Bell Curve

Happy Friday!

Welcome to this edition on the?Bell curve?(#216).

Let me start with a question: have you ever played the game “Wordle?” If you have never played it, here is how it’s described by a CNN reporter: “One word. Five letters. Six tries. Countless moments of triumph and dismay” – on the eve of the 1000th puzzle, earlier this month. Thus, I want to share some interesting facts about the game and some leadership lessons that we can glean from it.

Fun facts:?

• What started as a fun project for two friends during the Pandemic, ended up being a seven-figure fortune with the acquisition of the game by the NYT. – Never underestimate the value of your idea.?
• According to NYT, last year, a little over half a billion games were played with the most popular beginning word being “ADIEU,” but it was the least efficient according to their WordleBot. – Widespread adoption doesn't equate to correctness.
• According to GWI, an audience research company, a typical social media user spends an average of 143 minutes a day, whereas a typical Wordle player spends only 3+ mins to solve the puzzle. – Choose your compulsions wisely.
• To round it up, only 0.02% solve it on the first attempt, 6% on the second, and about 80% between the third and fifth attempts. 11% barely make it on the final try while 3% fail to solve it.? – Does this resemble any known patterns?

If you attempt to plot this on a graph, doesn’t it represent the infamous bell curve we are all accustomed to using to explain statistical patterns? It fascinates me to see how aptly this represents the trends and traits of a team’s performance in any work setting. Hence, I would like to look at this from a leader’s vantage point and ask you to reflect on how you manage your team.

• Have you ever wondered about your criteria for picking the team members, especially the top players to whom you always assign your most important projects? It's intriguing to consider whether their success is due to a diligent strategy or simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. – How intentional are you then in presenting these right opportunities to others on the team?
• 80% of the team always delivers their tasks within a reasonable amount of time. However, it’s worth pointing out that almost all these 80% would have arrived at the result in their unique way.?–?Do you take the time to understand and appreciate everyone’s unique approach to problem-solving?
• The 11% who delivered, albeit at the last minute, indicate a deep-rooted situation that needs to be addressed. In a way, it’s a cry for help. Are they overworked or stretched too thin? How do you investigate these situations to find the root cause??–?Do you provide an atmosphere where challenges can be discussed openly and candidly?
• And, finally, for those who didn’t make the cut, is this a consistent pattern or a one-off situation? What strategies do you employ to analyze failures? How do you encourage an individual to introspect sincerely??–?Do you have the emotional fortitude to conduct crucial conversations?

In closing, whether it’s a population's performance in solving a game, a team’s ability in delivering a project, it’s always a bell curve. The only person who can make a difference in where you are on that bell curve is you.?

Let me leave you with this to reflect upon, “As much as others may need to change, or we may want them to change, the only person we can continually inspire, prod, and shape—with any degree of success—is the person in the mirror.” ― Kerry Patterson

Thank you and have a reflective weekend.