Performance matching is a common phenomena within the workplace. It consists of group work and/or area work resulting in a consistent outcome pulled lower by the poorest performer. What does it look like? Say two teams are working at opposites sides of the building on the same task. The groups outcomes will tend to match that of the least productive members, pulling down the overall group output.
How do you guard against a failing dynamic and downward norm setting? Implement internal and/or external incentives for high performance and include a competition component involving another group. Studies have shown when team competition enters the equation, the downward norm no longer exists.
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