It’s remarkable how much of a productivity kicker an organization gets from top talent. A recent study of more than 600,000 researchers, entertainers, politicians, and athletes found that high performers are 400 percent more productive than average ones. Studies of businesses not only show similar results but also reveal that the gap rises with a job’s complexity. In highly complex occupations-the information - and interaction-intensive work of managers, software developers, and the like-high performers are an astounding 800 percent more productive.
The late Steve Jobs of Apple summed up talent’s importance with this advice: “Go after the cream of the cream. A small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players.” Management guru Jim Collins concurred: “… the single biggest constraint on the success of my organization is the ability to get and to hang on to enough of the right people.”
Want your perspective.
I'm not sure how a "third world war," mentioned in your subject line, relates to what seems to be your main point. The main point, as I see it, is that top performers way outpace the average worker?
This seems believable enough, once one has been in the work force for enough years. But even when you're in school, you can notice the effect. Many classes these days seem to emphasize teamwork, group projects, that sort of thing, (Cynically, let me add, in part, because this reduces the work load for the teacher!)
In these teams, is it not frequently true, that one or two individuals do the majority of the work? It's been my experience, anyway. Perhaps what you quote Steve Jobs as saying is already demonstrated, before kids join the work force?
Here's my thesis. As economies depend more on specialized skills and knowledge, the value placed, by the economy, on the top performers, increases. As the value placed on top performers (and top contributors) increases, their incomes increase, compared with the average. This is a natural process of supply and demand, for a specialized labor force. This could help explain why income disparity goes up. I mean, even in spite of some egregious excesses, such as the way CEOs of major corporations are compensated. Leaving those outliers aside, an income disparity increase is not so surprising?
Albert, will ' knowledge economy' re-define, the way capitalism is practice in 21 century?
I fully agree with his introduction, where in summary he mentions the great productivity and creative capacity of multitasking people, technologically prepared in many disciplines, with several complex competencies and who become leaders in their field of experience.
As for the possibility of a World War III being triggered, it exists as such and may become greater, even Probable, if the power punch persists between 2 or 3 world leaders in War Economy (United States, Russia and China). ).
If power is divided in a similar way in more nations, it is likely that the holocaust will stop, because there will be a better balance in the decisions as to whether or not to carry out a world war.
Deep thoughts in your thread of discussion, Dr. Ayodele. I believe that the hunting for talents who define the economic speed and progress of countries is crucial to the 'crux'of the 'third world'.
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