliver on their next tasks, who is best to consult on the way forward, they just want to succeed.
Smart people learn, deliver and excel faster because they surround themselves with the best.
It is best to never leave your business or family in the care of mediocre. They will never recruit the best hands to deliver or even aspire to compete on global stage neither will they want your kids or family to be better than they are.
Success is mostly deliberate effort of determination and commitment. You must invest your best and hire the best hands if you must soar.
When you deliberately avoid applicants who are well dressed or those who speak and carry themselves with class on grounds of looks rather than on merit; you deliberately glorify poverty and mediocrity.
That an applicant has the latest I Phone or drives a big car should not rob you the chances of what they have to offer.
Although our environment plays a major role in determining how we think and our hunger for success, always remember that convenience will never produce excellence.
We must question certain beliefs perceived as sacred. Challenge status quo to break off from limitations imposed by society. Have a dream, live your dream by taking on what the society say can’t be done, break the record and watch how higher reasoning is activated in people.
To beat the trap of mediocrity, you must stop finding comfort in the company of average and normal people. Stay committed to a lifetime of quality learning, that’s how to be exceptional. Only those who know new things can do new things. Hang around people who challenge you to strive harder.
