We all want to raise the bar in business, but how do you do it? One of my favourite ways to drive continuous performance improvement is something I call Raising the Bar of Average.

It’s simple, it’s visual, and it works. You can use it to look at salespeople performance, profit by product lines, team billings, or anything else you can measure and compare.

It’s not about benchmarking yourself against best in class or attempting to chase unicorns. It’s about taking a good, honest look at what your current average is and then lifting it, bit by bit.

Watch below as I walk you through how to use this performance improvement framework.

 

 

what is it?

 

Here’s how it works.

Grab a whiteboard and draw up a basic two-axis chart.

  • On the vertical axis, put $ sales [or whatever metric you’re measuring.]
  • On the horizontal axis, list each person [or unit] you’re comparing, it could be salespeople, product lines, departments, even locations.

Then, plot each person’s performance. Once you’ve done that, draw a line across the chart where the average sits.

That line? That’s your bar. That’s your new benchmark and the one you want to keep raising over time.

 

now what?

 

This isn’t about naming and shaming. But if there are people sitting below the average, it’s time to have an open and honest conversation with them.

Ask them:

  • What happened during that period?
  • Why was your performance below the average?
  • What support do they need to improve?
  • Is there a process, system or roadblock getting in their way?

The most important question to ask is: What can we do differently to help lift your performance?

Because when you lift the performance of those below the line, the overall average lifts and so does the whole team.

That’s the real win.

 

why it works

 

Most people focus on lifting the top end. But in reality, your biggest opportunity for improvement is often improving the performance of those below the line.

By focusing on raising the average, you:

  • Create a fair, data-led way to talk about performance
  • Avoid finger-pointing and defensiveness
  • Empower your team with support, not shame
  • Build a culture of continuous improvement

This isn’t a once-a-year performance review tool. It’s a quick, visual check-in you can use any time to see what’s working – and where there’s room to lift.

 

where to use it

 

We’re picking on salespeople here, but you can apply this approach to just about any metric in your business:

  • Revenue by region
  • Profit by product line
  • Conversion rates across different teams
  • Project delivery times by manager
  • Lower value assets [like properties under management by a real estate agent]

If you can measure it by person, team or category – you can raise the bar.

 

want to put it into action?

You don’t need a software system or a complex financial model. Just a whiteboard, a marker, or spreadsheet and the willingness to have a few honest conversations.

Because raising the bar doesn’t mean chasing perfection. It means expecting better and backing your people to get there.

 

we’re here to help

If you want someone to help you interpret the data, challenge the thinking, or work with your team to lift the average – that’s what we do! Reach out to me at j.knight@businessdepot.com.au or give us a buzz on 1300 BDEPOT.

 

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